'It Will Never Happen': Tom Cruise Defies a Doubtful Crew To Slash 'Digger' Makeup Time Amid Flop

As Tom Cruise's latest film, 'Digger', struggles to keep up at the box office, it is clear that he remains proud of the project.

The film, which follows Cruise as Digger Rockwell, an oil tycoon racing against time to save the world from a disaster he created, has struggled both critically and financially since its opening weekend.

The actor has since spoken about the work that went into the movie's production, including how he cut down the time needed to apply his prosthetic makeup significantly.

Tom Cruise Cut Down Prosthetic Makeup Preparation for 'Digger' Down 5 Hours

Tom Cruise's role in 'Digger' is a massive departure from the action hero archetype he is known for. Digger Rockwell is an overweight oil tycoon, a role which required Cruise's daredevil physique to be replaced with a fat suit and heavy makeup.

Cruise shared that the makeup process initially took six hours to complete before he was ready to shoot: a routine that he wasn't willing to accept.

'The first time we did the makeup, it took six hours, OK?' Cruise shared on Travis and Jason Kelce's 'New Heights' podcast.

'I gotta sleep at least six [hours]. They keep saying I need more... but OK, that's 12,' he continued. 'Now, we have 12-hour days filming. So now that's six hours on, two hours off with the makeup.'

The impracticality of the process and tight schedule pushed the actor to make the ordeal 'more efficient'. Cruise explained how he brought a stopwatch to track how long it took to apply each prosthetic, working with the team to refine every step.

He wanted to bring the process down to under an hour, despite the team's protests. They managed to achieve that goal.

'I had a guy there with a stopwatch, and I'm like, 'OK, you see that time, six hours? By the time we're done, we're going to get it under an hour,' Cruise shared with Variety.

'They were like, 'No, I'm not doing that; it will never happen.' I'm like, 'OK, first of all, if you say no, you can't do it; you will never get there. So can we agree that we'll maybe make it a little less?' So with each piece that was going on, it was timed, and then we'd drill and practice.'

But even as he cut down the time it took to apply the prosthetics, Cruise was still uncomfortable in the costume.

'I'm sweating because I'm wearing these prosthetics. And the scenes, they're long takes and the rhythm of it — you really have to know what you're doing,' Cruise said. 'But I'm sweating underneath, so I came up with all these different things, like cooling machines.'

Cruise Still 'Proud' of 'Digger' as It Underperforms at the Box Office

'Digger' is arguably Tom Cruise's most adventurous project to date, but as it struggles to find its footing financially, it became his weakest opening since 2007's 'Lions for Lambs'. It opened at $8 million domestically (£6 million) against a $125 million budget (£95 million).

Despite a cast that included Cruise, Riz Ahmed, and John Goodman, early audience and critic reviews have been mixed. The film earned a C+ CinemaScore and holds a 51% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Despite everything, Cruise called his time in the film's production 'unforgettable.' He praised the cast and crew of Alejandro G. Iñárritu's newest film on X, saying. 'Digger' is officially in theaters, and I am so honored to have had the opportunity to create this film alongside such talented artists.Thank you to the entire cast and crew for your dedication, hard work, and joy. The experience was truly unforgettable, and I'm so proud of what we created.'