69-year-old actor trains with expert to master pickpocketing for new film

Actor John Turturro, 69, spent time training with a professional to learn how to steal wallets and purses for his role in the upcoming film The Only Living Pickpocket in New York. The character, Harry, is a skilled pickpocket who serves as the primary caretaker for his catatonic wife. The plot shifts when Harry steals a backpack belonging to a college student who is the grandson of a crime boss.

To prepare, Turturro worked with Apollo Robbins, a known sleight-of-hand artist. Robbins coached Turturro on the art of misdirection and provided specific exercises. Turturro practiced in the production office and on set frequently. He noted that horizontal pockets on tight jeans are difficult to access, while back pockets are easier. He added that purses or backpacks with open zippers on the back are the most vulnerable targets.

Turturro said he is drawn to complex roles that require him to learn new skills. He described himself as a student who wants to explore the unknown, even when there is a risk of failure. This approach aligns with his long career in Hollywood, which includes films such as Five Corners, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and Do the Right Thing. He has also appeared in television series like The Night Of, The Plot Against America, and Severance.

His personal history has informed his understanding of volatile family dynamics, a theme present in many of his roles. Turturro discussed his experience as the legal guardian for his late brother, who had schizophrenia. He managed residences, hired aides, and oversaw their supervisors to ensure his brother could function outside the hospital. His brother was often unpredictable and could be abusive, requiring Turturro to stay on high alert. They eventually found a monthly medication that stabilized his condition.

Turturro recalled a period when his brother was frequently hospitalized due to behavioral issues. He often visited New York Presbyterian Hospital, sometimes bringing food that his brother would throw at him if he was in a bad mood. Turturro said he learned a lot about human behavior and his own resilience during this time. He noted that his brother had a major effect on his life and provided material for his acting, albeit at a high cost.

Growing up, Turturro witnessed significant volatility in his household. His father suffered from PTSD after serving on a destroyer in the Pacific during World War II. The ship hit a mine, and his father was stuck at sea for two to three days. Turturro described seeing a lot of violence as a child and being in the middle of it often. He became the person who calmed tensions between his father and his brother. He said his mother was dry and funny, and he learned how to diffuse situations in that environment.

Turturro also credited his upbringing around women for shaping his work ethic. He observed that women in tumultuous households often served as the glue holding families together. He enjoyed eavesdropping on their conversations to exchange information about their partners. He felt comfortable working with women throughout his career, partly due to his mother, a dressmaker who involved him in her work. He would help with patterns and even model wedding dresses when the tailor dummy was too small.

His childhood in Hollis, Queens, was predominantly Black for the first six years. He lived in a garden apartment and had no white friends, a background that influenced his sense of humor and musical tastes. When he moved to Rosedale, an Italian, Irish, and Jewish neighborhood, he felt prejudiced against because people assumed he was Puerto Rican. He said these experiences helped him navigate a multicultural world and bonded him with director Spike Lee, who grew up in a similar Italian neighborhood. Turturro said he chose to play the racist guy in Do the Right Thing because the character was a pizza seller, a role he understood from working in a pizzeria before the film.

Turturro said he feels rich in experience now that he is approaching 70. He believes an older actor has a fuller toolbox of experience and can be more precise and still. He sees the character Harry as someone who has lived a lot of life, a trait he identifies with in himself.