Monk Fans Must Watch This 29-Year-Old Tony Shalhoub Movie That Predicted One Of The Show’s Best Episodes

One of Monk's greatest episodes was actually predicted by a classic, but often forgotten, comedy starring Tony Shalhoub and Stanley Tucci back in 1996. Throughout its eight seasons on air, Monk often featured guest stars, with some celebrities even appearing multiple times throughout the show. However, one of Monk's best episodes is when Tucci appeared on the show in "Mr. Monk And The Actor." The episode even referenced an earlier work by Tucci and Shalhoub.

Although there are several harsh realities to rewatching Monk years after it has ended, its guest stars were usually some of the best things about the show. Shalhoub and Tucci's brilliant collaboration on Monk was preceded by their roles in Big Night, which showcased both actors' comedy skills. The movie also helped predict their collaboration on Monk, 10 years later. Big Night remains a classic comedy to rewatch time and time again.

Big Night Was Tony Shalhoub & Stanley Tucci’s First Screen Collaboration Before Monk

Shalhoub And Tucci Play Two Brothers Who Open A Restaurant Together

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In Big Night, Shalhoub and Tucci play two Italian brothers who moved to America in hopes of becoming successful restauranteurs with their restaurant, "Paradise." They host a night filled with free food and drinks in their last bid to save their restaurant from bankruptcy. Amidst the beautiful visuals of Italian cuisine are Shalhoub and Tucci's incredible acting skills for comedy and drama. Big Night was also their first on-screen collaboration, a decade before Tucci's appearance in Monk.

Big Night was Tucci's directorial debut.

According to TV Guide, Shalhoub and Tucci first met in 1989 via their shared love for the stage. They first worked together on the play Moon Over Miami and have remained close friends since then. Both actors are known for their excellence in character acting, and Big Night is just one great example of it. Big Night has a 97% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and is an underrated gem in both of their careers.

Tony Shalhoub & Stanley Tucci’s Friendship Made “Mr. Monk And The Actor” Even Better

Tucci Played An Actor Playing Monk

Stanley Tucci's performance on Monk was one of the best on the show. Tucci played David Ruskin, a method actor who wanted to understand how and why Monk behaved the way he did to portray him as accurately as possible in an upcoming movie inspired by one of Monk's cases. His performance on the show was incredible, not just because it was eerily similar to Shalhoub's, but because it highlighted the closeness between the two actors.

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Knowing that Shalhoub and Tucci were friends for years before Tucci appeared on Monk added a personal touch to the tragic episode. One of the best Monk episodes, "Mr. Monk And The Actor" goes back to the mystery behind Trudy Monk's death, or at least how Monk continued to work to cope with it. Through the plot alone, the episode touches on all the soft spots of Monk, but knowing that Tucci and Shalhoub are great friends in real life makes it even better.

Source: TV Guide