Tom Cruise launches 'Digger' in London with royals in front row
Tom Cruise premiered Digger in London on Tuesday, 22 September, with Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, watching from the front row.
The world premiere took place in Leicester Square in central London, according to People. The royal couple greeted Cruise on the night before taking their seats for the screening.
The event doubled as a Royal Film Performance organised by The Film and TV Charity, with proceeds donated to the charity, Variety reported. That set-up turns a standard opening-night screening into a fundraiser. It supports people working in film and television.
Cruise thanked William and Catherine in a speech before the screening for supporting the event, Variety reported. The seats were front row. The thank-you came before the lights went down.
In Digger, Cruise plays wealthy oil tycoon Digger Rockwell. The film is described as a satirical black comedy, meaning a comedy built around serious and dark subject matter, and is directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, Variety reported.
The cast alongside Cruise includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons. The ensemble brings together performers from American independent film, British film and European cinema.
Digger opens in theatres on 2 Oct from Warner Bros. Pictures, according to Variety. That gives London audiences the first look, then a short wait until general release.
What makes this stand out is the pairing. A commercial launch and a charity performance rarely share the same night. Here they did, with the royal presence placing the fundraiser at the centre of the premiere.
