John Turturro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Turturro
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Turturro in 2019
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Born |
John Michael Turturro
February 28, 1957 New York City, U.S.
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Citizenship |
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Education |
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Occupation |
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Years active | 1980–present |
Spouse(s) |
Katherine Borowitz
(m. 1985) |
Children | 2 |
Relatives |
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John Michael Turturro (/tərˈtʊəroʊ/ Italian pronunciation: [turˈturro]; born February 28, 1957) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his varied complex roles in independent films. He has appeared in over sixty feature films and has worked frequently with the Coen brothers, Adam Sandler, and Spike Lee. He has received a Primetime Emmy Award and nominations for four Screen Actors Guild Awards and three Golden Globe Awards.
He received his career breakthrough with Five Corners (1987). He acted in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing (1989), Mo Better Blues (1990), Jungle Fever (1991), and Clockers (1995). He also starred in Coens' Miller's Crossing (1990), Barton Fink (1991), for which he won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor, The Big Lebowski (1998), and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000). He also starred in Fearless (1993), Quiz Show (1994), and Gloria Bell (2018). He portrayed Seymour Simmons in the Transformers film series (2007–2017) and Carmine Falcone in The Batman (2022).
For playing the role of Ambrose Monk, Adrian Monk's brother, in the USA Network series Monk Turturro received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. He starred in the HBO miniseries The Night Of (2016) earning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie nomination. He had a recurring role in the Showtime series The Plot Against America (2020), and he currently stars in the Apple TV+ series Severance (2022–present), for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Television Series.
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Early life
John Turturro was born on February 28, 1957 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, New York, the son of Katherine Florence (Incerella) and Nicholas Turturro. His mother was born in the U.S. to Italian parents with roots in Sicily, and was an amateur jazz singer who had worked in a naval yard during World War II. His maternal grandmother died when his mother was six, leaving his mother in an orphanage, as his grandfather was unable to provide for the children on his own. His father had emigrated at age six from Giovinazzo, Italy to the United States, and later worked as a carpenter and construction worker before joining the U.S. Navy.
Turturro was raised a Roman Catholic and moved to the Rosedale section of Queens, New York with his family when he was 6. He majored in theatre arts at the State University of New York at New Paltz and completed his MFA at the Yale School of Drama.
Career
Turturro's first film appearance was a non-speaking extra role in Martin Scorsese's critically acclaimed Raging Bull (1980). He created the title role of John Patrick Shanley's Danny and the Deep Blue Sea at the Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center in 1983. He repeated it the following year Off-Broadway and won an Obie Award. Turturro had a notable supporting role in William Friedkin's action film To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), as the henchman of the villainous counterfeiter played by Willem Dafoe.
Spike Lee liked Turturro's performance in Five Corners (1987) so much that he cast him in Do the Right Thing (1989). This movie was the first of a long-standing collaboration between the director and Turturro, which includes work together on a total of nine films—more than any other actor in the Lee oeuvre—including Mo' Better Blues (1990), Jungle Fever (1991), Clockers (1995), Girl 6 (1996), He Got Game (1998), Summer of Sam (1999), She Hate Me (2004), and Miracle at St. Anna (2008).
Turturro has appeared in both comedy and drama films, and engaged in an extended collaboration with the Coen Brothers—he appeared in their films Miller's Crossing (1990), Barton Fink (1991, in the lead role), The Big Lebowski (1998), and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000). Turturro has also appeared in several of Adam Sandler's movies, such as Mr. Deeds (2002) and You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008). He played a severely disturbed patient of Jack Nicholson's character in the comedy Anger Management and played Johnny Depp's character's antagonist in Secret Window.
Turturro hosted Saturday Night Live in 1994, where he spoofed his then-recently made film, Quiz Show, being told he was ineligible to host unless he answered questions in a booth and if he failed, the honor of hosting would go to Joey Buttafuoco, who was actually backstage to witness Turturro's test. He won an Emmy award for his portrayal of Adrian Monk's brother Ambrose in the USA Network series Monk, and reprised the role on numerous occasions. He has also been nominated and won many awards from film organizations such as Screen Actors Guild, Cannes Film Festival, Golden Globes and others.
Turturro produced and directed, as well as acted in, the film Illuminata (1999), which also starred his wife, actress Katherine Borowitz. He wrote and directed the film Romance and Cigarettes (2005). In 2006 he appeared in Robert De Niro's The Good Shepherd, and as the Sector 7 agent Seymour Simmons in four films of the Transformers live-action series. In 2010, he directed (and had cameo on-screen appearances in) Passione, which chronicles the rich musical heritage of Naples, Italy. His stage directorial debut was in October 2011, with the Broadway play Relatively Speaking, in which he guided an ensemble of veteran actors in a production of three comedic one-act plays, written by Elaine May, Woody Allen, and Ethan Coen. The cast included Julie Kavner, Marlo Thomas, Mark Linn-Baker, and Steve Guttenberg.
..... In March 2014, Turturro received the Career Achievement tribute and award at the 31st Edition of the Miami International Film Festival at the Olympia Theater in downtown Miami. Turturro starred in the 2016 miniseries The Night Of and received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. In 2019 Turturro played William of Baskerville in a television adaptation of Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose.
In 2022, he appeared in Matt Reeves' film The Batman based on the DC Comics character of the same name as Carmine Falcone. In 2023 he starred as Mickey Sabbath in the off-Broadway adaptation of Philip Roth's novel Sabbath's Theater by The New Group at the Pershing Square Signature Center.
Personal life
Turturro's brother is actor Nicholas Turturro. Composer and film director Richard Termini and actress Aida Turturro are his cousins. He has one son and one daughter with his wife, actress Katherine Borowitz, who moved on to a social work career in 2016.
John Turturro participates as a member of the Jury for the New York International Children's Film Festival (NYICFF), which is dedicated to screening films for children between the ages of 3 and 18. Turturro holds dual Italian and American citizenship as of January 2011.
He has lived in Park Slope in Brooklyn, New York since 1988.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1980 | Raging Bull | Man at table | Uncredited |
1984 | Exterminator 2 | Guy #1 | |
1984 | The Flamingo Kid | Ted From Pinky's | |
1985 | Desperately Seeking Susan | Ray | |
To Live and Die in L.A. | Carl Cody | ||
1986 | Hannah and Her Sisters | Writer | |
The Color of Money | Julian | ||
Gung Ho | Willie | ||
Off Beat | Neil Pepper | ||
1987 | Five Corners | Heinz Zabantino | |
The Sicilian | Pisciotta | ||
1989 | Do the Right Thing | Pino | |
1990 | Catchfire | Pinella | |
State of Grace | Detective Nick Richardson | ||
Mo' Better Blues | 'Moe' Flatbush | ||
Miller's Crossing | Bernie 'The Shamata Kid' Bernbaum | ||
1991 | Men of Respect | Mike Battaglia | |
Jungle Fever | Paulie Carbone | ||
Barton Fink | Barton Fink | ||
1992 | Mac | Niccolò Vitelli | Also director and writer |
Brain Donors | Roland T. Flakfizer | ||
1993 | Being Human | Lucinnius | |
Fearless | Bill Pearlman | ||
1994 | Quiz Show | Herb Stempel | |
The Search for One-eye Jimmy | Disco Bean | ||
1995 | Search and Destroy | Ron | |
Unstrung Heroes | Sidney Lidz | ||
Clockers | Detective Larry Mazilli | ||
1996 | Girl 6 | Murray | |
Box of Moonlight | Al Fountain | ||
Grace of My Heart | Joel Milner | ||
1997 | Lesser Prophets | Leon | |
The Truce | Primo Levi | ||
1998 | Illuminata | Tuccio | Also director, writer and producer |
Rounders | Joey Knish | ||
He Got Game | Billy Sunday | ||
OK Garage | Jonny | ||
The Big Lebowski | Jesus Quintana | ||
Animals | Tuxedo Man | ||
1999 | Summer of Sam | Harvey The Dog | Voice |
Cradle Will Rock | Aldo Silvana | ||
2000 | O Brother, Where Art Thou? | Pete | |
The Man Who Cried | Dante Dominio | ||
Company Man | Crocker Johnson | ||
Two Thousand and None | Benjamin Kasparian | ||
The Luzhin Defence | Alexander Luzhin | ||
2001 | Monkeybone | Monkeybone | Voice |
Thirteen Conversations About One Thing | Walker | ||
2002 | Collateral Damage | Sean Armstrong | |
Mr. Deeds | Emilio Lopez | ||
2003 | Fear X | Harry | |
Anger Management | Chuck | ||
Opopomoz | John | Voice | |
2004 | Secret Passage | Paolo Zane | |
Secret Window | John Shooter | ||
She Hate Me | Don Angelo Bonasera | ||
2BPerfectlyHonest | Sal / Roberto | ||
2005 | Romance and Cigarettes | Male Dancer & Singer | Also director, writer and producer |
The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation | Son | Voice; Short film | |
2006 | The Good Shepherd | Ray Brocco | |
A Few Days in September | William Pound | ||
2007 | Transformers | Agent Seymour Simmons | |
Margot at the Wedding | Jim | ||
Slipstream | Harvey Brickman | ||
Joulutarina | Iisakki | Voice; English dub | |
2008 | What Just Happened | Dick Bell | |
You Don't Mess With The Zohan | Fatoush 'The Phantom' Hakbarah | ||
Miracle at St. Anna | Detective Antonio 'Tony' Ricci | ||
2009 | The Taking of Pelham 123 | Lieutenant Vincent Camonetti | |
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Seymour Simmons | ||
Rehearsal for a Sicilian Tragedy | Himself | Documentary; also writer and executive producer | |
2010 | Passione | Himself / narrator | Documentary; also director and co-writer |
The Nutcracker in 3D | The Rat King | ||
2011 | Cars 2 | Francesco Bernoulli | Voice |
Transformers: Dark of the Moon | Seymour Simmons | ||
Somewhere Tonight | Leroy | ||
2013 | Fading ... | Fioravante | Also director and writer |
Gods Behaving Badly | Hades | ||
2014 | God's Pocket | Arthur 'Bird' Capezio | |
Exodus: Gods and Kings | Seti I | ||
Rio, I Love You | Homem | Segment "Quando não há Mais Amor"; also director and writer | |
2015 | Mia Madre | Barry Huggins | |
Partly Cloudy with Sunny Spells | Lombelli | ||
The Ridiculous 6 | Abner Doubleday | ||
2016 | Hands of Stone | Frankie Carbo | |
2017 | Landline | Alan Jacobs | |
Hair | John Turturro | Short film; also director and writer | |
Transformers: The Last Knight | Seymour Simmons | ||
2018 | Gloria Bell | Arnold | |
2019 | The True Adventures of Wolfboy | Mr. Silk | |
The Jesus Rolls | Jesus Quintana | Also director and writer | |
2022 | The Batman | Carmine Falcone | |
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio | Dottore | Voice | |
Forty Winks | Milo | ||
2024 | The Room Next Door | Filming |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1985 | Miami Vice | David Traynor | Episode: "Rites of Passage" |
1988 | The Fortunate Pilgrim | Larry | 4 episodes |
1994 | Saturday Night Live | Himself / host | Episode: "John Turturro/Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers" |
1995 | Sugartime | Sam Giancana | Television film |
2001 | Biography | Narrator | 2 episodes |
2002 | Monday Night Mayhem | Howard Cosell | Television film |
Frasier | Grant (voice) | Episode: "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" | |
2004–08 | Monk | Ambrose Monk | 3 episodes |
2007 | The Bronx Is Burning | Billy Martin | 8 episodes |
Flight of the Conchords | Credits Cop | Episode: "The Actor" | |
2016 | The New Yorker Presents | Patient | Episode: "#1.8" |
The Night Of | John Stone | 8 episodes | |
2017 | Difficult People | Dusty | Episode: "Bernie and Blythe" |
2019 | The Name of the Rose | William of Baskerville | 8 episodes; also writer and executive producer |
Green Eggs and Ham | Goat (voice) | 6 episodes | |
2020 | The Plot Against America | Rabbi Lionel Bengelsdorf | 6 episodes |
2022–present | Severance | Irving Bailiff | Main role |
2024 | Mr. & Mrs. Smith | Eric Shane | Episode: "Second Date" |
Video games
Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
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2011 | Cars 2 | Francesco Bernoulli |
Audiobooks
Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
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2007 | World War Z | Serosha Garcia Alvarez |
Theatre
Year | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
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1983 | Danny and the Deep Blue Sea | Danny | Circle in the Square Theatre, Off-Broadway | |
1998 | Waiting for Godot | Estragon | Classic Stage Company, Off-Broadway | |
2003 | Life x 3 | Henry | Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway | |
2007 | A Spanish Play | Director | Classic Stage Company, Off-Broadway | |
2011 | The Cherry Orchard | Yermolai Alekaseyevich Lopakhin | Classic Stage Company, Off-Broadway | |
2011–12 | Relatively Speaking | Director | Brooks Atkinson Theatre, Broadway | |
2013 | The Master Builder | Halvard Solness | Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn | |
2015 | Zorba! | Zorba | New York City Center, Concert Staging | |
2023 | Sabbath's Theatre | Mickey Sabbath | Signature Theatre Company, Off-Broadway |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
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1989 | Independent Spirit Award | Best Supporting Actor | Five Corners | Nominated | |
1990 | New York Film Critics Circle | Best Supporting Actor | Miller's Crossing | Nominated | |
1991 | National Society of Film Critics | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | ||
Cannes Film Festival | Best Actor | Barton Fink | Won | ||
Gotham Awards | Best Actor | Himself | Won | ||
1992 | Sundance Film Festival | Vision Award | Himself | Won | |
Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Actor | Barton Fink | Nominated | ||
Cannes Film Festival | Caméra d'Or | Mac | Won | ||
1994 | Independent Spirit Award | Best First Feature | Nominated | ||
Best Director | Nominated | ||||
1995 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Best Supporting Actor | Quiz Show | Nominated | |
Golden Globe Award | Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | Nominated | |||
Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | |||
1998 | Cannes Film Festival | Palme d'Or | Illuminata | Nominated | |
Independent Spirit Award | Best Male | Box of Moonlight | Nominated | ||
2003 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie | Monday Night Mayhem | Nominated | |
2004 | Primetime Emmy Award | Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | Monk: "Mr. Monk and the Three Pies" | Won | |
2005 | Drama Desk Award | Best Actor in a Play | The Sound of Naples | Nominated | |
Venice Film Festival | Golden Lion | Romance and Cigarettes | Nominated | ||
2007 | Berlin Film Festival | Silver Berlin Bear | The Good Shepherd | Won | |
Gotham Awards | Best Ensemble Performance | Margot at the Wedding | Nominated | ||
2010 | Venice Film Festival | Award of the City of Rome | Passione | Won | |
2017 | Primetime Emmy Award | Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie | The Night Of | Nominated | |
Golden Globe Award | Best Actor – Miniseries or TV Movie | Nominated | |||
Screen Actors Guild Award | Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie | Nominated | |||
2021 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries | The Plot Against America | Nominated | |
2022 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Severance | Nominated | |
Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Television Series | Nominated | |||
2023 | Golden Globe Award | Best Supporting Actor - Television Series | Nominated | ||
Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Nominated |
See also
In Spanish: John Turturro para niños In Spanish: John Turturro para niños