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Killer Instincts
In this exclusive, The Lovely Bones’ Stanley Tucci reveals everything from getting into character to his fave movie.
Two-time Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning character actor Stanley Tucci delves into his dark side for The Lovely Bones. Based on the best-selling book by Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones tells the disturbing story of a young girl who is raped and murdered by George Harvey, a lonely man who builds doll houses.
Tucci is at his creepiest in his chilling and extremely real portrayal of Harvey, a challenging role which required thorough research into the minds of real-life child molesters.
The Lovely Bones sees an intense performance by Tucci, especially in stark contrast to his previous film Julie & Julia - a successful performance alongside Meryl Streep, which is now shrouded in whisperings of Oscar nominations.
Working with Peter Jackson on The Lovely Bones, Tucci shows-off his versatility as a character actor. But how does Tucci feel about playing George Harvey?
How was it working with Peter Jackson and the other actors?
"I didn't work with Susan [Sarandon], though I have before, or Rachel [Weisz]. I worked a bit with Mark Wahlberg and he was great and Saoirse was incredible. Peter Jackson was great. It was just a wonderful group of people. But mostly I acted alone."
How did you get involved in the project?
"They called up and asked if I would have time for a phone conversation with Peter, Fran [Walsh] and Phil [Philippa Boyens]. They didn't offer me the part; they asked if I'd be interested. I read the script. Then I had a long conversation with them on the phone, read the script again, and then we had a long video conference. They were in New Zealand. I had a lot of questions about it because I was nervous about doing it. I asked what they expected from the actor who was going to do it and why they wanted me to do it. There were some changes made and ultimately I ended up doing it."
Such as?
"Well, we talked about the graphic aspect of it. It was a matter of finding the right tone and knowing when not to have something on camera."
But would that be something they talked to you as an actor about?
"Yes, because it was in the script. I might say, ‘Do we really need to see this?' Because it's so difficult and delicate, you want to make sure it's done artfully and cautiously while still wanting the audience to experience the emotional horror of it."
You had to figure out your character, who is a serial killer who murders young girls. So can you talk about the process where you decide if he is 100% evil or 80% or 50%?
"First of all you have to make sure he is a real person. If you make him a monster, people might get scared but the fear doesn't last. The more real he is, the scarier he is. The more mundane he is, the scarier he is. The thoughts in your head have to be his thoughts. You have to make yourself believe that for a time. Then you take off your makeup and go home."
Did you research real child molesters?
"I had to. I didn't like doing it, so they sent me stuff and I went on the internet and found stuff. I read some books by John Douglas, who is a top FBI profiler. I met with John. It's fascinating and disturbing. I could do it only for brief periods of time and then I'd have to stop, and might not do it again until the next day."
Two words came to mind about him while reading the book. Sympathetic, because of what he went through with his mother. And ordinary, as you mentioned. What are your thoughts about playing a character who can be thought of in those terms?
"The pictures I saw of child molesters from the seventies were of men who were innocuous. He is ordinary and he is sympathetic because he's a quiet, lonely guy. Also at the time this movie takes place, the network for catching child molesters wasn't sophisticated. There wasn't the knowledge about them. Now they can find people much more easily. They have better technology and a better understanding of them. We don't learn anything about his past or his mother in this movie, so it was my job to just make him seem as normal as possible-unless he's sitting in his car and watching young girls."
Other than for this role, have you had trepidation in choosing characters?
"I had trepidation taking roles that I felt were stereotypical, maybe Italian Americans. Usually I have a problem with the film as a whole, when I feel it's gratuitous. We can't all be choosey all the time, and sometimes we bite the bullet and just do a film, but sometimes you realise that you're offered a part in a movie that isn't about anything. If it's not about anything, then you don't want to be in it even if the part would be fun to play."
What is George Harvey's role in the film? His killing Susie changes the whole family. Is that what you were thinking?
"Yeah. His action precipitates the fracturing of the family and the maturation of this girl and tells everyone that they need not be afraid of death."
Other actors who played evil characters have told me that they believe their characters don't realise they're evil. What about George Harvey?
"What I found while doing research is that the criminals will have flashes of being evil and even guilt after the fact, until that "need" arises again. They justify it the way an alcoholic does, saying they couldn't control their actions. I don't think when George Harvey kills Susie that he realises what he's doing is evil. He thinks of it as a necessity. These guys often say that their victims "had to die" and it was their right and obligation and they had to do it."
Did memories of your family come to mind when you played the role?
"Yes, it is your worst nightmare. I can't watch shows about serial killers."
Why do you think he builds dollhouses?
"He's a person who has to focus on details and they require a lot of time alone."
Is it related to his attraction to children?
"Without question."
In the clips about the making of The Lovely Bones, you talk about Saoirse bringing sunshine to the movie. I wasn't sure if you were talking about her or her character.
"Probably both. Saoirse is incredible. She's an amazing actor and person. She's now fifteen-years-old and is six inches taller than when she made the movie - she's a young lady. She understood everything about the movie and what was going on. She's very mature."
Because you're a director (Big Night, The Impostors, the upcoming Blind Date), are you satisfied in the actor role or do you question the director?
"Sometimes I give opinions. Or I'll ask questions because I'm curious. I can get frustrated but I have to be careful because it's not my movie. I learned to direct by asking questions of directors. I'm still fascinated by the process."
As a director, what bothers you most about actors?
"I hate when after you rehearse, the actor over-thinks it. Just do it. I also hate when actors don't come out of their trailers. But I've never had that problem as a director, just as an actor waiting for another actor to get out of their trailer."
Do you hate overanalysing a character like George Harvey and going over him after you've finished?
"I have to as part of the job publicising the film, but you do think about it. You inevitably think you should have done something differently. You also just try to let it go. There's nothing you can change anymore, you did it already."
Is your career better than you expected it to be?
"No. Well, maybe some of it."
About ten or fifteen years ago, you were like a discovery for people really into movies, and today you're known in the mainstream, too. Has that surprised you?
"Yeah, it's all surprising and something you hope for. It's nice to be able to go back and forth between independent and mainstream movies like The Devil Wears Prada and Julie and Julia. They were both hits and are very helpful to me and that translates into a long-lasting career."
There is talk of your receiving an Oscar nomination for Julie and Julia.
"Every actor cares about an Oscar nomination and anyone who tells you they don't is lying. If it happens, it will be great. If it doesn't happen that's okay because it hasn't happened before."
What kind of fan mail do you get?
"Nice fan mail. Maybe after this I won't. I don't get a lot. You get the most when you do television. I don't get a lot of fan mail from Italians. I do get a lot from Germany. It's weird. It's usually someone asking for an autographed picture."
Where do you live?
"In New York City and in Westchester County. Not in L.A."
What is your favourite movie?
"I don't have a favourite movie, just movies I like. But one of my favorites is Rules of the Game."
What's your next film?
"I'm going to do a film called Burlesque, which is the complete opposite of this movie. Then I'm going to direct a play, a farce called Lend Me a Tenor. Then hopefully I'll direct a film I wrote last summer with Pierce Brosnan, Julianne Moore, Maggie Smith and Patricia Clarkson."
The Lovely Bones is in cinemas from December 26, 2009. For interviews with Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz and Peter Jackson grab the latest issue of Filmink Magazine.
Photo by By: Kevin Winter / Getty Images Entertainment
