Turturro masters pickpocketing for new crime drama

John Turturro is currently learning to lift wallets and pick pockets in preparation for his new film, The Only Living Pickpocket in New York.

The 69-year-old actor stars as Harry, a skilled thief who serves as the primary caretaker for his catatonic wife. The character's life changes when he steals the backpack of a college-age student who is the grandson of a crime boss.

To perform the role, Turturro worked with Apollo Robbins, a professional sleight-of-hand artist. Robbins coached Turturro on misdirection techniques and provided specific exercises for the craft.

Turturro practiced in the production office and on set frequently. He noted that horizontal pockets in tight jeans are difficult to access, while back pockets are easier. He also observed that purses or backpacks with zippers that are not fully closed offer the best opportunities for a pickpocket.

Turturro has played morally ambiguous characters throughout his career. His film credits include Do the Right Thing, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and Five Corners. On television, he appeared in The Night Of, The Plot Against America, and Severance.

He described his approach to acting as a process of mining for details. He said he tries to take the elevator down into the sub-basement and mine everything he possibly can. He finds the possibility of failure and the unknown aspects of a new challenge exciting.

Beyond his professional life, Turturro discussed his role as the legal guardian for his late brother, who had schizophrenia. He managed the brother's housing, hired aides, and handled his care after the brother was discharged from the hospital.

Turturro described his brother as complex, perceptive, and a good musician, though often unpredictable and abusive. He noted that the brother eventually found a monthly medication regimen that helped stabilize him. Turturro said the experience taught him a great deal about human behavior and his own capacity to withstand stress.

He also reflected on his upbringing in Hollis, Queens, where he lived in a predominantly Black neighborhood for his first six years. He moved to Rosedale later, an Italian, Irish, and Jewish area where he felt prejudiced against because people thought he was Puerto Rican. These experiences helped him navigate a multicultural world.

Turturro grew up with a father who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after serving on a destroyer during World War II. The father was involved in the D-Day invasion and was stuck on his ship for days after it hit a mine. Turturro said the volatility in his household taught him how to diffuse situations and calm people down.

He credited his mother, a dressmaker, with teaching him how to work with women and understand their dynamics in tumultuous households. He often helped her with patterns and even modeled wedding dresses when the store dummy was too small. Turturro said his time playing explosive characters was grounded in the reality of the violence he witnessed as a child.