Iñárritu sought Indian actor for Tom Cruise film, email shows

Alejandro González Iñárritu emailed Indian filmmaker Dr Biju in 2016 seeking recommendations for an Indian actor for his film Digger.

Dr Biju shared a few names with Iñárritu, but none were eventually cast; Riz Ahmed landed the role in the Tom Cruise film.

Iñárritu's email complained that no Indian actor he auditioned fit the bill for the role.

Dr Biju posted the email on Instagram in 2026 after the Digger trailer was released, noting he was asked to keep the conversation confidential earlier.

Dr Biju stated he felt honored to have been considered a friend by Iñárritu for 15 years and participated in early pre-production discussions.