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 will wear multiple layers of makeup and costumes and communicate through his body. Making his first non-franchise film in nearly a decade, the 64-year-old found the lens, color and approach that suited his performance.Here’s a detailed breakdown of how Tom Cruise landed a brand-new role in Digger.
Tom Cruise shares how Alejandro González Iñárritu helped shape his new character
Tom Cruise knows his priorities as he explores the dramatic role of the eccentric oil tycoon who tries to convince the world that he is the ultimate savior from a problem of his own making. According to Entertainment Weekly, during a press conference at Warner Bros. in Burbank, the actor said, “My process is: I’m engaging, I’m engaging, I’m engaging. Through the body, we’re conveying a story… I want people to be immersed in a story,” before adding, “When we’re looking for characters, we’re looking for humor, drama, some structure — how do we convey that?”
Detailing the color of the garment and the type of fabric, he recalled all the decisions that came to his mind, saying: “[The] Cowboy boots colors. What do my shorts look like? Suit, the color of the suit. They are beautiful on every level…you look at this man’s taste. It was very special,” he said, adding that he even wore dentures to complete the role.
Additionally, Tom Cruise stated that each project and character has its own rhythm and music, including the way behavior, movement, makeup and drama blend. “So the behavior of the character, the movement of the character, these are things that we think about in terms of makeup. When you’re developing, you have to ask, ‘Is this our tone? Is it drama? Is it comedy? Is it too much?’ You’re dialing it in,” the veteran actor said, concluding that acting is a lifelong learning journey. He added that the director helped him find his rhythm, saying, “Alejandro understands music, the universal language we are all looking for.”
“Diggers” will be released on October 2, 2026.
