Stanley Tucci Shares How Clive Davis Made 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' Role 'Easy' for Him (Exclusive)

Tucci plays the music exec in the new biopic about Whitney Houston's life and career.

Stanley Tucci transforms into Clive Davis for the biopic about Whitney Houston's life, but taking on the role of the famous music executive was somewhat of a nerve-racking task for the seasoned actor.

ET's Rachel Smith spoke with Tucci at the I Wanna Dance With Somebody premiere in New York on Tuesday, where he shared how Davis helped make the portrayal a little easier for him.

"It made me a little nervous," Tucci said of taking on the role of Davis, who also serves as a producer on the film. "But when I talked to him -- he wasn't on set when I was filming, thank God -- but I talked to him before, I saw the documentary and all that sort of stuff."

"He was so nice and relaxed, and he was just amazing and made it easy for me," he added.

While Tucci stayed pretty tight-lipped about the film, he did share that his favorite Whitney Houston song has to be the first one Naomi Ackie, who takes on the role of the late pop star, performs in the film.

"It's almost impossible to say," Tucci teased. "The first song that she sings in the film -- which I don't want to give away -- is maybe my favorite."

As for Ackie, Tucci called the British-born actress "brilliant" as Houston and said he can't wait for audiences to see her in this film.

When not on set, Tucci, also known for being quite the food lover, has been cooking up delicious meals, which he often posts on his Instagram. Although he didn't get a chance to cook anything for the cast and crew, the Searching for Italy host did say that there's still a chance.

"We never had time, we had a very, very hectic schedule, so, it was really hard," Tucci said of being unable to treat the cast to some of his delicious dishes.

But he isn't saying never, adding that if they want a taste, they'll have to visit him at his home in London.

See Tucci as Davis in I Wanna Dance With Somebody when it hits theaters Dec. 23.

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