Tom Cruise is backing “Digger” despite the film’s disappointing box office start. The 64-year-old actor shared a behind-the-scenes look and said he’s “proud” to have made the movie with its cast and crew.
Cruise previously recounted the challenges of transforming into an overweight oil tycoon for the film. He explained that he pushed the makeup team to cut the prosthetics application process from six hours to under an hour.
Tom Cruise Calls ‘Digger’ Experience ‘Unforgettable’ Amid Box Office Struggles
Tom Cruise is standing by his new film “Digger” as it struggles to find its footing at the box office.
The action star took to social media on Saturday to share behind-the-scenes photos from the production. He made it clear he remains proud of the project.
Cruise praised the cast and crew for their work on the Alejandro G. Iñárritu-directed film, calling the experience “unforgettable.”
“Digger is officially in theaters, and I am so honored to have had the opportunity to create this film alongside such talented artists,” he wrote on X. “Thank you to the entire cast and crew for your dedication, hard work, and joy. The experience was truly unforgettable, and I’m so proud of what we created.”
‘Digger’ Heads For Cruise’s Weakest Opening Since 2007
Cruise’s show of support comes as “Digger” faces a rough opening weekend.
The $125 million Warner Bros. release is expected to bring in around $8 million domestically after opening Friday in roughly 3,300 North American theaters, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Despite a cast that includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, and Sandra Hüller, early audience and critic reactions have been mixed.
The film earned a C+ CinemaScore from audiences and currently holds a 51% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
According to the outlet, its opening weekend total is projected to be Cruise’s lowest since 2007’s “Lions for Lambs,” which debuted with $6.7 million.
Tom Cruise Recalls Six-Hour Makeup Sessions For ‘Digger’
Cruise’s role in “Digger” marked a major change of pace from the action characters he often plays.
He portrays the overweight, egotistical oil tycoon Digger Rockwell, who is at the center of a satire about a natural disaster.
Getting into character was challenging. His transformation involved a fat suit and a six-hour makeup session, a process he was seemingly unwilling to accept.
“The first time we did the makeup, it took six hours, OK?” he said during a recent appearance on Travis and Jason Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast.
“I gotta sleep at least six [hours]. They keep saying I need more… but OK, that’s 12,” he continued. “Now, we have 12-hour days filming. So now that’s six hours on, two hours off with the makeup.”
Cruise Pushes To Cut ‘Digger’ Makeup Time To Under An Hour
The impractical schedule and time constraints pushed Cruise to make the makeup process “more efficient.”
The “Mission: Impossible” star explained that he brought in a stopwatch to track how long it took to apply each prosthetic. He then worked with the team to rehearse and refine every step.
He wanted to bring the process down to under an hour. Although the team initially doubted him, they achieved that goal.
“I had a guy there with a stopwatch, and I’m like, ‘OK, you see that time, six hours? By the time we’re done, we’re going to get it under an hour,”” Cruise said, per Variety.
He added, “They were like, ‘No, I’m not doing that; it will never happen.” I’m like, “OK, first of all, if you say no, you can’t do it; you will never get there. So can we agree that we’ll maybe make it a little less?” So with each piece that was going on, it was timed, and then we’d drill and practice.”
The Versatile Actor Turns To Cooling Machines For Sweaty ‘Digger’ Scenes
Cruise also explained how he enjoys studying systems, breaking them down, and finding ways to improve them.
However, the shorter prep time didn’t necessarily make the costume comfortable.
He said the prosthetics and fat suit left him sweating during long takes. That required another solution to manage the heat and get through the demanding scenes.
“I’m sweating because I’m wearing these prosthetics. And the scenes, they’re long takes and the rhythm of it — you really have to know what you’re doing,” Cruise said. “But I’m sweating underneath, so I came up with all these different things, like cooling machines.”
