Tom Cruise's immersion in 'Digger' role impacts co-stars

Actor Tom Cruise reportedly underwent an intense character immersion for his role as Digger Rockwell in the upcoming dark comedy film ‘Digger’, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Co-star Riz Ahmed shared that Cruise’s commitment to the role was so profound that the cast occasionally struggled to distinguish the actor from his character on set.

Ahmed described the experience to Empire, stating, “I kind of forgot about Tom. Because Tom was Digger, and he became Digger, and he stayed in Digger.” The transformation involved significant changes to Cruise’s voice, appearance, clothing, and movements. To assist the process, Iñárritu read the screenplay aloud to help Cruise absorb the story’s rhythm.

The film follows an oil tycoon who must face the consequences of his actions after triggering an ecological disaster. The cast also includes Jesse Plemons, Sandra Hüller, and John Goodman. ‘Digger’ is scheduled for theatrical release on October 2, 2026.