Stanley Tucci has revealed that he “tried to get out of playing” his character in The Lovely Bones, describing the film as a “tough experience”.
The actor was asked about his past performances during an interview with Entertainment Tonight, where he named his role as serial killer George Harvey in the 2010 film as one he wouldn’t like to return to.
“I would not play George Harvey again in The Lovely Bones, that was horrible,” Tucci said. “It’s a wonderful movie but it was a tough experience. Simply because of the role.
“I asked [director] Peter Jackson why he cast me in that role. 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 added: “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?
“You can’t play into it. Then, you know, it’s over. Like, the movie’s over. You just have to play against it.”
Based on the book by Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones also starred Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon and Michael Imperioli. For his performance, Tucci earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
The actor is currently promoting upcoming sci-fi series Citadel, where he stars alongside Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra Jones and Lesley Manville.
The first two episodes of Citadel are set to premiere April 28 on Amazon Prime Video.