Biography
One of the top character actors of his era, John Turturro is a fixture of the contemporary American independent filmmaking landscape. Born February 28, 1957, in Brooklyn, NY, Turturro became fascinated by movies during childhood, and after graduating from college he won a scholarship to study at the prestigious Yale School of Drama. He first gained notice in regional theater and off-Broadway, earning an Obie Award for his starring role in Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. He made his film debut in
Martin Scorsese's 1980 masterpiece
Raging Bull but did not reappear onscreen prior to 1984's
The Exterminator 2. That same year, he debuted on Broadway in Death of a Salesman.
Small roles in diverse fare including
Susan Seidelman's 1985 comedy
Desperately Seeking Susan, Scorsese's 1986 drama
The Color of Money, and
Woody Allen's masterful
Hannah and Her Sisters kept Turturro busy throughout much of the decade, but his breakthrough performance did not arrive until
Spike Lee cast him as a bigoted pizzeria worker in 1989's
Do the Right Thing. A scene-stealing turn in the Coen brothers' 1990 gangland drama
Miller's Crossing followed, and in 1991 the Coens cast him as the titular Barton Fink, a performance which garnered Best Actor honors at the Cannes Film Festival. Subsequent lead roles were infrequent, although in 1992 he wrote, directed, and starred in
Mac, a little-seen indie feature that won him a Golden Camera award for Best First Feature at the 1992 Cannes Festival. Supporting turns in acclaimed offerings including
Quiz Show,
Clockers, and
Grace of My Heart (in which he expertly portrayed a
Phil Spector-like music producer) followed before Turturro's next starring role, in
Tom DiCillo's whimsical 1996 comedy
Box of Moonlight. In 1998, the actor again collaborated with both Lee and the Coen brothers, working with the former on
He Got Game and the latter on
The Big Lebowski. Also in 1998, Turturro wrote, directed, produced, and starred in
Illuminata, a comedy set against the backdrop of a struggling, turn-of-the-century New York theater company. The following year, he again took on the New York theater, appearing in
Tim Robbins'
Cradle Will Rock, an exploration of the relationship between art and politics set in 1930s New York. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide