'Hunger Games' Actor Can't Believe They're Alive After Cancer Battle

It seems now more than ever, we are hearing about actors who have fought secret cancer battles.

Unfortunately, many iconic faces have lost their lives to cancer, but there are others who have survived and happy to tell the tale.

One ‘Hunger Games’ actor secretly suffered from tongue cancer five years ago.

Stanely Tucci is opening up about his quiet cancer battle in a new interview with People magazine.

The actor famously known for his role in “The Hunger Games,” “The Devil Wears Prada” and “The Lovely Bones” was diagnosed with cancer at the base of his tongue in 2017.

Per People’s report, he went through a 35-day radiation treatment plus seven sessions of chemotherapy, which ravaged his senses of taste and smell and left him unable to eat, dependent on a feeding tube.

Today, the 61-year-old Oscar nominee is cancer free and living in London with his wife, Felicity Blunt, who is the older sister of actress Emily Blunt.

He told the outlet he feels “incredibly lucky” to be alive today.

Tucci had extreme pain in his jaw prior to being properly diagnosed.

"I had a scan, but the scan missed it. And of course, when you think that there might be something wrong, you're also afraid that there is something wrong," he recalled.

Sadly, Tucci’s first wife, Kate, died of breast cancer in 2009.

“The Devil Wears Prada” actor had to see multiple doctors before accurately being diagnosed, and when he was, they found a three cm. tumor at the base of his tongue.

"They couldn't do surgery because the tumor was so big. It's a miracle that it didn't metastasize. It had been in me so long," he revealed.

The biggest accomplishment after his cancer battle was his ability to eat again without the assistance of a feeding tube.

Tucci said it was “just the most exciting thing in the world.”

He attributes his strength during his cancer battle to his wife, Felicity.

Tucci said, “Felicity's undying attention, affection and encouragement got me through it."

Nowadays, fans can catch “The Hunger Games” actor hosting his own food channel on CNN called, “Searching for Italy,” which was green-lit for a second season.

Food and drink are very important to Tucci’s life. The actor admitted he couldn’t be with someone who didn’t care about food.

“I just couldn’t be attracted to them,” Tucci said.

There are still some foods that aggravate his mouth such as spicy dishes, but overall, he’s back to living his foodie lifestyle to the fullest.

In 2021, Hollywood lost a handful of stars to cancer.

Comedian Norm McDonald passed away after a years-long secret battle with the disease, and Willie Garson from “Sex and the City” passed away after battling pancreatic cancer.

Fortunately, there were some stars who beat the disease including Blink 182 singer, Mark Hoppus.

Hoppus was diagnosed with stage four cancer earlier in June 2021. He vowed he’d remain hopeful and positive in his fight against lymphoma.

On September 29, Hoppus took to social to announce his oncologist delivered some great news.

“Just saw my oncologist and I’m cancer free!! Thank you God and universe and friends and family and everyone who sent support and kindness and love,” he wrote. “Still have to get scanned every six months and it’ll take me until the end of the year to get back to normal but today is an amazing day and I feel so blessed. Can I get a W in the chat?”