‘Totally outrageous’: Tom Cruise unleashes new film Digger at star-studded royal premiere
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Digger director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (left) and actor Tom Cruise speaking with Prince William and Princess Kate at its world premiere on Sept 22.
PHOTO: AFP
- Tom Cruise described his character in Digger as "totally outrageous" and highlighted a demanding 10-minute monologue filmed in one take at the film’s royal premiere in London.
- The film, directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, features Cruise as eccentric oil tycoon Digger Rockwell who causes an ecological disaster, with little plot revealed to maintain mystery.
- Cast and crew praised the film’s detailed craftsmanship, musical rhythm, and evolving scenes, with Digger set for global release starting Sept 30 and in UK/US cinemas on Oct 2.
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LONDON – Tom Cruise described his character in Digger as “totally outrageous” and unlike any role he had encountered before, speaking at the film’s world premiere in London on Sept 22.
“He’s the kind of character that says things that some people think, some people can’t imagine thinking,” said the 64-year-old Hollywood star. “I’ve never read a character like him. I’ve never read a film like this.”
The release of Digger was celebrated with a royal premiere attended by Britain’s Prince William and Princess Kate, after what German actress Sandra Huller described as nearly 10 years of work by Oscar-winning director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
The film has generated much anticipation since a trailer showed Cruise transformed into eccentric oil tycoon Digger Rockwell with grey hair, facial prosthetics and a padded bodysuit.
Tom Cruise plays an eccentric oil tycoon in Digger.
PHOTO: WBEI
Cruise said this transformation was far from the most demanding aspect of the role, pointing instead to a 10-minute monologue filmed in a single take.
Huller, 48, said it was “remarkable” watching Cruise’s performance.
“It feels like all the things that he has learnt in 46 years of acting have come into this character,” she added.
In the dark comedy, Rockwell inadvertently triggers an ecological disaster that pushes the world to the brink of nuclear war before scrambling to save the planet.
But the film-makers have revealed little else about the story, fuelling speculation about the plot and rumours it could be a musical, which Cruise has dismissed.
“If you experience the film without knowing anything about it, it’s much better than if you (knew) before,” Huller said, adding that the secrecy was not intended to create intrigue for its own sake.
Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (centre) with (from left) actors Sophie Wilde, Jesse Plemons, Sandra Huller, Riz Ahmed, Tom Cruise, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg and Emma D’Arcy at the premiere of Digger in London on Sept 22.
PHOTO: EPA
While Cruise described the story as an exploration of “power and greed... responsibility and irresponsibility”, Australian actress Sophie Wilde said it also carried a message about art being “a vessel for catharsis”.
Inarritu, 63, whose credits include Birdman (2014) and The Revenant (2015), compared the process of making Digger to painting, saying every frame was carefully crafted to immerse audiences in the world of the film.
For House Of The Dragon (2022 to present) star Emma D’Arcy, 34, that attention to detail made working with the Mexican film-maker feel like being part of an orchestra led by a conductor.
“With Digger, musicality was really, really important... it’s a comedy and so rhythm is kind of key.”
American actor Michael Stuhlbarg recalled scenes constantly evolving during filming, with new dialogue, alternative versions and unexpected additions emerging from one day to the next.
The 58-year-old joked that so much unusual material was shot that he hopes one day a DVD with extra footage from the production may be released.
“There was a lot of fun to be had,” he said. REUTERS
Digger opens in Singapore cinemas on Oct 1.