Amid growing curiosity about Tom Cruise upcoming film Digger, actor Riz Ahmed opened up about his time on set, highlighting the extraordinary environment created during production. Filming took place under the direction of Alejandro González Iñárritu, with a cast that includes Jesse Plemons, Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Emma D’Arcy, and others alongside Cruise.
Working Closely with Tom Cruise
Ahmed emphasized the unique atmosphere surrounding Tom Cruise’s involvement in the project, noting the star’s remarkable dedication and energy. Speaking at the Sundance Film Festival, he described Cruise’s work ethic as unparalleled in his career.
Honestly, there’s nothing like that experience I’ve ever had before, just because of how motivated, focused, hardworking, and inspiring Tom Cruise is on set,
Riz Ahmed told Collider.
The energy he has and the positivity is crazy. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before.
Director and Cinematographer Elevate the Production
Ahmed also praised Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s meticulous attention to detail and ambitious vision, which contributed an intense creative drive throughout filming.
Then Alejandro, the attention to detail, the vision, the ambition of it, as well, every day is just like, ‘Wow, this is kind of nuts.’
Highlighting the work of cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, Ahmed revealed how innovative techniques enhanced the visual storytelling in the film.
He was doing things that were so different and unique.
The actor further explained Lubezki’s distinctive lighting approach:
I’ll give you a small example, and maybe more and more cinematographers are doing this, it might be interesting for the camera team out here, but a lot of the time people use blacks or white reflective material to help amplify lighting or cut off lighting. He uses grays, and he doesn’t just have one kind of gray. He has, like, 16 or 10 different shades of gray that he puts up to reflect and create different nuances.
Intensity Drives Creativity on Set
The level of craftsmanship left a strong impact on Ahmed, inspiring him to perform at his highest level amid the intense atmosphere.
Just the level of craft and attention to detail is crazy. It just makes you want to bring your best to the table,
he shared.
It’s inspiring. It’s intense, though. It’s definitely very intense.
Film Release and Anticipation
Digger is set for release on October 2 this year, heightening anticipation among fans of Tom Cruise and the high-profile ensemble cast. The collaboration between Cruise, Iñárritu, and Lubezki signals a unique blend of star power, artistic vision, and technical mastery, which is expected to shape a memorable cinematic experience.
