Tom Cruise publicly thanked Prince William and Princess Catherine for their support of the arts during the world premiere of his new film «Digger» in London, an event that doubled as this year's Royal Film Performance. The Hollywood star welcomed the royal couple at Leicester Square and told the audience he and the film's team were grateful for their presence.
«We want to thank the royal highnesses for supporting this event, and just to tell them that we love them and we really appreciate what they do for the arts, for this country and for the world,» Cruise said, according to Variety. The premiere was organized by The Film and TV Charity, with proceeds from the evening going to the cause.
The royal couple met the cast and crew of «Digger», including Cruise, director Alejandro González Iñárritu, Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons. The official Instagram account of the Prince and Princess of Wales shared videos and photos from the event, while Cruise also posted images from the premiere on his own Instagram stories.
Cruise used the occasion to express his admiration for Iñárritu, calling the chance to work with him one of the great dreams of his career. «Alejandro, you are one of one, and I have so admired your films from the very first one. And to have the opportunity to work with you has been one of the great dreams of mine and a pleasure,» Cruise said. He added that the character Iñárritu has created is unlike anything he has seen before, praising the director's extraordinary mind.
The premiere featured a special setup across Leicester Square, with installations inspired by the film, including an Arctic Ocean-themed backdrop, the character's shovel and images of Cruise in his role. «Digger» follows Cruise's titular character, described in the film's synopsis as «the most powerful man in the world», as he attempts to prove himself as humanity's saviour before facing the consequences of a disaster he caused.
The film marks Cruise's latest collaboration with Iñárritu and is scheduled to release in theatres on October 2 through Warner Bros. Pictures. Ahead of the premiere, Cruise spoke about the impact of artificial intelligence on cinema during a conversation at London's BAFTA headquarters, saying that audiences continue to value real experiences and human craftsmanship.
«You know, it is coming and it's going to happen. But people want to see real things,» Cruise said while discussing AI. «People want that experience. They're going to movie theaters. I always believe in humanity,» he added.
The Royal Film Performance is a long-standing tradition in which a film premiere supports The Film and TV Charity, which provides financial and practical assistance to people working in the film and television industry. This year's event brought together one of Hollywood's biggest stars and the British royal family for an evening that highlighted both the film and the charitable cause behind it.
Cruise's appearance at the premiere follows a period of intense promotion for «Digger», which has drawn attention for its unusual premise and the actor's transformation in the lead role. The film's release on October 2 will test whether Cruise's star power and Iñárritu's acclaimed direction can draw audiences back to theatres for an original, director-driven project.