Tom Cruise Defends Digger Amid Historically Low Opening Weekend

Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the satire features Cruise as an overweight oil tycoon, a departure from his signature action roles. The transformation required extensive prosthetic work and a fat suit, which initially demanded a grueling six-hour makeup application. Cruise noted that he pushed the production team to streamline the process, eventually using a stopwatch and rigorous rehearsal to cut the prep time to under an hour. He also implemented cooling systems to manage the heat generated by the prosthetics during long takes.

Critical and audience reception has proven difficult for the film, which holds a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a C+ CinemaScore. Despite the tepid response, Cruise remains steadfast in his support for the cast, which includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, and Sandra Hüller. On social media, the actor credited the ensemble for their dedication and expressed pride in the final work, framing the project as a collaborative success regardless of the box office figures.