Archive · 20 Sep 2026
Tom Cruise Cuts Digger Makeup Transformation From Six Hours
Tom Cruise is making a movie called Digger.
He plays a rich and outspoken oil businessman.
The character’s company accidentally causes a huge environmental disaster.
Cruise needed special makeup and prosthetics to change his appearance.
At first, putting on the makeup took about six hours.
Cruise and his team practiced each step using a stopwatch and a chalkboard.
Their practice reduced the process to less than one hour.
This helped make the long filming days easier to manage.
The movie is planned for theaters worldwide on October 2.
Tom Cruise is starring in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Digger as a wealthy oil tycoon.
The character’s prosthetic makeup initially took about six hours to apply each day.
Cruise used a chalkboard, stopwatch, and timed drills to improve the process.
The production team eventually reduced the full transformation to less than an hour.
Digger is scheduled for worldwide theatrical release on October 2.
- Who
- Tom Cruise, his makeup and prosthetics team, and filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu are involved.
- What
- Cruise and his team reduced his Digger makeup transformation from about six hours to less than one hour.
- When
- The improvement occurred during Digger’s production; the film is scheduled for release on October 2.
- Where
- Cruise discussed the process on the New Heights podcast; the filming location is not stated.
- Why
- The original six-hour process was difficult to fit around sleep and 12-hour filming days.
- Film
- Digger
- Director
- Alejandro G. Iñárritu
- Lead actor
- Tom Cruise
- Role
- A wealthy and brash oil tycoon
- Initial makeup time
- About six hours
- Final makeup time
- Less than one hour
- Planned release
- October 2 in theaters worldwide