I would imagine that receiving a gift from Tom Cruise almost feels like being nominated for an award. At this point, it’s no secret that the Mission: Impossible icon likes to send presents, and that includes the famous coconut cake that celebrities like Hayley Atwell and Glenn Powell gush about getting around Christmas time. Now, we can officially add at least one of Cruise’s Digger co-stars to the cake list, and they have a sweet take on getting the pastry.
Riz Ahmed stars alongside Cruise in the aforementioned Alejandro González Iñárritu film, and they seem to have become quite chummy. To that point, Ahmed revealed to E! News that he’s since received his first ever Cruise cake, and I’m feeling serious FOMO hearing him talk about it. He shares:
I made one coconut cake list. Let’s see how this year goes. I’ve got to be honest, I’m not usually a coconut guy, but that cake is bangin’. Thank you, Tom. Appreciate it.
Cruise has been giving out the coconut cake over the holidays for quite some time now, and anyone who needs evidence of that should look to Kirsten Dunst. Apparently, Dunst started getting the cake annually after working with Cruise on Interview with the Vampire — over 30 years ago. So I’m tempted to think that Ahmed will be on the list for a while.
It seems the Sound of Metal star may want to watch out, though, as the famous cake is apparently very popular in his household. Ahmed said this:
I didn’t get to taste much of it. These guys cleaned it up. Family got ahold of it.
Aside from the cake, the Top Gun icon is quite generous in other ways. Rosie O’Donnell says Cruise never forgets her birthday or any special event in her life. And for Cruise’s friends, the perks don’t stop at Bundt cake. While gushing about her “dear friend,” Millie Bobby Brown revealed she had “flown his helicopter before.” And we can’t forget, the birthday tradition he has with Dakota Fanning, who played his daughter in War of the Worlds. Cruise gifts her birthday shoes every year. So the coconut cake may not be the only thing Ahmed gets down the road.
Overall, though, it just seems like Ahmed enjoyed working with Cruise on their new film. Per the Rogue One alum, Cruise is “relentlessly positive,” and he also committed to his role as Digger Rockwell by going full method on set, which led to some jokes.
I’m looking forward to seeing the two co-stars in Digger when it hits the 2026 movie schedule on October 2. The first reactions to the González Iñárritu movie have been mixed, but many are still calling it a “big swing” and “impactful and hilarious.” Unsurprisingly, Cruise and Ahmed have also received praise for their performances. And, while their collaboration may be done, it’s truly sweet that Ahmed will also have that yearly cake as a reminder of his friendship with Cruise.
