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The film industry and royalty gathered in London for the world premiere of Digger, held on September 22 as part of the 73rd Royal Film Performance. Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, this new film stars Tom Cruise as Digger Rockwell, an extremely powerful man who attempts to save humanity from a catastrophe he himself has caused. Cruise shares the screen with Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Jesse Plemons, among others. For this charity event benefiting the Film and TV Charity, several stars walked the red carpet, while Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, added a prestigious royal presence to the event.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise was, of course, the star of this world premiere, as he plays Digger Rockwell, the central character in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s new film. The 64-year-old actor steps away from his usual action hero roles for this satirical black comedy, in which Digger is portrayed as a powerful oil tycoon trying to convince humanity that he can save it from a catastrophe he himself caused.

Cruise described the character as completely outlandish and said he had never read a role like it before. His transformation includes gray hair, facial prosthetics, and a modified physique, but the actor considers a roughly ten-minute monologue shot in a single take to have been an even greater challenge. He is also a producer on the film.

Catherine and William

The presence of Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Prince William obviously added a special touch to this premiere. The couple was first greeted by Tom Cruise and Alejandro González Iñárritu before meeting several members of the cast. Catherine wore a long plum-colored dress by Jenny Packham, accessorized with royal jewelry, while William opted for a black double-breasted velvet tuxedo jacket.

Above all, the evening marked the 73rd Royal Film Performance, a charity event whose proceeds support British film and television workers. William, who has served as president of BAFTA since 2010, was already well acquainted with Cruise: the prince and Catherine had previously attended the world premiere of Top Gun: Maverick in 2022.

Salma Hayek

Salma Hayek is not part of the cast of Digger, but she was one of the most talked-about guests of the evening. The Mexican actress and producer arrived at Leicester Square wearing Bottega Veneta, joining several high-profile figures who had come to support the world premiere. Her presence is particularly fitting for a project directed by her compatriot Alejandro González Iñárritu, even though she does not appear in the film.

Hayek remains one of the most recognized Mexican actresses in Hollywood, thanks in large part to Frida, which earned her an Oscar nomination, as well as Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, and, more recently, Eternals. This time, she was simply able to enjoy the red carpet as a guest at an event blending cinema, royalty, and fundraising for the British film industry.

John Goodman

John Goodman is indeed part of the Digger universe. The Hollywood veteran plays President Compson, one of the characters surrounding the powerful Digger Rockwell. At 74, Goodman brings to the project an impressive wealth of experience gained in both film and television. The general public obviously knows him from Roseanne, but also for his numerous collaborations with the Coen brothers, notably Raising Arizona, Barton Fink, and the classic The Big Lebowski.

His voice is also synonymous with Sulley in Monsters, Inc.. In London, Goodman attended the premiere alongside several of his co-stars and had the opportunity to chat with Catherine. His arrival in Iñárritu’s unique universe thus adds another character actor to an already exceptionally strong cast.

Jesse Plemons

Jesse Plemons continues his impressive rise with Digger, in which he plays a character named Kenny. Attending the Royal Film Performance in London, the actor was reunited with several of his co-stars to publicly unveil the result of a project shrouded in mystery. Over the years, Plemons has become one of Hollywood’s most sought-after character actors, moving from Friday Night Lights and Breaking Bad to The Power of the Dog, which earned him an Oscar nomination.

He has also appeared in Killers of the Flower Moon and Civil War. With Digger, he makes his debut in the world of Alejandro González Iñárritu, as part of a cast that includes Tom Cruise, Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, and Michael Stuhlbarg.

Burn Gorman

Burn Gorman was also among the actors in London to celebrate Digger. In the film, the British actor plays Amos, a character whose backstory remains far more mysterious than that of Digger Rockwell. Gorman, however, has a face that many movie and TV series fans will recognize immediately. His career has included roles in Torchwood, The Dark Knight Rises, Pacific Rim, and Game of Thrones.

He has also appeared in several major productions on both sides of the Atlantic. His presence in Digger fits perfectly with Iñárritu’s desire to build an impressive cast around Tom Cruise. For Gorman, this world premiere had an especially British flavor, as the film was shot and completed in the United Kingdom before being unveiled in Leicester Square.

Alejandro González Iñárritu

With Digger, Alejandro González Iñárritu marks his return to an English-language feature film following The Revenant. The Oscar-winning Mexican filmmaker serves as director, co-screenwriter, and producer on this project. He developed the screenplay with Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolás Giacobone, and Sabina Berman, based on a story conceived with Berman and Jez Butterworth. Iñárritu also reunites with several prestigious collaborators, including cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki.

At the premiere, he praised the energy and generosity Tom Cruise brought to the set every day, while highlighting the extreme physical precision of his performance. Cruise returned the compliment, explaining that working with the director was one of his greatest dreams. Behind Digger’s spectacular satire, then, lies the collaboration of two heavyweights of contemporary cinema.

J.J. Abrams

J.J. Abrams was among the prestigious guests in attendance at the premiere, but he is not credited as a member of the Digger crew. His presence, however, comes as no surprise given his history with Tom Cruise. Abrams directed Cruise in Mission: Impossible III in 2006, before remaining involved with the franchise as a producer on several subsequent films.

The American director and producer has also left his mark on some of Hollywood’s biggest franchises, notably Star Trek, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. His appearance on the red carpet in London was therefore more that of a colleague and a major industry figure coming to witness Cruise and Iñárritu’s new artistic venture than a direct involvement in the film.