Tom Cruise with character “never seen” in Iñárritu’s film “Digger”

“ Nunca saw a character like that, it’s something never seen on screen,” Tom Cruise said, in an early screening of the film in Los Angeles, an event where Lusa was present. “There are three characters in one”, he described, admitting that it was difficult to find the right tone and go to meet what the Oscarized director Iñárritu wanted to create.

Cruise plays the protagonist Digger Rockwell in a comedy where they cross the fantastic and black humor, which left many critics perplexed despite the sounding cast.

In addition to Tom Cruise, the film features John Goodman (“The Great Lebowski”), Riz Ahmed (who won an Oscar for the short “The Long Goodbye”), Sandra Hüller (“Project Hail Mary”), Jesse Plemons (named the Oscars for “The Power of the Dog”), Michael Stuhlbarg (“Fargo”) and Emma D’Arcy (“House of the Dragon”).

“What Alejandro did to us is incredible, this cast is incredible,” Tom Cruise praised, telling them that the environment in the filming was very fun and the director gave them the freedom to make experiences. This is already considered the most risky role in the actor's career.

Alejandro González Iñárritu, who was also in the early exhibition, explained that the idea for the argument arose in 2017 and had several versions until reaching the final product, which combines humor and satire about the climate crisis and draws several parallels with the current moment.

“ The comedy was something we wanted to have, the humor is the only way to meet in a room”, considered the Mexican director. “And this film is about storytelling, it’s actors playing actors and trying to find the story they’re telling, how we’re going to tell ourselves what’s happening now.”.

The protagonist Digger Rockwell is an oil tycoon whose negligence causes a global ecological catastrophe, but is more interested in containing the bad publicity that mitigates its effects.

“ We turn on the television and this is what is happening”, said Iñárritu. “It’s a satire with deeply problematic things we’re dealing with,” he continued. “But now everything is performative and everyone is an actor, recording themselves playing their own argument, and we are all in the greatest reality show ever.”.

John Goodman, who became known for the television comedy “Roseanne”, stressed the distinct nature of Iñárritu’s argument and art. “He gave me much freedom,” he said. “After a few days I said: ‘We are all taking great risks, let’s let the ball roll.”.

Goodman considered the argument very good and said it could have been interpreted differently, and that freedom made a difference. Michael Stuhlbarg confirmed: “It was an immense joy to be part of this group, to play,” he said. “Many times the professional life is difficult for all of us, and we end up forgetting the fun we had at the beginning, to get on stage and make each other laugh.”.

"Digger" is a Warner Bros. film. with executive production by Alejandro González Iñárritu, Mary Parent and Tom Cruise.