Tom Cruise Slashes Makeup Time for ‘Digger’ Role From Six Hours to Under One

Tom Cruise has revealed how he worked with makeup artists to dramatically slash the time needed to transform him into an unrecognizable oil tycoon for his upcoming film Digger, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu.

In the Warner Bros. production, Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an eccentric petroleum magnate who requires extensive facial prosthetics, gray hair, and a fat suit. What initially took around six hours each day to apply became a major concern for the actor early in production.

Rather than accept the grueling daily routine, Cruise took matters into his own hands. Speaking on the New Heights podcast with Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce, he explained how he brought a stopwatch to the makeup chair and began timing every single step of the transformation process.

The makeup team wasn’t convinced the goal was realistic. But Cruise insisted it was achievable with careful study and repetition. Each prosthetic piece was timed separately, and the application process was rehearsed again and again until the team found efficiencies they hadn’t previously considered.

The strategy paid off. The six-hour ordeal was eventually whittled down to less than one hour a dramatic improvement that freed up significant time each day before filming began.

The prosthetics weren’t the only physical challenge. Cruise also donned a fat suit for the character, adding considerable weight and strain on his body. He sweated profusely under the layers and required cooling breaks between takes. The extra weight also aggravated his knees.

Yet Cruise approached the grueling transformation with the same meticulous preparation that has defined his entire career.

With Digger, Cruise is stepping away from the action-hero image moviegoers know from his Mission: Impossible franchise. Instead, he’s undergone a complete physical metamorphosis to inhabit Rockwell’s world.

The film is set to hit theaters on October 2, 2026. Cruise’s behind-the-scenes account offers a glimpse into the actor’s relentless drive for efficiency both in front of and behind the camera.