{"id":909197,"date":"2026-09-29T01:00:17","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T01:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/909197\/"},"modified":"2026-09-29T01:00:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T01:00:17","slug":"digger-movie-interview-two-words-from-tom-cruise-left-his-digger-co-star-on-the-floor-exclusive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/909197\/","title":{"rendered":"Digger movie interview: Two words from Tom Cruise left his Digger co-star on the floor | Exclusive"},"content":{"rendered":"

Exclusive: There are so many Oscar<\/a> winners and Oscar nominees among the cast of the new movie Digger<\/a>, but one in particular was floored by Tom Cruise<\/a> \u2013 literally.<\/p>\n

Anatomy of a Fall star Sandra H\u00fcller tells nine.com.au she\u2019s embarrassed by her encounter with the Hollywood legend, but co-star Riz Ahmed insists it was \u201ca very cute story\u201d. <\/p>\n

\"Tom<\/p>\n

There are so many Oscar winners and Oscar nominees among the cast of the new movie Digger, but one in particular was floored by Tom Cruise – literally.\u00a0Chris Pizzello\/Invision\/AP<\/p>\n

Cruise plays Texan oil tycoon Digger Rockwell in Alejandro Gonz\u00e1lez I\u00f1\u00e1rritu\u2019s high stakes \u201ccomedy disaster movie\u201d, with padding and prosthetics making him almost unrecognisable.<\/p>\n

Ahmed tells nine.com.au Cruise would stay in his \u201cinsane kind of get up\u201d in between takes, and come over to the raft of actors and \u201cmake small talk\u201d.<\/p>\n

But there was one incident in particular that caught H\u00fcller by surprise. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was really embarrassing \u2013 I literally fell off the chair,\u201d she tells nine.com.au<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Cruise plays Texan oil tycoon Digger Rockwell in Alejandro Gonz\u00e1lez I\u00f1\u00e1rritu\u2019s high stakes \u201ccomedy disaster movie\u201d, with padding and prosthetics making him almost unrecognisable.\u00a0Supplied\/Warner Bros.<\/p>\n

\"Cast<\/p>\n

Sandra H\u00fcller (right) tells nine.com.au she\u2019s embarrassed by her encounter with the Hollywood legend but co-star Riz Ahmed (left) insists it was \u201ca very cute story\u201d.\u00a0Nine<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was kind of a chair with these little rollers underneath, and I didn\u2019t see it coming.<\/p>\n

Unprepared to suddenly see the actual, un-disguised Tom Cruise standing right in front of her, H\u00fcller startled, lost her footing on a rolling chair, and ended up on the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe just took off the makeup because he was not in the shot, but he wanted to, of course, play the scene.\u201d<\/p>\n

When he turned around without his face-altering makeup and casually said, \u201cIt\u2019s me,\u201d H\u00fcller was so startled by the sudden appearance of the actual Hollywood icon that she slipped right off her rolling office chair. <\/p>\n

\u201cI just literally fell off, and I\u2019m still dying thinking about it,\u201d she recalls. <\/p>\n

The Oscar nominee, who plays Digger Rockwell\u2019s half sister Emma joked that the duo \u201cwent on a holiday for three weeks\u201d together to work on their sibling energy, before saying that they got to know each other through the rehearsal process.<\/p>\n

\"(L-r)<\/p>\n

H\u00fcller (right), who plays Digger Rockwell\u2019s half sister Emma, joked that she and Cruise (left) \u201cwent on a holiday for three weeks\u201d together to work on their sibling energy.\u00a0Seoju Park\/Warner Bros. <\/p>\n

And it wasn\u2019t just H\u00fcller who was bowled over \u2013 Cruise seemed to exceed the expectations all of his co-stars, including that of fellow Hollywood stalwart John Goodman.<\/p>\n

Goodman, who is best known to audiences for his role in the \u201990s sitcom Roseanne, worked with Cruise for the first time in their more than 30 years in the industry together.<\/p>\n

But it wasn\u2019t quite their first meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d heard a lot about him,\u201d Goodman tells nine.com.au.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor one thing, we met in, let\u2019s see \u2026 1990. We were at a party \u2013 Bruce Willis used to have a place in Malibu \u2013 and he, every Sunday, invited a bunch of people over.<\/p>\n

\"(Foreground)<\/p>\n

John Goodman (centre), who is best known to audiences for his role in the \u201990s sitcom Roseanne, worked with Cruise (third left) for the first time in their more than 30 years in the industry together.\u00a0Seoju Park\/Warner Bros. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo my new wife and I went over, and I met Tom for about three seconds, and he remembered it when we were talking last year, he remembered it. So, that that was pretty impressive. <\/p>\n

\"(L-R)<\/p>\n

Goodman first met Cruise \u201cfor three seconds\u201d at Bruce Willis\u2019 party in 1990 before working together.\u00a0Joe Maher\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cBut everything I heard about him is not enough \u2013 he\u2019s incredible, he\u2019s a wonderful man.\u201d<\/p>\n

Australian actress Sophie Wilde felt the same too, despite scenes in the movie berating Cruise\u2019s character and putting him in his place.<\/p>\n

\u201cTom is the greatest scene partner in the world, and he just brings such joy to the set and such a sense of play, that I think you just feel like you\u2019re having fun,\u201d Wilde tells nine.com.au.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd, it\u2019s kind of fun to scream at each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, was screaming at the Mission Impossible and Top Gun star intimidating for the Logie-award winner? Not really, the Wilde admits.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s an amazing actor to work against, and it\u2019s so incredible when you\u2019re working with an actor of that calibre, and they\u2019re just giving you everything, and it inspires you to try and give everything that you can as well,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Christmas cake \u2018controversy\u2019<\/p>\n

One thing that lead to a bit of controversy on set is who got to try and who missed out on Cruise\u2019s famous Coconut Christmas Cake<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The actor has become well-known for his generous gift giving over the years.<\/p>\n

His former War of the Worlds co-star Dakota Fanning gets a pair of expensive shoes every year for her birthday<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A long list of Cruise\u2019s former co-stars and famous friends get a $190 white chocolate and coconut bunt cake every Christmas.\u00a0Instagram\/@rosie <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a long list of his other former co-stars and famous friends get a $190 white chocolate and coconut bunt cake every Christmas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

With Digger shooting over the Christmas period, the treat from California\u2019s Doan\u2019s Bakery made its way to the London set but not everyone was there that day.<\/p>\n

\u201cSandra feels so bad about missing out on this cake,\u201d Ahmed tells nine.com.au<\/p>\n

The Oscar winner cheekily tells the German actress it wasn\u2019t any good before saying the exact opposite on camera.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have things to look forward to now,\u201d H\u00fcller jibes in return with a laugh.<\/p>\n

\"Cast<\/p>\n

Sophie Wilde is also joining the German actress on the waitlist to taste the delicacy, revealing she was \u201cdevo\u201d to miss out on set.\u00a0Nine<\/p>\n

Wilde is also joining her on the waitlist to taste the delicacy, revealing she was \u201cdevo\u201d to miss out.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe did bring it to set, but it was the day I wasn\u2019t on set but I know everyone else got to try the coconut cake,\u201d she tells nine.com.au. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo I was really quite devo, I wish I was on set that day … apparently it tastes so good. I\u2019m desperate to try it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cancel culture in the spotlight<\/p>\n

The film\u2019s plot is almost indescribable<\/a>. Without giving away spoilers, perception versus reality, climate change and cancel culture all feature thematically.<\/p>\n

Coming out amid one of the biggest examples in recent history of celebrity cancel culture with Ed Sheeran\u2019s Loop Tour saga<\/a>, the theme is made even more poignant.<\/p>\n

Goodman tells nine.com.au he admires other celebrities who use their platform to take a stand and speak truth to power, but he\u2019s too worried to step into that light.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got a lot of axes to grind, but so does somebody else,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The film\u2019s plot is almost indescribable without giving away spoilers, but, perception versus reality, climate change and cancel culture all feature thematically.\u00a0Supplied\/ Warner Bros.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust because I have a job where people know who I am, doesn\u2019t mean I have to abuse that.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s people who do use it well, like Mark Ruffalo and Susan Sarandon \u2013 they\u2019re great activists, and at personal risk to themselves. <\/p>\n

\u201cI worry that I will bore people or get the facts wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

But his Digger co-star Michael Stuhlbarg, who plays the Vice President to Goodman\u2019s President Compson, takes a slightly different view as he tries to balance saying what he really thinks with being publicly crucified.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe find ourselves in a public position, which, to be honest with you, I never really considered when I got into doing this,\u201d Stuhlbarg tells nine.com.au.<\/p>\n

\"Cast<\/p>\n

Michael Stuhlbarg (right) says there are moments in history where speaking up is important but John Goodman (left) worries he \u201cwill bore people\u201d.\u00a0Nine<\/p>\n

\u201cI do have opinions, and sometimes those opinions come out. I tend to be more thoughtful about them.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the Call Me By You Name star says, like in the movie, there are moments in history where speaking up is important.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn times of alarm, in times of emergency, in times where it\u2019s more important that we help each other out, it is important for our voices to be heard,\u201d Stuhlbarg adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I salute those who are brave enough to speak when it needs to be heard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Digger is in cinemas across Australia from October 1.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Exclusive: There are so many Oscar winners and Oscar nominees among the cast of the new movie Digger,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":909198,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[64,63,447,134],"class_list":["post-909197","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-celebrities","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-celebrities","tag-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/909197","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=909197"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/909197\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/909198"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=909197"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=909197"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=909197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}