John Turturro’s ‘The Penguin’ Remarks Prompt Reaction from Showrunner Lauren LeFranc

The Penguin has been widely praised as one of the best comic book series ever, but it hasn’t been without its minor controversies. One such issue, though small in comparison to larger scandals, revolves around the recasting of Carmine Falcone.

It was confirmed that Mark Strong would take over the role from John Turturro, who portrayed the character in The Batman directed by Matt Reeves. Strong made his debut in the series not long ago, after it was initially reported that Turturro couldn’t return due to scheduling conflicts.

However, Turturro recently shared a different reason, citing concerns related to the show’s content. In response, The Penguin showrunner Lauren LeFranc weighed in with her own comments on the situation.

Initially, it was reported that John Turturro exited The Penguin due to scheduling conflicts, which many linked to his work on Severance. However, Turturro recently revealed that he chose not to participate in the series because of concerns over the depiction of violence against women related to his character.

I did what I wanted to with the role. In the show, there was a lot of violence towards women, and that’s not my thing. It happens off-screen. It’s scarier that way. You can’t do everything you want to.

This revelation was surprising, as showrunner Lauren LeFranc had previously stated to the media that Turturro’s departure was due to scheduling conflicts.

Well, practically, John was just unavailable to us. He had scheduling conflicts, and we couldn’t make it work, but honestly, I’m so thrilled that we brought Mark Strong on.

I think he’s really good. Even though, maybe in the beginning when you first meet him, you might think, “Oh. Well, for fans of The Batman, I’m so used to John Turturro,” and obviously John’s a great actor, but I feel like the gravitas that Mark brings, it’s different.

It’s very specific, and I hope, by the end of that episode, you’re just thinking, “That’s Carmine Falcone,” and you’re engaged in what Mark brings to it.

Source: IGN

This revelation presents a significant contradiction and casts the recasting in a new light, something unexpected from our earlier reports.

While it’s not a major scandal, the creators aimed to address misogyny in the show, and they’re handling it in a thoughtful way. Turturro, however, chose not to be associated with that particular storyline, a decision that we must respect. Based on LeFranc’s comments, it seems that this choice will be honored.

I completely respect an actor who doesn’t want to take on a role for whatever their personal reasons. I only want people to join our show who are excited and want to further the story we’re trying to tell. I think Mark Strong did a really fantastic job. He made the character his own and also really honored what John Turturro did. To my knowledge it was due to scheduling conflicts.

Source: The Wrap

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