In 2009, Stanley Tucci lived an “actor’s dream”. After, he called it his career’s biggest regret

Stanley Tucci described 2009 as an “actor’s dream”, balancing the demanding role of serial killer George Harvey in *The Lovely Bones* with the lighter *Julie & Julia*, where he worked again with Meryl Streep. The contrast gave him creative range, but playing Harvey was so harrowing that Tucci later said he hated every second of it.

Tucci called Harvey one of the most difficult characters he had played and described the shoot as long and hard. He changed his appearance for the part and studied documentaries and books by criminal profilers, despite his wife Kate initially urging him not to take the role. His performance earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, though he was glad to leave the character behind.