Riz Ahmed says Tom Cruise disappeared so completely into his role in Digger that he almost forgot he was working with one of Hollywood’s most recognisable stars.
Ahmed, who plays a scientist called Ganesh, told Empire magazine that Cruise remained in character as oil tycoon Digger Rockwell throughout filming.
“I kind of forgot about Tom. Because Tom was Digger, and he became Digger, and he stayed in Digger,” Ahmed said.
“Whatever people say about method acting, whether you try or not, lines blur between yourself and a character. They have to. That’s the process, right?”
A Different Kind of Tom Cruise Role
Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Digger follows an immensely powerful man trying to convince the world he is its saviour before a catastrophe he has unleashed destroys everything.
Cruise wears prosthetics and a wig for the role, a marked departure from his familiar appearance in the Mission: Impossible films. Ahmed said that transformation appeared to give his co-star greater freedom.
“Honestly, I think it was quite liberating for him as well, to be able to lose himself, lose that globally recognised face into a character. I could see that allowing him to be open, in a different way,” he said.
The distinction between Cruise and his character became a running joke on set. Ahmed recalled that, when the cast gathered for a wrap dinner, meeting Cruise out of character felt almost like an introduction.
“I was like, ‘It’s really good to meet you, but I wish my pal Digger was here,’” he said.
“We’d joke around like, ‘Man, I’ve heard Tom Cruise is meant to be on set somewhere.’”
Riz Ahmed’s Role as Ganesh
Ahmed plays Ganesh, described as a mysterious scientist. Further details about the character’s motives and his relationship with Rockwell remain under wraps.
The role places Ahmed alongside Cruise in a story about power, responsibility and an impending catastrophe. The final trailer shows Rockwell becoming increasingly desperate as the consequences of his actions threaten to overwhelm him.
For Ahmed, the film adds another major director to a career that has moved between British independent cinema and Hollywood productions.
Born in London to Pakistani parents, Ahmed established himself in films including Four Lions before reaching wider international audiences through The Night Of, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Sound of Metal.
His performance in The Night Of, as a Pakistani-American student accused of murder, earned him an Emmy. He later received a best actor Oscar nomination for Sound of Metal and won an Oscar as a producer of the short film The Long Goodbye.
His British-Pakistani background has also informed his work beyond acting. Through music and projects such as The Long Goodbye, Ahmed has explored identity, racism and belonging in Britain.
Who Else Is in Digger?
The cast includes Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons.
Iñárritu directs from a screenplay he wrote with Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolás Giacobone and Sabina Berman. The film brings Cruise into the filmmaker’s darkly comic world, with an oil tycoon’s attempt to rescue his reputation playing out against the threat of global disaster.
Digger is scheduled to open in cinemas on 2 October.
