Stanley Tucci, known for his iconic role as fashion editor Nigel in The Devil Wears Prada, recently opened up about the challenges he faced after starring in the 2006 hit alongside Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt.
Despite the film’s massive success, Tucci revealed that finding work afterward was unexpectedly difficult.
“I couldn’t get a job, and I didn’t quite understand that,” he shared in an interview with Vanity Fair on October 22. “That’s just the way it was. So I went and did stuff that I didn’t necessarily want to do, but I did it.”
Following The Devil Wears Prada, Tucci made brief TV appearances in shows like Monk and ER, before taking roles in films like Kit Kittredge: An American Girl and The Tale of Despereaux in 2008.
Reflecting on the fluctuating nature of his career, the Hunger Games star mentioned that personal challenges, including his battle with oral cancer in 2017, further impacted his professional journey.
“Having been sick six years ago, that threw a wrench into the works for a while, and then you slowly get back,” Tucci said, noting that while recovering, he was eager to return to work, despite not having the energy. “I needed to work because I needed money… I probably started working too soon.”
Although he didn’t specify which roles he’s less fond of, Tucci expressed fond memories of being invited by Meryl Streep to join her in Julie & Julia in 2009.
“We had done The Devil Wears Prada, but she said to me at a mutual friend’s Christmas party, ‘Do you want to play my husband in this movie I’m going to do about Julia Child?’” Tucci recalled, calling it one of the best experiences of his career. The pair became very close after that film.
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