Tom Cruise's decision to return his three Golden Globe awards in 2021 in opposition to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association was the subject of Jerrod Carmichael's roast at the Golden Globes. During the 80th annual Golden Globes awards ceremony on Tuesday night, host Jerrod Carmichael launched a roast bomb at Tom Cruise.  Golden Globes Awards 2023: Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans Wins Best Picture In Drama, Says 'This Movie Is An Act Of Courage'.

According to Variety, a US-based news outlet, Carmichael was introducing presenters Glen Powell and Jay Ellis, Cruise's Top Gun: Maverick co-stars, when he appeared on stage with three trophies in his hands. "Hey, guys backstage I found these," Carmichael said in a report quoted by Variety. "[It's the] three Golden Globe awards that Tom Cruise returned. I'm just a host briefly, or whatever, but I have a pitch I think. Maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige." Golden Globes Awards 2023: House of the Dragon Wins Best Television Drama Beats Better Call Saul, The Crown, Ozark. 

Carmichael referred to Shelly Miscavige, the spouse of Scientology founder David Miscavige, to allude to Scientology. Cruise participates openly in church activities. Shelly has apparently been absent from public view for a long time. Leah Remini, a former Scientology adherent, frequently posts on social media to inquire about Shelly's location. Cruise made the decision to return his three Golden Globe awards public in May 2021. At the time, NBC had just canceled the Golden Globes broadcast amid a string of HFPA controversies, including the revelation that the organization had no Black members at the time.

For Jerry Maguire, Magnolia, and Born on the Fourth of July, Cruise received three Golden Globe nominations each for best actor in a comedy or musical and supporting actor, respectively (actor in a drama). In addition to his four Golden Globe nominations for The Last Samurai, Tropic Thunder, A Few Good Men, and Risky Business, the actor has received nominations for four more films (actor in a comedy or musical).