John Turturro Returns to Lead Role in New York Crime Thriller After 30 Years
Veteran actor John Turturro stars as the main character in the crime thriller The Only Living Pickpocket, his first true film lead in three decades.
In a rare shift for his career, John Turturro leads the new crime drama The Only Living Pickpocket, his first starring film role since the 1990s. Directed by Noah Segan, the movie premiered at Sundance and is now playing at major festivals like Telluride and Toronto, with a wide release slated for Oct. 23 by Sony Pictures Classics. Turturro portrays Harry Lehman, a seasoned pickpocket whose livelihood is threatened by modern surveillance and cashless society in New York City.
The cast features Giancarlo Esposito as a police contact, Steve Buscemi as a pawn-shop figure, and Tatiana Maslany in a cameo, while Turturro drew on real-life magician pickpocket Apollo Robbins for research. The role has ignited speculation that the veteran actor could finally receive his first Oscar nomination, highlighting a significant milestone in his extensive career.
Why it matters
Turturro’s first true lead in a film in 30 years could earn him his inaugural Oscar nomination.
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