By Francesca Halliwell
LONDON, Sept 22 (Reuters) – Tom Cruise described his character in “Digger” as “totally outrageous” and unlike any role he had encountered before, speaking at the film’s world premiere in London on Tuesday.
“He’s the kind of character that says things that some people think, some people can’t imagine thinking,” the Hollywood star told Reuters. “I’ve never read a character like it. I’ve never read a film like this.”
The release of “Digger” was celebrated with a royal premiere attended by Britain’s Prince William and Princess Kate, after what actor Sandra Huller described as nearly 10 years of work by Oscar-winning director Alejandro G. Inarritu.
The film has generated much anticipation since a trailer showed Cruise transformed into eccentric oil tycoon Digger Rockwell with grey hair, facial prosthetics and a padded bodysuit.
Cruise said this transformation was far from the most demanding aspect of the role, pointing instead to a 10-minute monologue filmed in a single take.
“Anatomy of a Fall” star Huller said it was “remarkable” watching Cruise’s performance. “It feels like all the things that he has learned in 46 years of acting have come into this character,” she added.
In the film, Rockwell inadvertently triggers an ecological disaster that pushes the world to the brink of nuclear war before scrambling to save the planet. But the filmmakers have revealed little else about the story, fuelling speculation about the plot and rumours it could be a musical, which Cruise has dismissed.
“If you experience the film without knowing anything about it, it’s much better than if you (knew) before,” Huller said, adding that the secrecy was not intended to create intrigue for its own sake.
While Cruise described the story as an exploration of “power and greed…responsibility and irresponsibility”, Australian actor Sophie Wilde said it also carried a message about art being “a vessel for catharsis.”
Inarritu, whose previous credits include “Birdman” and “The Revenant”, compared the process of making “Digger” to painting, saying every frame was carefully crafted to immerse audiences in the world of the film.
For Emma D’Arcy, that attention to detail made working with the Mexican filmmaker feel like being part of an orchestra led by a conductor. “With ‘Digger’, musicality was really, really important…it’s a comedy, and so rhythm is kind of key.”
“Call Me by Your Name” star Michael Stuhlbarg recalled scenes constantly evolving during filming, with new dialogue, alternative versions and unexpected additions emerging from one day to the next.
The actor joked that so much unusual material was shot that he hopes one day a DVD with additional footage from the production may be released.
“There was a lot of fun to be had,” he said.
“Digger” will begin its global cinematic rollout on September 30, and will be released in cinemas in the United States and the United Kingdom on October 2.
(Reporting by Francesca Halliwell; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
