When Stanley Tucci's wife Felicity Blunt suggested he post a charming how-to video tutorial for negronis on Instagram last April, the couple had no idea it would garner such enthusiastic responses, press coverage, and over 1 million views.
"Surprised isn't the word. I'm shocked and appalled," Tucci, 60, jokes to PEOPLE in the latest issue on newsstands Friday. "I'm so flattered. We had no idea."
"I did that [first negroni demo] as an in-house thing for our agency — where my wife works [as a literary agent], and where I am represented here in London," he explains. "And she said, 'Would you do a little cocktail thing, just for the Curtis-Brown people? It would be fun, cheer people up.' So I did. And then she said, 'Well, maybe put it on your Instagram.' And then the world changed."
For much more on Stanley Tucci, his 40-year career and life in England, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE on newsstands Friday
Tucci, a known cocktail enthusiast among his peers and costars, has since posted several more cocktail demos, and yet he still can't believe the response — especially when reading the slightly more creative comments.
"I mean, some of them were so funny. Filthy, but funny," he says with a smile. "We laughed so hard, reading them out loud. And they were great, like very flattering too, like really flattering. There was a sex [reference] that made me laugh so hard. It was like, 'Jesus.' You look at yourself, and you go, 'Really?'
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The actor, who is busy promoting his buzzworthy new film Supernova, costarring longtime friend Colin Firth, and finishing a food memoir, says he's always been a fan of cocktails for the preparation and presentation involved.
"I love cocktails. It's that ceremony that I think is so beautiful," he says. "Sometimes it doesn't really matter what the cocktail is. It's the ceremony of it that's quite lovely. It's like setting a dinner table and sitting down altogether for dinner. It's nice."
And to the fans who noted Tucci's well-dressed appearance in each of his videos: Yes, he always dresses for the occasion — even during a pandemic.
"I'm like my friend [Bridesmaids director] Paul Feig, who always has a tie and jacket on. If I'm out and about, I almost always wear a shirt and a jacket, always," he says. "I can't even imagine going out to dinner without wearing a jacket. I can't even handle the idea. Someone said they were very excited that I was wearing a belt. 'He was wearing a belt in house.' It was like, 'Yeah. I mean, otherwise, our pants fall down.'"
Tucci's new film Supernova is in theaters Jan. 29 and available on demand Feb. 16.
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