You're listening to Love Stories with me, Dolly Alderton, a series in which I talked

to guests about their most defining relationships, the passion, heartbreak, longing, familiarity

and fondness that has formed who they are.

My guest this week is the actor, director, writer and producer, Stanley Tucci.

His roles have been varied, far-reaching and multi-award winning, making his names

in films such as Road to P addition, Big Night, Conspiracy, The Lovely Bones, The Devil

Wes Prada and The Hunger Games.

On TV he has appeared in everything from ER to Frazier to Miami Vice to feud Betty and

Joan.

Behind the camera he has written, directed and produced to critical acclaim.

He is firmly embedded in show business and his characters are often imbued with his signature

charisma and sharp sense of humour.

He grew up in New York to Italian parents.

Over the course of his career he has celebrated his heritage with a love of both cooking and

eating, most recently publishing a cookbook with his wife called The Tucci Table.

But while food is his great passion, creating and performing TV, movies and theatre has been

the only job he has ever known.

No, it is always just acting.

I thought about not acting and becoming an artist.

My dad was an art teacher.

Like a painter?

Yeah, like a painter, sculptor.

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