Emma Thompson Says Stanley Tucci Could Have Been Her Husband

She is a two-time Academy Award winner, and critics are already raving about this new movie, The Children Act. Please welcome Emma Thompson. Woo! That we, you know, make you open the door like that. Yeah, I know. You had to put your elbow grease into it. This is good for my biceps. I'm awake. Yes! You have such a delightful, wonderful sense of humor. You've played so many different characters, and I was really taken aback when you said about one character that we should make a statue of. You remember saying anything about that? Yes, well, I wasn't entirely serious, but someone was talking about legacy and everything. I think legacy is a very kind of male-oriented idea. You know, I want people to remember me. I want to leave something behind. And I thought, I don't really feel like that. And then I thought, actually, I'd like a really massive bronze statue of Nanny McPhee, just maybe in front of Parliament or in Trafalgar Square. Yeah, something understated. So someone could, yeah, something really understated, maybe on the fourth plinth. Yeah, because I love her, and she represents sort of wisdom. She could keep Parliament in line. There you go. That would be a start. Don't start me. You bring up love. Love, actually. How much do we love? The Joni Mitchell song and the way you cry, how did you channel that? What were you thinking to get that emotion? I don't really know, actually. I can't remember. It was so long ago. But I clearly did something very universal, because everybody's had their heart broken at some point or other, haven't they? I'm looking around at everybody, and they're going, yeah. Everybody's had it happen. So after the film opened in London, I used to get on the tube and just been traveling around. And people would come up to me and go, no, no, no. And I'd go, yes, yes, I do. And then I'd get off that tube and get on another one, and it would happen again. It was really weird. But it just resonated with people. The whole film did. It's become a classic in many ways. It's just hilarious. I'm actually literally going to have my back to you. Yes, it did, it did. Just that moment of heartbreak. I think it's not just that. It's the fact that what she does afterwards, which is make sure the bed's OK, go downstairs and go, OK, kids. Let's go to the Christmas party, because everyone's had to do that, too. When you've had bad news or you're absolutely dying inside, but you've got to put on a brave face. And that's our culture, so that's what we do in America, in England, you know. Speaking of love, Stanley Tucci plays your husband in The Children Act. So we hear he had admitted to having a crush on you, a real love crush on you, back in the day. Yes, but back in the day, he never told me, back in the day, I might not have been married. Something could have come of it. It's no good telling people 25 years after the fact. That's just a waste of opportunity. I was appalled. I said, why didn't you say? We're married with children now, it's too late. Yeah, anyway. Very different from what he proposes to you in this movie. First of all, I can't wait to see this. I love the novel, The Children Act. Such a powerful novel. Such big questions. But in this movie, he actually proposes an open marriage. Let's take a look. No divorce, no deception, no lies. I love you. And we're meant to be together. But look, I could have gone behind your back. Oh, how very kind. I can't believe how cool we are, open marriage. The time to suggest that, Jack, was before the wedding, not 20 years afterwards. Such a cliche. You do this, it's the end. Simple as that. That's right. Promise. Not something you ask 20 years in. He's not really, in that bit, she's suggesting it's open marriage. It's not what he's doing, actually. Because she's been working and she hasn't been listening to him for quite a long time, he just takes an emotional hand grenade and throws it into the room and lets it explode because he needs to grab her attention in some way or other. He doesn't really want to have this affair. He wants her, but she's not available to him. She's emotionally. You're being very forgiving. No, I don't think I'm being forgiving. I think I'm being realistic, actually. And I think what he does is very honest and very brave. I really do. And I think we're very puritanical about our relationships. And so I think that what he does is he says, look, we haven't had sex for however long it was. We had a long conversation about that, actually. Me, Stanley, the director. How long do you not have sex for till it gets to the point where you go, okay, well, I'm just gonna have sex with somebody else. And everybody had different ideas about that. You know, some people said, well, you know, 10 minutes. And you think, well, good luck with that. And other people say, well, six months and 11 months. It was very interesting. You should go home and think about it because everyone's got a different idea. How do we manage our long-term relationships? You know, not only emotionally, but also sexually. And we don't really talk about it. We live in that romantic, well, you've got married happily ever after. But actually, marriage is the beginning of the journey. Yeah. Gosh. Remember what I've said, kids. Just remember everything I'm saying, okay? They were listening. Ms. Bloom, is that you, Ms. Bloom? Yes, I'm sure. Sorry for that education. Okay, you're good. It's all good, it's all good. Oh my goodness, thank you so much. Emma, you are just, you're an absolute delight. You're a force of nature. Thank you. Thank you so much, I know. The Children, okay, we're wrapping. The Children Act is in theaters September 14th. See Emma Thompson. Thank you.