Tom Cruise Slashes ‘Digger’ Makeup Time from 6 Hours to Just One!

Tom Cruise always makes it happen, no matter the challenge.

In his upcoming movie, “Digger,” Tom Cruise is virtually unrecognizable, yet he remains the familiar actor we know, despite being heavily disguised with prosthetics.

In this role, the Academy Award-nominated actor dons a gray wig, a padded suit, and extensive facial prosthetics to embody a fictional oil magnate. Initially, transforming Cruise into his character took the makeup and hair team a whopping six hours, Cruise shared.

Improving the Makeup Process

During a recent episode of “New Heights” hosted by Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce, Cruise discussed how he streamlined the lengthy makeup process. He started by laying out the problem: “The first time we did the makeup, it took six hours,” he explained to the Kelce brothers. “Considering there are only 24 hours in a day, I realized I had to optimize every minute.”

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Given his need for at least six hours of sleep and twelve hours on set, the driven star decided to take charge and drastically reduce the preparation time—to under one hour.

“I used a chalkboard, a marker, and an eraser,” he detailed, “For each makeup piece, I’d put them up there, and had someone time it with a stopwatch.”

Initially, the makeup team was resistant. Cruise recalled their skepticism, saying, “They were like, ‘No, we’re not doing that, it’s impossible.’ But I told them, ‘If you start with ‘no,’ you’ll never achieve it.'” After repeated timing and practice of each step, they managed to fit the process into the designated time. “I enjoy dissecting a system, studying it, and figuring out how to enhance its efficiency,” he added.

Challenges Under the Prosthetics

Cruise also shared the discomforts of wearing heavy makeup. He mentioned how the prosthetics made him sweat profusely, requiring frequent breaks to cool down with a fan. He also noted that the added weight was hard on his knees and overall body.

Furthermore, Cruise fondly recalled a photo shoot for GQ where he appeared stripped down for the cover and mingled with tourists on Hollywood Boulevard, describing the adventure as “really fun.”

The film “Digger” is set to premiere in theaters on October 2.