The Lovely Bones" Star Stanley Tucci Puts a Psycho on His Resume
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A veteran of film, television and theater, actor Stanley Tucci has played his share of quirky characters. This year, he's gone to extremes. In "Julie & Julia," he played an adoring husband to Meryl Streep's Julia Child; but in "The Lovely Bones," Peter Jackson's adaptation of Alice Sebold's 2002 novel that opens next Friday, he stars as a pedophile who murders a 14-year-old girl. Tucci, who has three children and whose wife died of cancer this year, talks about the challenges of the role.
The Wall Street Journal: How did you decide to take on this part of a rapist and murderer?
Stanley Tucci: I really trusted Peter [Jackson] and his wife, Fran. In the original draft of the script that I read, that scene was more graphic. In the film, everything is left to your imagination, which is how it should be — it makes everything so much more scary and more interesting. Also, much of the movie was shooting in Pennsylvania, so I knew I could take a train and commute home to see my family [in upstate New York]. I also brought my family when we shot in New Zealand. I don't think I could have done the part if I had been by myself.
Even though Saoirse Ronan [who plays the young girl] is a professional actor, did you have to gauge how much you could push her emotionally?
Yes, because it's scary material and she's a kid. As a parent, after every take, I'd ask her if she was okay, and she would do the same thing to me. I begged Pete to shoot in one day, but we ended up needing a day and a half. And it was at the end of the shoot, so I had to wait five months to shoot it. Once it was done, I felt so free. I like to joke a lot, and I think it's vital for something like this.
Was researching how to play a killer harder than acting as one?
It was horrible. I had to watch all these documentaries and read books by [criminal profiler] John Douglas about catching serial killers. But without doing that, I couldn't have found the character, because he's the perfect example of the banality of evil. But the thing is that you have to remember he's a person. What he does is monstrous, but he's not a monster. It's all in the framing.
Has talking about this film been cathartic for you in your personal life?
It's hard for me. My wife passed away seven months ago and I don't want to think about the afterlife. I don't believe in that sort of thing. It'd be nice, if it were there. Woody Allen has that great quote where he says he doesn't believe in an afterlife, although he's bringing a change of underwear. That's how I feel.
You shot "Julie & Julia" immediately after this film, which must have been a relief.
That film was the antidote to this one, and was exactly what I needed to do. I stayed at home, worked with Meryl, laughed a ton and made martinis every night. We're like two children together and laugh all the time, which is why we get along so well. Plus, she's completely fearless as an actress.
You'll be making your debut as a theater director on "Lend Me a Tenor." How did the project come about?
I've done plays all my life and the Araca Group, the guys who did "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune" [with Tucci, in 2002], have been after me to do another, but I couldn't. I have three little kids and that play almost killed me. I hate the schedule, and I don't believe in eight shows a week. But directing is different. And this play is hilarious. All of the cheap gags that you find in farces are in this one farce. I would go crazy just being an actor. That's why I started writing and directing. I don't like being at the mercy of people I don't like or trust.
You cast several of your friends in the production, including Tony Shalhoub.
I like to work with the same people; it's a very comforting feeling to have really good friends who are really talented. Also, you can give them roles that nobody else will give them, because you know them better than anyone.
Is T.R. Knight still attached?
No, he couldn't do it, actually. Justin Bartha [of "The Hangover" fame] is doing his part instead. He came in and auditioned for us, and was painfully funny.
How bad is the landscape for funding independent projects right now?
Awful. I've never seen it this bad, and I've been raising money for indie movies for 14 years. People are afraid to invest in movies and it's understandable. Finding distribution for a little movie is the problem. It's near impossible.
As for acting, things are starting to come more easily now. I'm feeling a little more secure than ever in this business, which will last six months and then it'll be sad again. I just want to go out and create stuff. Steve [Buscemi] and I have a production company and it's a lot of effort, a lot of going to piddly meetings, but once you break out, you can make your own film, and that's what's so exciting for me.
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