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Michael Stuhlbarg didn't know what to expect when he got to the set of "Digger." He just knew he had to be there.

Still, Stuhbarg and the rest of the cast, which includes John Goodman, Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller, and Jesse Plemons, wanted answers.

"Our rehearsals allowed us that kind of time to ask as many questions: 'What have you heard?' 'What can we expect?'" Stuhlbarg told Business Insider over the phone, describing the cast as a "repertory company" that filmed over seven months. "We were all in the same boat of learning about the movie at the same time."

Stuhlbarg's performance matches the movie's satirical tone as he delivers perfectly timed comedic reactions, often without dialogue, as the situation becomes increasingly dire. He attributes that talent to his training as a child under the iconic mime Marcel Marceau.

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It's just the latest top-notch performance from Stuhlbarg, who broke out playing the lead in the Coen brothers' 2009 drama "A Serious Man" after decades in theater. Since then, he's had memorable roles in everything from "Boardwalk Empire" to "Call Me by Your Name."

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Business Insider: You got your start on the stage, appearing in over 35 productions playing everyone from King Richard II to Hamlet, before you got "A Serious Man." At that time, were you content to be a stage actor the rest of your life?