NEED TO KNOW
- Stanley Tucci reflects on his beloved role as Nigel in The Devil Wears Prada
- In a new interview with PEOPLE, Tucci shares where he’d hypothetically take Miranda Priestley to eat in Italy — and it’s very on brand
- The actor also opens up about his new National Geographic series, Tucci in Italy, where he explores the rich culinary traditions of five picturesque Italian regions
Stanley Tucci’s award-winning film career has him spanning a wide range of roles, but his role as fashion magazine art director Nigel in the 2006 film, The Devil Wears Prada, was one that solidified him into the hearts of a generation.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE to discuss his upcoming new series, Tucci in Italy, the multi-hyphenate star, 64, gave a fun response when asked where he would take the movie’s main character Miranda Priestly, editor-in-chief of the fictional fashion magazine, Runway.
In the movie starring Anne Hathaway (who played fashion world newbie Andrea “Andy” Sachs), Tucci’s role as Nigel was part mentor for Andy and part right-hand to Miranda, played by Meryl Streep.
20th Century Fox Film Corp.
Miranda, who’s drawn comparisons to Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, is a no-nonsense boss who demands everything around her go off without a hitch.
At one point in the film, she asks Andy to order and deliver a high-quality steak to her office. As fans of the film will remember, Andy ends up having to throw the steak away after Miranda makes other arrangements, to Andy’s surprise.
20th Century Fox
Tucci draws inspiration from the particular scene in the film. “I would take her to … she likes steak, right?” he recalls. “I would take her to Tuscany and I would give her the beef steak of Fiorentina [Florence]. A delicious steak.” As for the wine pairing, Tucci simply adds, “Yeah, lots of it.”
In his forthcoming show, Tucci, author of What I Ate in One Year and Taste: My Life Through Food, will continue to flex his culinary prowess.
The five-episode series will take viewers on a picturesque journey across five Italian regions, absorbing the intricate details of some of the world’s most culturally rich dishes.
Tucci travels to Tuscany, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Abruzzo, and Lazio, meeting chefs, fishermen, food scientists and even cowboys who string together the history and importance of regional ingredients and dishes through immersive storytelling.
“I’m guided by my taste buds,” Tucci explains, “that’s important to the point of the show, really, in a way. I’m always guided by my taste buds. It’s my first thought when I wake up wherever I am.”
The first episode of Tucci in Italy premieres on National Geographic on May 18.