Tom Cruise received warm applause at a BAFTA event in London after speaking passionately about the future of filmmaking and the role of artificial intelligence.
During the event, host Edith Bowman asked Cruise about AI and its potential impact on the film industry.
Cruise responded by emphasizing the importance of human creativity and the shared experience of watching movies in theaters.
“There is nothing like human,” Cruise said while discussing the future of cinema.
He also pointed to the continued interest in theatrical releases as evidence that audiences still value the experience of watching films together.
Cruise Defends Human Craft in Cinema
The Tom Cruise BAFTA speech focused heavily on the people who work behind the camera.
Cruise said filmmakers should continue creating while protecting the skills and experience of the people who build movies.
He also discussed camera technology, lenses and the importance of understanding the craft behind filmmaking.
“What you put attention on, you give life,” Cruise told the audience.
He added that audiences want to see real things and experience stories together.
Cruise did not directly attack artificial intelligence. Instead, he acknowledged that AI will become part of the industry while arguing that human creativity will remain important.
Digger Brings Cruise and Iñárritu Together
The BAFTA conversation also focused on Cruise’s upcoming movie Digger, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu.
Cruise explained that Iñárritu read the script to him over several days before he agreed to take the role.
The actor described the project as one of the most original and moving films he has worked on.
In the movie, Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a powerful oil tycoon whose business becomes connected to an environmental disaster.
The cast also includes Sandra Hüller, Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Jesse Plemons, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sophie Wilde and Emma D’Arcy.
Digger Explores an Environmental Crisis
Digger follows a wealthy businessman who faces the consequences of an environmental catastrophe linked to his company.
The film combines comedy, drama and environmental themes as Digger attempts to deal with the crisis he helped create.
Cruise underwent a major physical transformation for the role. He appears with a larger build, thinning white hair and a Southern accent.
The film marks Cruise’s first collaboration with Iñárritu. The director previously made acclaimed movies including Birdman and The Revenant.
Digger Release Date Confirmed
Warner Bros. plans to release Digger in cinemas on October 2, 2026.
The film represents Cruise’s return to a more unusual dramatic role after years of major action productions.
Cruise has also continued to speak about the importance of theatrical cinema.
In a recent interview, he said he has nothing against television or streaming platforms. However, he described cinema as a shared experience in which audiences gather in the same room.
Cruise Has Long Supported Film Craft
Cruise has spent more than four decades working in Hollywood and has repeatedly highlighted the importance of filmmaking as a collaborative art.
His comments about AI also build on his previous involvement in discussions about protecting performers and their work from unauthorized uses of the technology.
At the BAFTA event, however, his central message was about continuing to create and preserving the human connection that audiences find in movies.
The Tom Cruise BAFTA speech therefore became less about opposing new technology and more about emphasizing the people, creativity and shared experiences that continue to shape cinema.
