‘Digger’ Cast & Characters: Everything You Need to Know Tom Cruise’s New Movie

Tom Cruise is trading his typical death-defying stunts for something a little different in his latest film. Digger is a new dark comedy about a powerful billionaire who finds himself at the center of a potentially world-ending disaster. Cruise stars as Digger Rockwell, an influential businessman who sets out to convince the world that he can save humanity from the very catastrophe he created.

Digger is directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the acclaimed filmmaker behind Birdman and The Revenant who has won five Academy Awards, including back-to-back Oscars for Best Director. And Cruise isn’t the only big name attached to the film, with a stacked cast rounding out Iñárritu’s latest project.

Digger opens in theaters and IMAX on October 2, 2026.

Here’s everything you need to know about Digger before heading to the theater, including the actors that make up the film’s cast.

And when you’re ready for more great movies, DIRECTV has plenty to choose from!

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What is ‘Digger’ About?

Digger follows Digger Rockwell, an enormously powerful oil tycoon whose business empire has helped make him one of the most influential men in the world. But when his actions contribute to a catastrophic environmental disaster, Digger suddenly finds himself facing consequences on a global scale.

Rather than quietly accepting responsibility, Digger launches a frantic effort to prove that he is the one person capable of fixing the crisis. As scientists warn of the growing danger and political leaders grapple with the fallout, Digger races to stop the disaster while trying to preserve his reputation as the man who can save the world.

The film is a dark satire that takes a comedic look at power, wealth and the lengths one man will go to save the world — and his own reputation. 

Here’s a look at Digger with the official trailer:

‘Digger’ Cast and Characters Guide

Here’s a look at the main cast of Digger:

Tom Cruise as Digger Rockwell

Known from: Top Gun, Mission: Impossible, Jerry Maguire, Minority Report, War of the Worlds

Digger Rockwell is an eccentric Texas billionaire and titan of industry whose incredible wealth has given him influence that extends far beyond just his company. His success is rooted in a family legacy that Digger takes great pride in, even keeping the old shovel his grandfather used when he first began digging for fortune in Texas.

Arrogant, impulsive and unwaveringly confident in himself, Digger is accustomed to being the most powerful person in the room, and he doesn’t like to be challenged. That confidence is put to the test when a disaster at one of his company’s Arctic drilling sites triggers a global crisis. Digger initially brushes off warnings, but when the threat becomes impossible to ignore, he decides he’s the man to fix it. 

Despite his wild and intense personality, Digger also has a soft spot for his elderly cat, whom he dotes on at his secluded estate.

Riz Ahmed as Ganesh

Known from: Sound of Metal, The Road to Guantanamo, Jason Bourne, Nightcrawler

Ganesh is a scientist from Mumbai and advisor to Digger who is called in to assess the growing environmental crisis caused by the company. Ganesh serves as a voice of reason as the situation quickly snowballs into disaster.

Unlike Digger, Ganesh understands just how little control they may have over what happens next. While Digger searches for a way to stop the disaster, Ganesh has the difficult job of explaining the science behind the threat and forcing the powerful people in the room to confront the reality of what is actually happening.

John Goodman as President Compson

Known from: Roseanne, Argo, Revenge of the Nerds, Coyote Ugly, 10 Cloverfield Lane

President Compson is the brash, unpredictable and remarkably old president of the United States. Despite his age, Compson remains firmly in power, with an enormous ego, a volatile temper and little patience for anyone who questions him.

When Digger’s actions create an international crisis, Compson and his administration turn to the businessman responsible for the mess to find a solution. Because nothing says crisis management like putting the man who caused it back in charge. Like Digger, Compson is accustomed to wielding enormous power and having people listen to him. Now, the two must put their oversized heads together to solve a disaster that may be beyond either man’s control.

Sandra Hüller as Emma Rockwell

Known from: Project Hail Mary, Anatomy of a Fall, Requiem, Toni Erdmann

Emma Rockwell is Digger’s younger half-sister and one of the few people who has no problem standing up to him. She isn’t intimidated by Digger’s power or personality and is more than willing to tell her brother exactly what she thinks.

Emma and Digger don’t exactly have the warmest sibling relationship, and years of tension have left Emma with little patience for her brother. And based on the sound of him, who can blame her?

Michael Stuhlbarg as the Vice President

Known from: A Serious Man, Call Me by Your Name, The Shape of Water, Doctor Strange

The vice president is a member of President Compson’s administration who joins the president and other high-ranking officials as they confront the growing global crisis. He takes part in the emergency discussions with Digger as the group tries to determine whether there is any way to stop or at least mitigate the disaster.

Jesse Plemons as Kenny

Known from: Bugonia, Game Night, Battleship, The Irishman, Black Mirror

Kenny enters the story as Digger begins to pull back the curtain on the world surrounding Digger Rockwell, offering a very different perspective. There’s much more to Kenny than initially meets the eye, but that’s all that can be revealed for now.

Emma D’Arcy as Lina

Known from: House of the Dragon, Mothering Sunday, Truth Seekers, Misbehaviour

Lina is another character who enters alongside Kenny as the story unfolds. Details about her role are being kept under wraps, so viewers will have to wait and see exactly how she fits into Digger.

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Digger comes to theaters October 2, 2026. After seeing it on the big screen, keep movie night going at home with DIRECTV! Find more movies across your favorite channels and streaming services, all in one place.

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