Stanley Tucci Opens Up About Career Setbacks After The Devil Wears Prada

The actor reveals unexpected struggles, personal challenges, and the road to recovery after finding fame with the hit film.

Stanley Tucci, beloved for his portrayal of fashion editor Nigel in the 2006 blockbuster The Devil Wears Prada, is shedding light on the unexpected career slump he faced despite the film’s success. Although the movie, starring Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, and Emily Blunt, was a box-office hit and earned two Oscar nominations, Tucci revealed in a recent interview with Vanity Fair that he struggled to land roles afterward.

“After The Devil Wears Prada, I couldn’t get a job, and I didn’t quite understand that, but that’s just the way it was,” Tucci shared. “So I went and did stuff that I didn’t necessarily want to do, but I did it.”

Though the actor didn’t specify which roles he took reluctantly, he acknowledged that his career has seen many ups and downs. “Acting has always gone through these fluctuations,” Tucci said. “Sometimes it’s just the business, and sometimes it’s personal reasons why you can’t work.”

Tucci also spoke candidly about his health struggles, revealing how a cancer diagnosis six years ago disrupted his career trajectory. “Being sick threw a wrench into the works, and I had to slowly work my way back,” he said. “I probably started working too soon after the treatments, but I needed the money. I didn’t really have the energy, but you have to keep going—and eventually, you climb back up again.”

Over the years, Tucci has showcased his versatility in films like The Lovely Bones—earning an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor—Spotlight, Julie & Julia, and the Hunger Games franchise.

While fans eagerly await Disney’s planned sequel to The Devil Wears Prada, with original screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna attached, Tucci has yet to confirm if he will return to reprise his role.