The first time I ever sawStanley Tucciin a movie? 1992’sBeethoven. Tucci andOliver Plattplay the villain’s goons and seem to be having an absolute blast playing into the family-friendly vibe of the film. About 28 years later, the same is true of Tucci inRobert Zemeckis’ rendition ofThe Witchesfor HBO Max.
Jahzir Brunoleads the movie as a young boy who moves in with his grandmother (Octavia Spencer) after the passing of his parents. The two decide they need a little time away so head off to a luxury hotel where Tucci’s character, Mr. Stringer, is the manager. Little do any of them know, one of the guests that Stringer is most eager to please is actually the Grand High Witch (Anne Hathaway) and she’s about to unleash a special formula that turns children into mice.
If you’ve seen even a single piece of promotional material for this one, you’re probably well aware that the movie is mighty wacky and playful. It’s easy to assume that a project like that must have been a joy to make and, in the case ofThe Witches, that turned out to be true for Tucci. What’s the key to creating such a fun on-set environment like that? Is it the material, Zemeckis’ leadership or something else? Here’s what Tucci had to say:
“It comes from all of it, you know? But he’s somebody who knows how to shape things so well and find the correct tone. He’s also just the nicest guy, too. And, you know, when you watch somebody who’s so sort of masterful like that, like Spielberg is, they just seem to be doing it without thinking and it’s pretty impressive to watch. But all the pieces have to come together and I think they did on this with hair and make-up, and costume, and everything.”
If you’d like to hear more from Tucci on his experience makingThe Witches, you can catch our full chat at the top of this article! We’ve also got a conversation withKristin Chenowethfor youright hereand one with Octavia Spencerover here.
