Tom Cruise has revealed the remarkable transformation that left even his biggest fans struggling to recognise him in his latest film, Digger.
The 64-year-old Hollywood icon undergoes one of the most dramatic makeovers of his career to play ruthless oil baron Digger Rockwell in director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s upcoming movie.
Hidden beneath heavy prosthetics, a grey comb-over, false teeth and a sizeable pot belly, Cruise also adopted a distinctive Southern accent to bring the powerful businessman to life.
The newly released trailer sparked a frenzy online, with many viewers questioning whether the man on screen was really the Mission: Impossible star at all.
Speaking at a Warner Bros. press event in Burbank, California, he explained that every detail of the transformation was carefully chosen to help audiences forget they were watching one of Hollywood’s most recognisable faces.
“My process is: I’m absorbing, I’m absorbing, I’m absorbing,” he said, adding that a character’s body language, make-up and overall physicality all play a vital role in storytelling.
The Top Gun star admitted the finishing touch was slipping on Digger’s false teeth, joking that once they were in place, he knew it was time to fully embrace the role.
The legendary actor also compared the process to creating some of his most memorable characters, including foul-mouthed studio executive Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder, another performance that relied heavily on prosthetics.
Cruise described Digger as one of the greatest creative challenges of his career, insisting it offered something completely fresh for both himself and the Oscar-winning filmmaker.
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