Stanley Tucci Says Peter Jackson's THE LOVELY BONES Was a "Tough" Experience For Him and He "Tried To Get Out" of It

Stanley Tucci is a great actor that has appeared in a ton of films over the years, and while he always delivers a great performance, his first Oscar nomination came from playing serial killer George Harvey in director Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of The Lovely Bones. He was great in that movie, but it’s a role he would never want to play again.

The actor explained that playing a serial killer was a “tough” experience for him and at one point, he actually tried to get out of it. During a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Tucci said:

“I would not play George Harvey again in ‘The Lovely Bones,’ which was horrible. It’s a wonderful movie, but it was a tough experience. Simply because of the role.”

When he was cast, Tucci asked Jackson why he had cast him in the supernatural murder thriller, and explained that he tried to get out of playing the role. He said:

“I tried to get out of playing the role, which is crazy because I needed a job. But I was like, ‘Why do you want me?’ And he said, ‘Because you’re funny.’ And I thought, ‘OK.’ But I understand what he was saying.”

He went on to explain:

“I think what he meant was that I wouldn’t be too — not that I wouldn’t be serious about it, but that I wouldn’t be overly dramatic about it. That I would throw it away a bit. Which is what you have to do when you’re playing somebody who’s that awful, right?”

It’s understandable why he feels the way he does about playing that kind of dark and disturbed character. That was actually quite a dark story and movie, but it was beautifully brought to life by Jackson. There are a couple of characters that Tucci would love to revisit, though! Much lighter, joyful characters:

“I would happily play Nigel in The Devil Wears Prada again. It was a really great experience. I would play Paul Child again, when we did Julie and Julia. Those are really wonderful roles to play.”

What makes Tucci a great actor is his ability to fully embody his characters and bring them to life with authenticity and humanity. He has a natural charisma and charm on screen, which enables him to engage audiences and make his characters memorable. In addition to his acting skills, Tucci is also a talented writer and director.