Key Highlights

  • His favourite scene: Tom Cruise said a 10-minute monologue shot in a single take is his favourite moment in Digger.
  • "It is a dance": He described the scene as a rhythm between him, the camera and director Alejandro G. Iñárritu.
  • Physical challenge: He wore a heavy fat suit and created a new voice for the character.
  • Now in theatres: Digger released in cinemas and IMAX across India on October 2.
  • Indian connect: Cruise spoke about the film in a chat with actress Avneet Kaur.

Tom Cruise is known for death-defying stunts, but the scene he is proudest of in his new film Digger involves no planes or cliffs. It is a 10-minute monologue, filmed in a single take.

"That's a 10-minute monologue. That's one shot. That's just all one take," Cruise said in a conversation with Indian actress Avneet Kaur, who shared a glimpse of their chat on Instagram.

"It Is a Dance"

Cruise described the experience as a precise collaboration. "You know the beats to play and Alejandro is staging this perfectly. And it is that, it is a dance. I only did the scene a couple of times, but it's all one take. That's amazing. I just showed up, he's like, showed all this stuff and then I just did it. That's my favourite scene from the film."

He also spoke about building the character physically. He created a new voice to serve the story's comedic and dramatic timing, and wore a heavy fat suit while performing. "I'm also wearing a fat suit, which is quite heavy," he said.

"The Most Original Film I've Ever Read"

"I've never played a character like this," Cruise said. "It's the most original film I've ever read. And such a moving movie. One of the most moving films I've seen. And that's to be able to play this kind of character was a privilege."

About Digger

Digger is a satirical black comedy directed by Oscar winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an oil baron whose company may have triggered an ecological catastrophe with the potential to spark a nuclear war, and who sets out to prove that he alone can save humanity.

The cast includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons. The film was shot entirely in VistaVision and released in cinemas and IMAX across India on October 2, 2026.

Why It Matters: A Long-Awaited Pairing

The film is the result of a partnership years in the making. Iñárritu began discussing the project with Cruise in 2019, while Cruise was filming Top Gun: Maverick. Cruise had been a long-time fan, having watched Iñárritu's debut Amores perros when it first came out in 2000.

It is also Cruise's first film since signing a deal to develop and produce theatrical films with Warner Bros. Discovery, and his first with the studio since Edge of Tomorrow.

For an actor famous for action, a single-take monologue in a fat suit marks a striking change of gear, built on performance rather than stunts.

The Bottom Line

In Digger, Tom Cruise's biggest feat is not a jump or a chase but ten unbroken minutes of acting. For a star who has spent decades raising the bar on spectacle, it is a reminder of the craft at the heart of his work.

With inputs from IANS.