'Workaholic' Tom Cruise Filmed 'Digger' While Working on 'Mission: Impossible'... "Finished a 10-Minute Monologue in Four Takes"

[Financial News] "It was a scene we originally thought would take four days, but we finished it in one day."
Tom Cruise shared the story behind the 10-minute monologue scene in the film 'Digger.' At a press conference during his visit to Korea on the 1st, he said the uninterrupted scene was completed in just four takes. That was possible thanks to extensive preparation and training.

In Alejandro González Iñárritu's latest film 'Digger,' Cruise transforms into Digger Rockwell, an oil tycoon with graying hair, a protruding belly and a Southern American accent. To prepare for the role, he developed a new walk, accent and way of moving.
He said, "I had to think about the comedy and drama, how to build the character, how he would walk, and the various stages the character goes through and their subtle differences. It was a great joy to be able to bring all of that to the screen."
Asked about the process of changing his appearance, he said the important thing was how an actor uses makeup in a performance. Like costumes or sets, makeup is an element that conveys the story and gains meaning through the actor's performance.
He said, "What matters is what the actor does with the makeup," adding, "I think about how I need to create my body and movements to convey the story."
At the time, Cruise was also filming and working on the post-production of 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.' He took part in editing day and night, sometimes sleeping in a trailer on set. Because the makeup process took a long time, he did so to get enough rest and focus on filming.
He said, "My body is part of the instrument I use for acting. I keep it in good condition both morning and night."

The monologue scene could not be completed simply by memorizing the lines. While refining the character's accent, Cruise also trained his body to know where and how to move within the scene.
He said, "Whether it's stunts, acting, movement or the character's actions, I spend a great deal of time preparing." Thorough preparation became the foundation for free expression once filming began. Cruise compared the process to playing jazz.
He said, "The physical expression of this character requires highly sophisticated technique, but ultimately it has to look free. Once the camera starts rolling, I know every beat and the flow of the scene. I also understand where the camera is. From there, I become free."
After the extensive preparation, filming ended earlier than expected. Once the fourth take was complete, Iñárritu approached Cruise and embraced him. Cruise asked whether they needed another take from a different angle, saying he could perform it again, but the director replied that he had obtained the scene he wanted.
He recalled, "It was a scene we originally thought would take four days, but we finished it in one day. It was a truly special and honorable experience."
Cruise is still preparing for projects that will be made years from now. For him, the set and the editing room are both workplaces and places of learning.
He said, "Because I never attended film school, I created my own film school," adding, "I have spent my entire life in editing rooms and filming studios, as well as preparing films. Even now, I am preparing films that I will make three, four and five years from now."
It is truly the embodiment of passion. His passion for constantly learning and preparing for his next project is likely what propelled him to stardom early in his career and has enabled him to remain at the top ever since.


[email protected] Shin Jin-a Reporter