Turturro Confirms 'Severance' Return, Talks Awards Buzz at Zurich Masterclass

John Turturro has confirmed he will reprise his role as Irving Bailiff in the third season of Apple TV+'s 'Severance', speaking during a masterclass at the Zurich Film Festival shortly after receiving the event's Golden Eye award.

The Emmy-winning actor, who stars alongside Adam Scott in the series, said he would remain involved for as long as the material stays engaging. He also spoke warmly of Christopher Walken, whose character Burt Goodman shared a romantic storyline with Irving, recalling that he had specifically asked for Walken to be cast.

Turturro used the career-spanning conversation to discuss the awards attention surrounding his latest film, 'The Only Living Pickpocket in New York', directed by Noah Segan. In the film, he plays Harry, a veteran pickpocket whose controlled existence comes apart after a job goes wrong, setting off a tense chain of events across 36 hours.

Addressing his entry into the best actor conversation, Turturro said he had never campaigned heavily in the past but felt compelled to back a project he believed in, particularly as its lead. He added that while recognition is welcome and can help future work, it is not the reason he acts, and described himself as competitive with himself rather than with others.

He said the strong response to the film, which followed success at Sundance, had surprised him, and credited his accumulated life experience with helping him grow as a performer.

Reflecting on his television work, Turturro said he was proud of the HBO crime drama 'The Night Of' and would have liked another season, but that those involved could not agree on a direction for the story. He called it one of the great experiences of his life.

His career spans more than four decades and includes collaborations with directors such as Spike Lee, the Coen brothers, Martin Scorsese, Robert Redford and Pedro Almodóvar, with credits including 'Do the Right Thing', 'Jungle Fever', 'Barton Fink', 'The Big Lebowski' and 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?'.

At the award ceremony, Turturro quoted Italian novelist Cesare Pavese and said he still considers himself a beginner in many ways, describing himself as fortunate to have made a living from work that interests him.

The 22nd Zurich Film Festival, which is also honouring Julianne Moore and Tom Hiddleston this year, runs until October 4.