Tom Cruisethe charismatic and invincible action star dons a new mask for Alejandro González Iñárritu’s upcoming dark comedy-satire ‘Digger’. The four-time Academy Award nominee revealed that he put on layers of makeup and costumes to communicate through the physical. Making his first non-franchise film in nearly a decade, the 64-year-old found his lenses, color and method to deliver his performance.Here’s a closer look at how Tom Cruise landed a whole new role for ‘Digger.’
Tom Cruise explains how Alejandro González Iñárritu helped him with his new character
Tom Cruise knew his priority as he explored the dramatic role of the eccentric oil baron, who tries to convince the world that he is the ultimate savior of the problem he himself created. During a press conference at Warner Bros. in Burbank, the actor said, per Entertainment Weekly, “My process is: I’m absorbing, absorbing, absorbing. With the body, we’re communicating a story… I want people to be immersed in a story,” before adding, “When we’re looking for characters, we’re looking for humor, how do we communicate that drama?
Detailing the color of the dress and the type of fabrics, she recalled all the decisions she thought about, stating, “[The] color of cowboy boots. How are my shorts? The sets, the color of the sets. They are gorgeous on every level… Look at this man’s taste. It’s very special,” he added, adding that he even wore false teeth to complete the character.
In addition, Tom Cruise expressed that each project and character has its own rhythm and music, including demeanor, movement and the way the makeup integrates with the drama. “So the demeanor of a character, the movement of a character, are things that as we’re looking at the makeup side. As you’re developing, you have to say, ‘Is this our tone? Is it drama? Is it comedy? Is it too much?’ You’re dialing it in,” said the veteran actor, concluding that acting is a lifelong learning journey. He added that the director has helped him find the rhythm, “Alejandro understands the music, and this is the universal language that we are all finding.”
‘Digger’ is set to release on October 2, 2026.