Riz Ahmed Shares Mom's Tom Cruise Moment, Digger Prosthetics Challenge on 'Tonight Show'

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Actor also reflects on his Emmy nomination for Bait during the wide-ranging conversation.

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Riz Ahmed sat down with Jimmy Fallon on THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING Jimmy Fallon to share the story of his mother's unexpected encounter with Tom Cruise , a moment that became one of the highlights of the conversation. Ahmed walked Fallon through the details of the surprise meeting, giving the audience a personal and lighthearted anecdote involving his family.

Beyond the Cruise story, Ahmed discussed his experience on the film Digger, specifically the process of getting used to wearing prosthetics for the role. He described the adjustment period required to work under the makeup, offering insight into the physical demands of the part. The conversation also touched on Ahmed's Emmy-nominated series Bait, giving Fallon's audience an update on that project's recognition.

The appearance covered a mix of personal and professional territory, with Ahmed moving between the lighter family anecdote and the more technical discussion of his on-set preparation for Digger. His remarks on the prosthetics work gave viewers a glimpse into how the transformation affected his performance.

Ahmed rounded out the segment by touching on the reception of Bait, closing out a conversation that balanced candid family storytelling with reflections on his recent screen work.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Riz-Ahmed-Recalls-Moms-Surprise-Tom-Cruise-Encounter-and-Digger-Prosthetics-Struggle-20261001)._