Stanley Tucci Would Never Play ‘Lovely Bones’ Role Again and ‘Tried to Get Out Of It’: ‘It Was Horrible’ and ‘A Tough Experience’

Stanley Tucci recently told Entertainment Tonight that he would never play his role in The Lovely Bones again. The actor starred as the serial killer George Harvey in Peter Jacksons divisive adaptation of Alice Sebolds 2002 novel. Tucci earned an Oscar nomination in the supporting actor category for his performance, but ironically it was a role he tried to get out of before filming started.

I would not play George Harvey again inThe Lovely Bones, which was horrible, Tucci said. Its a wonderful movie, but it was a tough experience. Simply because of the role.

I asked Peter Jackson why he cast me in that role, Tucci continued. 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 youre funny. And I thought, Okay. But I understand what he was saying. I think what he meant was that I wouldnt be too not that I wouldnt be serious about it, but that I wouldnt be overly dramatic about it. That I would throw it away a bit.Which is what you have to do when youre playing somebody whos that awful, right?

Tucci added, You cant play into it. Then, you know, its over. Like, the movies over.You just have to play against it.

In both the novel and the film adaptation, George Harvey murders his 14-year-old neighbor (played by Saoirse Ronan). Tucci lost the Oscar to Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds. While hed never touch a role like the one in The Lovely Bones again, Tucci said there are roles that he would happily reprise.

I would happily play Nigel inThe Devil Wears Pradaagain. It was a really great experience, Tucci said. I would play Paul Child again, when we didJulie and Julia. Those are really wonderful roles to play.

Tuccis latest role is a supporting one in Prime Videos spy series Citadel, which is headlined by Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. The series debuts April 28 on the streamer.