Stanley Tucci Teams with Apple Pay to See If Pasta Can Bring People Together

Just in time for the holidays, Stanley Tucci has teamed up with Apple Pay on a new social-first campaign that asks a deceptively simple question: Can I bring people together with pasta and Apple Pay?

Set in a small Italian town, the film follows Stanley as he leans into his Italian roots - and his well-documented love of cooking - to spend the day shopping, prepping, and ultimately hosting a dinner for a group of Italian nonnas. With many older Italians living alone - nearly half of Italians aged 65+ live solo, per ISTAT - the idea was to turn a shared meal into a moment of connection. Pasta as a social glue; Apple Pay as the seamless enabler.

The first piece of creative is a collaborative post on Stanley’s and Apple Pay’s Instagram and TikTok channels, with additional edits rolling out across TikTok, Instagram, Snap, YouTube, and Facebook. Press assets, the live collab post, and stills are available at the link provided.

Directed by Floyd Russ, the two-time Emmy winner known for emotionally resonant, vérité-style work, the film is largely improvised - letting Stanley navigate markets, specialty shops, and unexpected stops as he sources ingredients. Every purchase, from the essential to the charmingly incidental, is made via Apple Pay, underscoring the service’s frictionless presence across iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro.

And because no Italian dinner is complete without scrutiny, Stanley also faces the ultimate creative challenge: earning the approval of a table full of nonnas.

Stanley Tucci said, “I love Apple Pay because it’s so easy to use even for a man of my age. Or especially for a man of my age. I use it to pay for everything. It’s a brilliant thing.”

The work sits within Apple Pay’s ongoing “Can I… with Apple Pay?” social platform, launched in 2023 to demystify how, where, and why people use Apple Pay. Each creator-led piece starts with a bespoke “Can I?” question - answered through charming, funny, or heartfelt storytelling.

Past collaborators span viral grandmother Grandma Droniak (14.9M TikTok), creator Drew Dirksen (10M TikTok), and comedian Zach Woods (650K IG). All show Apple Pay as a daily staple that’s convenient, private, and secure.