Stanley Tucci
American actor, writer, producer
Actor Stanley Tucci was born on November 11, 1960, in Peekskill, New York. He is the son of Joan (Tropiano), a writer, and Stanley Tucci, an art teacher. His family is Italian-American, with origins in Calabria.
Tucci took an interest in acting while in high school and went on to attend the State University of New York’s Conservatory of Theater Arts in Purchase. He began his professional career on the stage, making his Broadway debut in 1982, and then made his film debut in Prizzi’s Honor (1985).
In 2009, Tucci received his first Academy Award nomination for his turn as a child murderer in The Lovely Bones (2009). He also received a BAFTA nomination and a Golden Globe nomination for the same role. Other than The Lovely Bones, Tucci has recently had noteworthy supporting turns in a broad range of movies including Lucky Number Slevin (2006), The Devil Wears Prada (2006) and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). Tucci reached his widest audience yet when he played Caesar Flickerman in box office sensation The Hunger Games (2012).
While maintaining an active career in movies, Tucci received major accolades for some work in television. He won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his role in TV movie Winchell (1998), an Emmy for a guest turn on Monk (2002), and a Golden Globe for his role in HBO movie Conspiracy (2001). Tucci has also had an extensive career behind the camera. His directorial efforts include Big Night (1996), The Impostors (1998), Joe Gould’s Secret (2000) and Blind Date (2007), and he did credited work on each screenplays with the exception of Joe Gould’s Secret (2000).
Tucci has three children with Kate Tucci, who passed away in 2009. Tucci married Felicity Blunt in August 2012.
In 2021, Tucci hosted the culinary travel series, Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, a six-part original CNN series following him on a food tour of Italy. On May 21, 2021, Tucci received a Doctorate Honoris Causa in Humane Letters from the American University of Rome, in Rome, Italy, for his lifelong contribution to the arts and humanities. In September, Tucci was cast as Grammy-winning producer Clive Davis in I Wanna Dance With Somebody, a biopic on Whitney Houston. The series received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including one for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series, and was renewed for a second season.
In September 2021, Tucci revealed he was diagnosed with cancer three years prior. He received treatment after a tumor was found at the base of his tongue but said it was unlikely that the tumor would return. In October, 2021, his memoir Taste was published, which describes his encounter with cancer and his love of food.
Sherry Lansing
CEO, The Sherry Lansing Foundation
Sherry Lansing is the founder and CEO of the Sherry Lansing Foundation, a philanthropic organization focused on funding and raising awareness for cancer research, health, public, education, and encore career opportunities. Ms. Lansing previously served as Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Group of Paramount Pictures from 1992 to 2005. Lansing is the founder of the EnCorps Teachers Program, which retrains retired and mid-career professionals from the technology sector to serve as math and science teachers in California public schools. She is also the founder of PrimeTime LAUSD, which engages retirees in improving the state of public education through targeted volunteerism. She is a co-founder of the Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles Future Fund, which provides college scholarships to deserving “Little Sisters.” Lansing currently serves as Chairperson of the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Board of Directors. She also serves on the boards of The Lasker Foundation, the American Association for Cancer Research Foundation, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the Carter Center, Encore.org, and the W.M. Keck Foundation, as well as on the Executive Committee of Friends of Cancer Research. Lansing lends her energy and talents to the American Red Cross Board of Governors and STOP CANCER. Additionally, Lansing is a Regent of the University of California and a member of the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee (ICOC) of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Lansing graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree from Northwestern University in 1966. With her extensive high end bu