Tom Cruise has revealed the most challenging movie character he’s ever played, and it’s not what most fans may think. The Hollywood star will next be seen in an ambitious project by Oscar-winning director Alejandro González Iñárritu.
Making an honest confession on his toughest role, Cruise named Digger, the title character he portrays in the upcoming dark comedy. Speaking in an interview with GQ, he said, “It is the culmination of all my skills. I’ve never done it before. Everything that I’ve done has been very thought-out, why I did it. I have personal goals and challenges with everything I do.”
The 64-year-old added, “I was so excited to be able to have this character. It’s the most challenging character ever.” When the interviewer asked, “Really?” the actor doubled down, saying, “Oh my God, not even close. Not even close.”
What else did Tom Cruise say about his role in Digger and his other challenging performances?
Tom Cruise also mentioned that Digger was not an easy movie to make during production. “If you care about something, we don’t take the easy road. Was it joyful? Every minute of it. For me, it was joyful, but it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have its confusions and pain. If you’re looking for just an easy road, that’s not it.”
Notably, Cruise also drew parallels with his own previous films such as Risky Business and Rain Man while talking about how Digger’s humor is “great, but there’s not one-comedy-fits-all. There’s different skill sets for comedy.”
When asked if playing Digger was more challenging than portraying his beloved characters in Eyes Wide Shut, Magnolia, and Mission: Impossible films, he replied, “Look, I love it. Each one is a challenge. This is the culmination of ability, where you’re looking at the timing, the rhythm, the language. There’s layer upon layer of skills for this performance.”
Digger’s ensemble cast also features Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Robert John Burke, Emma D’Arcy, Burn Gorman, and Sophie Wilde.
Digger will be released in theaters on October 2, 2026.