At 67 years old, John Turturro has more than a hundred roles to his credit. Recently, the American actor starred opposite Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton in Pedro Almodóvar’s latest film, The Room Next Door. Chameleon actor, he excels in season 2 of the series Severanceavailable on Apple TV+, and even stood out by walking at Milan Fashion Week on January 20, 2025 for Zegna. A look back at five notable roles in his career.
John Turturro as an employee under surveillance in Severance
Directed by the American comedian and actor Ben Stillerthe series Severance is critically acclaimed upon its release in 2022. This psychological thriller, season 2 of which is currently being broadcast on Apple TV+, depicts the daily life of office workers participating in a new program: as soon as they enter their workplace work, their personal memories are separated from their professional memories by means of a mysterious chip.
With its intriguing concept and its very polished and futuristic aesthetic, Severance stages John Turturro in the role of an employee of a biotechnology company, alongsideAdam Scott (Big Little Lies) and Britt Lower. On January 14, to promote the second season of Severancethe series’ marketing team showed ingenuity by placing the main actors in a glass cage in the middle of the Grand Central Station from New York. An installation that caused quite a stir.
Severance (since 2022) created by Dan Erickson, with Adam Scott and John Turturro, available on Apple TV+.
A mafia boss in The Batman
In a completely different register than the series Severance, John Turturro plays one of the film’s villains The Batman. Directed by Matt Reeves (Planet of the Apes – Supremacy), the film offers new impetus to the masked superhero, now played by Robert Pattinson (Twilight, Tenet).
With this feature film with a darker tone than previous adaptations, John Turturro slips into the skin of Carmine Falconean iconic mafia boss from the comics, at the head of Gotham City’s criminal activities. Critics and a majority of fans of the genre agree to praise the film in part for the performances of its cast. John Turturro takes great pleasure in embodying this vicious criminal feared by the hero with a dual identity.
The Batman (2022) by Matt Reeves, with Robert Pattinson and John Turturro, available on Canal VOD.
John Turturro as an uncompromising officer in State reasons
With the movie State reasonsdirected by Robert De Niro, John Turturro shares the bill with several big names in cinema, including Angelina Jolie et Matt Damon. This spy biopic takes us back to the start of the Cold War: a Yale student (Matt Damon) is recruited by the CIA to join Skull & Bones, a secret society bringing together the American elite.
-John Turturro plays Ray Brocco, the officer who assists the commander of a military unit. After Once upon a time in the Bronx (1993), this second film directed by Robert De Niro highlights the rise of a young man within the CIA, while revealing the complex workings of this institution.
Reasons of State (2007) by Robert De Niro, with Robert De Niro, Matt Damon and John Turturro, available on Canal+.
A bloody prisoner in O’Brother
In the early 2000s, the 67-year-old actor shared the stage with George Clooney et Tim Blake Nelson in the movie O’Brother. Adaptation inspired by The Odyssey by Homer, the film takes place during the Great Depression and follows three chained prisoners who escape from a penitentiary. An escapade story tinged with comedy which features three protagonists with strong characters who try to escape from a sheriff.
In 1930s America, John Turturro plays Pete, a grumpy and impulsive prisoner, convinced by his comrades Ulysses (George Clooney) et Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson) to get their hands on valuable loot. A nuanced and comic performance which does not fail to seduce the public and the critics alike.
O’Brother (2000) by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, with George Clooney and John Turturro, available on Prime Video.
John Turturro as a playwright in Barton Fink
Nine years ago O’Brotherthe Coen brothers (Fargo) had already relied on the talent of John Turturro for the cult film Barton Fink. If the two brothers and the actor have collaborated four times, this second partnership is a real success. The film chronicles the journey of a brilliant playwright who leaves New York for a lucrative opportunity on the West Coast of the United States.
Critique of Hollywood in the 1940s, Barton Fink is an unclassifiable feature film mixing horror, film noir and dramatic comedy. John Turturro delivers a memorable performance as an artist suffering from blank page syndrome, in a work where the border between reality and fiction seems to dissipate.
Barton Fink (1991) by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, with John Turturro, available on Canal VOD.
