How Stanley Tucci Feeds His Creativity

Did you watch Hulu’s The Bear?

I have watched some of The Bear, and I have to get back into it because one of my best friends, Oliver Platt, is in it. I loved what I saw.

If you could cook with anybody, who would you choose?

Lots of people. I would love to cook with Raymond Blanc. I would love to cook with Jacques Pépin.... There are two women in Florence that I think are really, really interesting. One of them is Matilde Pettini. I just met her. She’s so interesting. She comes from a family that has a very famous restaurant in Florence called [Trattoria] Cammillo, and she has opened her own place called Dalla Lola. It’s very kind of hip but really, really simple, not like fashion or trying to be cool. It’s just really simple, and she cooks traditional dishes that are just slightly different. But she has chefs — so she’s capable of cooking, but really she runs it. And then another woman, Nerina Martinelli. God, she’s so wonderful. I wrote about her in the first book. Her place is called Nugolo in Florence, and it’s really, really interesting. Traditional recipes, sort of updated.

What’s changed now that you have hit your 60s?

I don’t eat the way I used to. I think I probably don’t eat quite as much as I used to because I’m older and I’m healthier. ... I don’t have the energy that I used to have, so I don’t need to eat as much. But I still have a very fast metabolism, and part of that is just who I am, and part of it is from the results of the radiation. So, that’s a good thing.

How are you feeling physically?

I’m in much better shape now overall than I have ever been, with the exception of probably when I played soccer in high school. And that makes a huge difference, in that you sort of know where your body stands. And this sounds silly, but if you listen to [your body], it will tell you what you’re supposed to eat. Which is why I’m not a believer in, “Oh, I don’t eat meat. Oh, I don’t eat carbs. Oh, I don’t eat blah, blah, blah.” Sometimes your body goes, “I need to have pasta,” or “I need to have a really gross fast food thing.” And then you go and get it, and you’re satisfied — and disgusted.

Do your kids ever want fast food? [Tucci and wife Felicity Blunt are parents to son Matteo, 9, and daughter Emilia, 6. He also has three children from his first marriage to Kate Tucci: 24-year-old twins Nicolo and Isabel and daughter Camilla, 22].

Yeah, of course, every kid does. We all used to beg my parents to take us to McDonald’s when I was young, and they would do it begrudgingly every now and again because my father liked the French fries.

Do you have a dream project or character you’d like to play?

I always wanted to play Groucho Marx because he was really fascinating — incredibly bright and God knows he was funny — and he was kind of cranky a lot of the time, and that’s very interesting to me.

There’s a lot of buzz around your new movie, Conclave. Did you enjoy making it?

I just love that director [Edward Berger], and the story was so interesting. I’m a huge fan of Robert Harris’ books. And when they asked me to do it, I was just thrilled. It’s really cool. It’s also one of the most beautiful-looking movies.

Tucci stars with Ralph Fiennes in "Conclave," a psychological thriller about the election of a new pope. The movie hits theaters Oct. 25.

Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection

Looking back on your life, any regrets?

Thousands of regrets. I admire people [who] say, “No, I don’t have any regrets.” How is that possible?

What advice would you give your younger self?

Don’t take yourself so seriously. That’s it.