John Turturro on why he refused The Penguin, why he’s (probably) done with Severance

John Turturro on why he refused The Penguin, why he's (probably) done with Severance

As a seasoned gamer and movie buff with over two decades of experience under my belt, I can’t help but feel a tad perplexed by John Turturro‘s recent decisions regarding his roles. In the world of gaming, we often find ourselves debating the merits of sequels and spin-offs, and it seems that Mr. Turturro has become a bit of an enigma in this regard.

In the 2022 film “The Batman,” John Turturro portrayed gangster Carmine Falcone. On the other hand, a fresh spinoff series called “The Penguin” on HBO focuses on Carmine’s enforcer Oz and his daughter Sofia. Interestingly, Mark Strong recently took over the role of Carmine in an episode filled with flashbacks. Turturro declined to reprise the character, and it appears there’s a reason for that now.

Turturro explained to Variety that one reason he couldn’t appear on The Penguin before its premiere was scheduling conflicts. However, he added another explanation for his decision not to reprise his role as Carmine: “I felt I had accomplished what I wanted with the character…The show contained a lot of violence against women, which is not something I identify with.

In “The Penguin”, it’s disclosed that Carmine Falcone isn’t just responsible for the death of his wife and Sofia’s mother, but also for strangling multiple women throughout his reign as a crime boss. These murders he falsely accuses Sofia of, fearing she might expose his wrongdoings to the media. Subsequently, Carmine convinces his entire family to compose letters claiming that Sofia is mentally unstable, which he then employs to confine her within a mental institution for a prolonged period.

In the movie “The Penguin”, Carmine is portrayed as inflicting significant violence towards women. This is intriguing given Turturro’s role in “The Batman” where similar actions occur. When questioned about this, Lauren LeFranc told TheWrap that these violent acts merely serve to reinforce the character’s nature established in the initial film. In “The Penguin”, Carmine kills Selina Kyle’s mother and attempts to kill Selina herself, as well as her friend Annika. It has been decided by director Matt Reeves and LeFranc that Carmine is a violent individual with a propensity for violence against women.

I completely respect an actor who doesn’t want to take on a role for whatever their personal reasons. I only want people to join our show who are excited and want to further the story we’re trying to tell. I think Mark Strong did a really fantastic job. He made the character his own and also really honored what John Turturro did. To my knowledge it was due to scheduling conflicts.

In his perspective, Turturro provides a reason as to why the violence in “The Batman” felt distinct compared to the violence in “The Penguin”. As he stated, “The majority of the violent scenes occur off-camera”, making it more unsettling.

It’s interesting to note that despite the fact that the movie and show both downplay Carmine’s violent acts, they transformed him from a crime boss with a tendency for violence into a full-blown female serial killer. While Turturro may have been disturbed by this character development, his explanations seem a bit forced or contrived.

John Turturro on why he refused The Penguin, why he's (probably) done with Severance

It sounds like John Turturro will leave Severance after season 2

It’s plausible that Turturro chose not to reprise his role as Carmine because he found it unappealing. This seems somewhat similar to the character Irving B on the show “Severance,” where he plays an office worker with fastidiousness. The series is coming back for its second season in January, but following that, it appears Turturro won’t be involved anymore. According to Variety, he stated, “I didn’t enjoy being in that office—the light there was maddening.” He did another round, but now he feels like he’s had a satisfying experience.

It’s unclear whether “Severance” will return for a third season, despite hints from the showrunner Dan Erickson suggesting future plans. Casting an actor like John Turturro, known for his long-standing career in movies, comes with inherent risks due to potential scheduling conflicts or personal decisions. Unlike a rising star seeking their big break, Turturro is an accomplished actor who chooses roles based on interest rather than necessity. Consequently, if he decides to leave the show, it may be less challenging for him to depart compared to someone whose career growth depends heavily on the series.

With TV shows and movies becoming increasingly intertwined, such events could occur more frequently. The second season of “Severance” premieres on Apple TV+ on January 17. I can’t help but ponder if they might exclude Irving from the narrative. We’ll certainly be tuning in.

2024-10-24 18:41

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