Digger's Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Riz Ahmed on Tom Cruise and More

Key Points:

• "Digger," directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and starring Tom Cruise and Riz Ahmed, is a satirical film exploring greed, climate change, media distortion, and political leadership, set against an ecological disaster caused by oil exploitation.
• The film faced multiple production challenges over nearly a decade, including COVID-19 and labor strikes, before Warner Bros. and Legendary invested $125 million to bring it to fruition.
• Tom Cruise underwent a significant physical transformation to play the potbellied oilman Digger Rockwell, embracing a character far removed from his usual roles, while Riz Ahmed praised Cruise's meticulous acting and supportive nature on set.
• The film features a pivotal, surprising twist about a third of the way through, intentionally kept under wraps by the filmmakers to preserve audience impact.
• Iñárritu emphasizes that "Digger" is not a political screed but a reflection on collective responsibility and the complexities of confronting environmental crises, highlighting the entrapment of all individuals within systemic madness.