Hot on the heels of receiving the prestigious Golden Eye award at the Zurich Film Festival on Saturday night, veteran actor John Turturro continued to engage with the cinematic community on Sunday, participating in a masterclass that delved into his extensive and celebrated career. The Emmy-winning American star’s presence at the festival underscored a significant moment for his latest project, Noah Segan’s The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, a film already generating considerable awards buzz for Turturro’s compelling performance. In this keenly anticipated film, Turturro embodies Harry, a master pickpocket whose meticulously structured existence is irrevocably disrupted by a botched job, initiating a nail-biting sequence of events that unfold over a tense 36-hour period.
The masterclass, which unfolded as a career-spanning conversation moderated by Melanie Goodfellow of Deadline, provided an intimate glimpse into the multifaceted life of the actor. Turturro’s Golden Eye trophy, a gleaming testament to his achievements, was a tangible presence between him and the moderator, symbolizing the pinnacle of recognition he has attained. The discussion traversed a rich tapestry of his experiences, from his formative years growing up in an immigrant household and his decades-long, creatively fruitful friendship with filmmaker Spike Lee, to his evolving perspective on the transition from acting to directing and filmmaking.
Turturro, whose illustrious career has established him as one of Hollywood’s most formidable talents, though he has yet to receive an Academy Award nomination, addressed the burgeoning awards campaign for The Only Living Pickpocket in New York. He spoke with characteristic candor about his approach to the awards season, stating, "I never really have gone the whole hog with it. But now I’m the lead in the film, so I’m going to support the film because I love the film." He elaborated on the pragmatic value of such recognition, explaining that being involved in awards conversations is "helpful to help you do the next thing." While acknowledging the pleasantries of being acknowledged, Turturro emphasized that it is not the primary motivation behind his work: "Great, but that’s not why you do it. […] Just because a film is really popular doesn’t mean it will have staying power, but it’s nice to be in the conversation. I don’t look upon myself as being a competitive person. I’m competitive with myself. I want to get the most out of what I can do, but it’s not sports!" This introspective stance highlights his dedication to artistic growth over external validation.
The actor also revealed a sense of surprise at the overwhelmingly positive critical reception his performance received at the Sundance Film Festival, the film’s premiere venue. "Finally," he mused, "I’m in something that people will see." His reflection on the craft of acting underscored a profound understanding of artistic development: "My job is I like to try to improve, and I feel like being an actor is one of the few things you can improve in. You may not be able to run as fast as you did when you were younger, but I have a lot of life experience, and as you get older, you accumulate that, and you can distill things in a way that you couldn’t do when you were young, because you didn’t really experience all those things. And now I’ve experienced life, death, loss, being a parent, being married – what it is to really love someone versus falling in love. That’s a huge difference," he added with a discernible warmth.
A Career Defined by Diverse Roles and Enduring Collaborations
Turturro’s masterclass also provided a platform for him to share anecdotes from his extensive stage career, a foundational element of his artistic journey. He transitioned to discussing two of his most impactful television performances in the past decade: his Emmy-nominated role in HBO’s The Night Of and his critically acclaimed portrayal in Apple TV+’s Severance.
His confirmation of a return for his enigmatic character, Irving Bailiff, in the upcoming third season of the Emmy-winning Severance was met with palpable excitement. "Yeah," he eventually confirmed to the assembled audience, adding a crucial caveat: "As long as they give me interesting things to do, then I’m interested." This statement reflects his commitment to artistic integrity and compelling storytelling. Turturro then seized the opportunity to extol the virtues of his close friend and esteemed colleague, Christopher Walken, whose character, Burt Goodman, formed a poignant romantic connection with Turturro’s Irving in the first season. Recounting the casting process for Burt, Turturro shared his initial inquiry: "’Who’s going to be my love interest?’ Turturro asked before joining the show. And they were like, ‘All these younger guys.’ I said, ‘Well no, I’ve worked with Chris Walken,’ and I said, ‘I want Chris, because I love Chris.’ And I don’t have to act that I love him because I love him." This personal connection demonstrably infused their on-screen chemistry with an authentic depth.
Despite Walken’s occasional bewilderment with the show’s intricate narrative, Turturro found a way to guide his friend, leveraging their genuine friendship. "I said, ‘Don’t worry about it. You just look at me.’ We have so much fun because I directed him like three times, and we’ve acted, and we’ve worked together a lot," Turturro explained. He lauded Walken’s versatility and profound sensitivity: "And he’s a wonderful theater actor, and people obviously think he plays only strange [characters] but he can do a lot of different things. He’s also very sensitive, but he has a childlike joy in his work, and when that happens, anything is possible."
The discussion of HBO’s The Night Of, a limited series that garnered significant critical acclaim and five Emmy Awards, including a nomination for Turturro’s portrayal of the eczema-plagued defense lawyer John Stone, elicited a strong positive reaction from the audience. "The Night Of is something I’m very proud of," Turturro stated. He revealed his strategic decision to avoid watching the original BBC production to maintain his own interpretive freedom: "It was originally a BBC thing, which I actually never watched because I didn’t want to be influenced."
Furthermore, Turturro expressed his disappointment that a second season of The Night Of did not materialize, confirming his desire to continue the narrative. "But they couldn’t agree on what the story would be," he revealed. "But I loved doing it. It was one of those great experiences in my life."
A Legacy Forged in Collaboration and Artistic Integrity
Turturro’s career, spanning four decades, is marked by an impressive roster of collaborations with visionary directors such as Spike Lee, the Coen brothers, Martin Scorsese, Robert Redford, Robert De Niro, Nanni Moretti, and Pedro Almodóvar. His initial international acclaim was solidified through his formative work with Spike Lee in seminal films like Do the Right Thing and Jungle Fever. His subsequent collaborations with Joel and Ethan Coen yielded memorable performances in Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and the iconic portrayal of Jesus Quintana in The Big Lebowski. His lead performance in Barton Fink earned him the Best Actor award at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival, an experience he revisited during his Zurich masterclass.
During his reflections, Turturro observed a perceived difference in the types of roles he often encounters in Europe compared to those offered in Hollywood. He noted a tendency towards more "normal" characters in European cinema and expressed a strong commitment to his artistic principles, revealing that he has repeatedly turned down scripts that involve his characters exhibiting violence towards women. This stance underscores his conscious effort to use his platform for thoughtful and ethically grounded storytelling.
An Encouragement to Continue
Upon receiving the Golden Eye award on Saturday night, Turturro eloquently quoted Italian novelist Cesare Pavese: "[He] once said that the only great thing in life is to begin. I still consider myself a beginner in many ways." This humility, coupled with a profound sense of gratitude, permeated his acceptance speech. "I’m very fortunate. I wanted to make a living doing something that interested me and to do interesting work – to share that with an audience, [and that] wouldn’t diminish their intelligence at the same time," he remarked, eliciting laughter from the audience. He concluded by viewing the award not as a culmination, but as "an encouragement to continue."
Turturro joins a distinguished group of honorees at the 22nd Zurich Film Festival, which runs from September 24th to October 4th. He follows in the footsteps of previously announced recipients of major festival awards, including Julianne Moore, who will receive the Golden Icon Award, and Tom Hiddleston, who is set to receive the Golden Eye award. The festival’s tradition of celebrating accomplished figures in the film industry further solidifies its position as a significant international cinematic event. The continued recognition of Turturro’s enduring talent and his commitment to exploring complex characters and meaningful narratives suggests a vibrant and impactful future for the acclaimed actor and filmmaker.
