Undoubtedly, John Turturro is an actor’s actor. With a career spanning the last 45 years, Turturro has been in some of cinema’s most treasured films and worked with celebrated filmmakers including Spike Lee and the Coen Brothers. No stranger to television, Turturro has been nominated for Primetime Emmy awards for his work in Monk (for which he won), The Night Of, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Severance. Last night in NYC, Turturro was honored at the Museum of the Moving Image‘s Spring Moving Image Awards, alongside Chairman/CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group Tom Rothman. His Severance co-stars Patricia Arquette, Trammel Tillman, and the legendary Christopher Walken were on hand to celebrate Turturro.
Walken, who first worked with Turturro back in 1995 on Search and Destroy but has known him since 1980s, was in awe of his longtime friend. Most recently, the two famously brought to life star-crossed lovers Burt Goodman and Irving Bailiff in Severance. “I’ve known John for almost 50 years, and that’s the basis of our relationship in Severance,” said Walken on the red carpet. “He’s a terrific actor.” Walken has also had the pleasure of being directed by Turturro as well.
“[John] directs and makes his own movies. I’ve done three [Illuminata, Romance & Cigarettes, The Jesus Rolls] of them,” explained Walken. “I’ve worked with him in all sorts of different places.”
Arquette also was happy to gush about her Severance co-star. “There’s a joy of creation that comes out of him that’s contagious,” said Arquette. She also called him a “true team player,” noting “he holds space for other people.” While the pair’s on-screen relationship in Severance may have been contentious at times, Arquette notes how, like her character Harmony Cobel, Turturro’s innie Irving B. was also a “Lumon devotee” and “loved the Eagans and the history of the Eagans.” However, Arquette’s favorite Turturro arc on the series (so far) was the romance between Burt and Irving in Season 1. “There’s so much purity in that whole love affair, there’s so much longing, there is so much sadness,” mused Arquette.
Tillman, who plays Lumon manager Seth Milchick on Severance, first came to know and love Turturro from Turturro’s role in Do The Right Thing. “He really stood out for me,” said Tillman. “When I watched him, I said, this man is electrifying, and I want to see more of him.” Luckily , Tillman has shared plenty of scenes with Turturro, whom he also called a “generous, kind, supportive” co-star, in the Apple TV+ series. “One scene that is very memorable is when Milchik had to basically fire Irving on the spot,” Tillman recalled from Season 2. “That was painful because this was Milchick having to say goodbye to a Lumon employee who was so valuable and so loyal to Kier.”
For his part, Turturro was pleased to applaud his fellow Severance cast mates. When asked what makes this ensemble stand out from other groups of actors he’s worked with, Turturro didn’t mince words. “It’s just a good group of people,” said Turturro. “Chris and I have known each other for many years, and we’ve done many projects together. Patricia, I’ve known and loved her work forever.” While he didn’t know Tillman, Adam Scott, Britt Lower or Zach Cherry before Severance, Turturro clearly had nothing but warm feelings about new colleagues. “It’s been fun getting to know them over a longer period of time.”
Turturro’s Severance pals weren’t the only ones heaping praise on him from the red carpet last night. Messages from Spike Lee, Andi MacDowell, and Julianne Moore played before Turturro accepted his award from Rosie Perez, making it clear that Turturro is as beloved by his colleagues as he is by audiences everywhere.