Ƶ conferred an honorary doctorate on Stanley Tucci in recognition for hislifelong contributions to the humanities and artsand for the inspiration he provides to our students as they embark upon their own lives & careers.
Here we present AUR President Scott Sprenger's full laudation address followed by a video of Mr. Tucci's acceptance speech, given on the occasion of AUR's annual undergraduate commencement ceremony.
The President's laudation:
Mr. Stanley Tucci,
Ƶ takes great pride initsliberal arts programming, and particularlyin the fields of Filmmaking and Food Studies, two seemingly unrelated disciplines but in which you, Stanley Tucci, have gained an international reputation.
Many of our students in thesetwofields will look at your dual career as a model. In the area of film, you have built a long and illustrious career as an actor, writer, voice artist, director and producer.You have played remarkably diverse rolesand have portrayed the human condition in ways that not only resistHollywood clichésand stereotypes, but that explore the full range of human desires and emotions, and inalloftheir nuances and orientations.We see this in recent films, such asSupernovaԻThe ChildrenAct, but also in The Lovely Bones ԻThe Devil Wears Prada.
In the area oftheculinary arts, AUR students - and indeed theentireAURcommunity - admire you as a cultural ambassador, with your invitation to rediscoverItalyand itsregionally diversetraditions via your cookbooks, filmsand, most recently, withthedelightfulCNNhit series, Stanley Tucci:Discovering Italy--which you have called a “love letter” to your Italian ancestors.
This obvious passion forthehistory and culture of Italian cuisine, the art of cooking, and rituals ofthetable, reaches deep into your childhoodand Italian family roots,and is a thread that runs through your life’s work, includingintwo key films,Julie& Julia, acomedic biographyofJulia Child,ԻBig Night,with itsemphasis ontheongoingtensionsbetween twoItalianimmigrant brothersbutwho, in the final table scene,rituallyreconnectas familyover asharedomelet.Weevencatch a glimpse of this thread in your light-hearted, but entirely captivating, viral videos on how to make the perfectgin martini or negroni.
From the outside looking in, one of theextraordinarythings about yourcareer, Mr. Tucci,isnot only the incredible diversity of roles and your multi-faceted talents, but yourlongevity--with a film career that begins from relatively modest origins, but whichmaturesgradually over the space ofnearly fourdecades fromcollege theatre, to filmcameos, to supporting roles,Իto leading rolesininternationally-renownedԻprize-winning films.
In retrospect, thelong arcofyourcareerchoices revealsanenduring sense of purpose and dedication to the arts in the mosthumanistic Իelevated sense of the term—withthe recentfilmFinal Portrait,aworkthatyouwrote and directed ontheartistAlberto Giacometti,standingoutasaclearcase in point.
Beyond thearts, you have demonstratedanother facet of your dedication to humanismin your role as the board chair of the New York CityFood Bank, which hashadanenormousimpacton the institution,not only indonationsbut by raisingawarenessaround the widespread problem offood insecurity.You have alsobeeninvolvedwith themaking of aUN Refugee Agencyvideotitled“What They Took with Them”in ordertoraise awarenessaroundthe global refugee crisis.
I’d like to mentionin passingthat the American University of Rome is likewisededicatedtobettering thelives of refugees through our ܱDZܲԻ. Four of our graduates todayin factcame to Italy after beingdisplaced bypoliticalviolence in Syria and Egypt.
Let me end by sayingthatthis honorarydoctoratefrom Ƶis bestowed with our deepest respect for you, and inrecognitionof your lifelong contributions to the humanities and arts,and to the inspiration you provide our students as they embarknowupon their own lives & careers.
I amabsolutely delightedto use the authority invested in me by the District of Columbia, and the State of Delaware, to confer upon you, Stanley Tucci, the degree of Doctor of Humane LettersHonoris Causa.
Ladies and Gentlemen: Doctor Stanley Tucci.