Stanley Tucci may have warned everyone to “gird up your loins” in the original The devil wears Prada But this time he’s coming for TJ Maxx.
in The devil wears prada 2which was released on May 1, has Tucci reprising his long-running role Runway Magazine employee and art director Nigel. When Anne Hathaway’s Andy returns to the magazine years later in the film, Nigel, who plays Tucci, jokes: “Look what TJ Maxx has done.” Despite a subtle jab from Nigel, Tucci on the other hand is willing to “stand correct” and embrace being “Maxxinisto” in a new ad campaign with the retailer (shared below).
“I thought it was really funny,” Tucci said. Hollywood Reporter About communicating with the retailer. “We acquired Ryan Reynolds’ company [Maximum Effort] He was in it, shot it, directed it, and came up with the concept with the TJ Maxx team. I thought it was very funny [and] tasty. I was like, why not? If you can go into a store and buy designer items for a lot less and you’ll get them in the store itself, I have no problem with that!”
Tucci said before putting on Nigel’s stylish shoes again for the sequel THR That call to return was where Nigel was years later – in the same place, doing the same thing. “There’s been very little career action since the first movie,” Tucci said. Although Nigel was betrayed by Meryl Streep’s Miranda in the original film, Tucci said the duo seemingly continued to maintain a “perfect symbiotic relationship” in the sequel.
Although the first film explores the harsh realities of what success can cost, the sequel examines how to maintain or find success in a rapidly changing industry and digital landscape. “There are a lot of odds against journalists and magazines [and] Newspapers are now because of artificial intelligence [and] “Our phones,” Tucci said. THR. “The lack of need for in-depth content is disappearing. I love that the film’s story addresses that.”
Before launching his ad with TJ Maxx, Tucci spoke with THR About their collaboration, returning for Part 2, getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the warning Part 2 gives to the media.
***
Meryl Streep said in press interviews that she does not want to return for a movie The devil wears Prada Sequel unless there is a meaningful story. For you, what was it about the story in Part 2 that made it a good idea to return to play Nigel?
I liked the fact that it’s still in the same position as it was 20 years ago. There has been very little professional movement. I liked that [Nigel and Miranda’s] relationship. I like the fact that he was loyal to her and what he was doing. He is like her [Miranda]believes that maintaining the quality of something is really important, no matter what difficulties you face. There are a lot of odds against journalists and magazines now [and] Newspapers because of artificial intelligence [and] Our phones. The lack of need for in-depth content is starting to disappear. I love that the story of the film addresses that. I think this is beautiful. It’s not just a kind of trivial, “Oh, aren’t these costumes pretty.” Obviously that’s there too, but I like it to be interwoven into a core story.
You mentioned that it was interesting that Nigel was still in the same position in this movie. How would you personally like to see it develop? What more could you explore with Nigel that you were hoping to explore in part two?
The relationship with Miranda, work and with Annie [Anne Hathaway] a personality [Andy]. He navigates things in very subtle ways. I like that about him. Plays with objects close to the jacket. He doesn’t really show what he’s thinking [or] What he feels. He has the kind of peripheral vision that most people don’t have. I think that’s why he’s so good at what he does. So, to be able to go back to that, and of course, all the snarky, kind of funny lines…that’s just fun.
In the first movie, we saw this betrayal happen with Miranda sacrificing Nigel’s promised promotion to save her job as editor-in-chief, and given that the first movie ended with Nigel having to make a career compromise, so to speak, how can you say his dynamic with Miranda has changed over time? Where do you see their relationship?
Well, you know, the thing is, it hasn’t changed, which is kind of the beauty of it. They’re both very stuck in that relationship, but they want that relationship. If neither of them wants that relationship, it will end. But they need each other. It’s kind of the perfect symbiotic relationship. The fact is that they had this relationship for a long time, however, when she threw her parties in the Hamptons, he was never invited. Even if he had been invited, he would have begged for it. I think this is really interesting. I like it. They know they have to face all the changes in the world, but they can only do it together. Then in the movie, not to spoil it, we see this big change in her towards the end.
The original film had a lot of great lines, one of which was Nigel’s “Girdle your loins.” But this time Nigel has a ‘look at what TJ Maxx did’ which is a great line Nigel makes about Andy. Is what we see in the movie how it was written in the screenplay or are there other options?
No that was it! We didn’t need another option. It was a great line. I laughed right away when I read it!
To further celebrate this line, you’re teaming up with TJ Maxx to create an ad. At what point did this TJ Maxx opportunity come your way and why did you say yes?
They came to me a little while ago and said, “Would you like to do this commercial?” I thought it was really funny. We’ve got Ryan Reynolds’ company [Maximum Effort] He was in it, shot it, directed it, and came up with the concept with the TJ Maxx team. I thought it was very funny, and clever. I was like, why not? If you can go into a store and buy designer items for a lot less and you’ll get them in the store itself, I have no problem with that!
Since there’s an emphasis on high quality without the high price, do you think Nigel would ever respect looking for a great bargain in fashion?
Oh no question. Nigel is not a millionaire. He only has one taste.
Now, as I mentioned in the ad, you could be wrong, but do you think Nigel could shop at TJ Maxx? If so, what would it take to convince him to change his tune and perhaps deliver his own monologue about TJ Maxx?
I think he’ll do it in a second. I mean he might do it when it gets dark. (He laughs.) How many costume designers do you know who are great designers use TJ Maxx and other places to get really cool things that you can dress your actors in? Why not? You will save a lot of money.
How do you think he would explain TJ Maxx’s attraction to someone like Miranda Priestly?
Maybe he was lying to her and saying it was given to them or something.
Since there is an emphasis on fashion without being ostentatious, what are the bargains that you look for in your own life whether it is related to fashion or something else?
When I do food shopping. I always look at…well, the price of beans is the old expression. But I look at them, or a can of tomatoes and I look at it, and I say, I can’t pay six pounds for a 14-ounce can of tomatoes. It’s annoying! In a pinch, yes, but I think it’s crazy, and there are many reasons why that can of tomatoes weighs six pounds, but some of them are not justifiable.
I went somewhere a while ago and there was delicious pasta but there wasn’t a single pound of pasta for under $10. The whole point of pasta [it’s] Kind of cheap. You can get good pasta for not much money. Nowadays, you only have to buy in bulk.
Then you have to go to Costco.
Costco exists because of my father.
Fans of the franchise really fixate on these one-liners and quote them over and over again. I can see this TJ Maxx line making its way into the cultural lexicon. Did you have a favorite line in the first film and the sequel for your character?
Well, from my personality, I obviously like the phrase “gird your loins.” And I love “Wake Up Six!” In this photo, I love the line: “Did your parents hang up all your finger paintings?” (He laughs.) I like it because you don’t expect it to come. You know you won’t get praise for everything.
What about appearance Your favorite Nigel from the movie?
This is impossible! No, I’m serious. I love them all. I spent a lot of time on costume fittings. It sounds funny, but it’s exhausting! You’re trying to figure out what’s really going to work, what’s too much, not enough, and what’s believable. And I have to say that every look I was thrilled to wear. And Molly [Rogers]designed by her and her team, were amazing. It was a great collaboration.
Your character has a lot to do in this movie, and without spoilers, it feels like there’s more story to tell here. Would you be open to a third film? Will he be next for Nigel?
I love playing this character. It is very satisfying to play. But in the end, I think for all of us, including the director and writer, it really depends on the script. If it makes sense, yes, absolutely. If it doesn’t make sense? Maybe not.
I know you just got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Congratulations! How do you feel receiving the star, especially as you revisit your beloved and celebrated former role in your career so far?
It was great! Especially doing it with Emily [Blunt]. The fact that we were honored together [and] Our stars are together, and that makes me even happier. The fact that Felicity, her sister, was there, and John [Krasinski] There was… We’re all very close, the kids are very close. So to have that kind of solidify our union with this icon professionally was really cool. People said such lovely things! It was fun and funny. It wasn’t tense, you know what I mean?
It was such a fun party.
It was great, with a bunch of people watching. It was strange!
At the end of the film, the second part deals with artificial intelligence and the current uncertain state of media, journalism, and industry in general. Journalists who watch the film say it is a horror film. What scares you most about the direction things are headed? What do you hope the film will achieve?
The film highlights the fact that we need to be careful, and we should always remember that people are more important than anything else. It’s really scary for young people, in particular, because
What’s happening now [is] People are starting to go back to the trades: plumbing, air conditioning, heating, electrical…all of those things, because those are the jobs that are going to exist. A large number of jobs will disappear. What would take someone a month to evaluate a company whether it’s worth buying or something else, would be done in three hours. It already happened. Artificial intelligence does that. You don’t need this person. You don’t need this team. The other effect it will have – I was reading about this the other day – the fewer people you have working, the fewer taxes you’ll collect. So governments will suffer and social safety nets will suffer. AI can’t fix that.
***
The devil wears prada 2 In theaters now.
