Oscars 2027: John Turturro On Possible, Long-Overdue Nod For ‘Pickpocket’ [VIDEO]

Actor/director Noah Segan wrote The Only Living Pickpocket in New York specifically for John Turturro. And the actor makes the most of his rich, meaty role as Harry Lehman, the titular hustler who has spent his life knowing just how to make his mark, until one day he literally picks the wrong pocket.

Read my NYFF REVIEW.

Turturro has been working in film, TV and on stage for over five decades.

His film credits include Raging Bull (1980), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), The Color of Money (1986), Five Corners (1987), Do the Right Thing (1989), Miller’s Crossing(1990), Barton Fink (1991, Best Actor at Cannes), Quiz Show (1994), Unstrung Heroes (1995), The Big Lebowski (1998), Cradle Will Rock (1999),  O Brother, Where Art Thou(2000), The Man Who Cried (2000), The Luzhin Defense (2000), The Good Shepherd(2006), Margot at the Wedding (2007), Mia Madre (2015), The Batman (2022) The Room Next Door (2024) and the upcoming, A Statement.

He made his directorial debut with Mac in 1992 and won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes. Illuminata followed in 1998. He also directed the gem Romance and Cigarettes (2005), the doc Passione (2010), Fading Gigolo (2013) and The Jesus Rolls (2019).

On TV he is best known for his Emmy-nominated work as Irving Bailiff on Severance. He won an Emmy for Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for Monk in 2004.

On stage he’s appeared on Broadway in Life x 3 (2003) and directed Relatively Speaking in 2011. Off Broadway credits include Danny and the Deep Blue Sea (1983), Waiting for Godot (1998) and The Cherry Orchard (2011). He starred in the American Repertory Theater production of Rhinoceros, opposite Maslany, earlier this year and that production will transfer to Broadway in 2027.

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York world premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and went on to play the Berlinale, TIFF, Telluride and the New York Film Festival.

The film is currently playing in theaters nationwide, via Sony Pictures Classics.

The Contending has the pleasure of a VIDEO chat with the thesp.