Here’s The Real Reason Why The Penguin Recast Carmine Falcone

Originally posted on Men's Journal | By Griff Griffin | Last updated Oct 24, 2024 1:00 AM ET

The Penguin cast a different actor in the role of mob boss Carmine Falcone, and now we know why.

John Turturro originally played one of Gotham’s biggest antagonists in 2022’s The Batman, but he was replaced in HBO spinoff series The Penguin by Mark Strong. Turturro has revealed the reason he turned down a reprisal.

“I did what I wanted to with the role,” the actor tells Variety. “In the show, there was a lot of violence towards women, and that’s not my thing"

Turturro’s Falcone in The Batman is more muted. While he does have a fight with Cat Woman, his violence is generally more implied. “It happens off-screen,” Turturro says. “It’s scarier that way.”

Strong’s Falcone, however, is a lot more heavy handed, and throws his weight around with people who can’t fight back. That clearly didn’t appeal to Turturro. Besides, he wanted to pursue other projects. “You can’t do everything you want to,” he says.

Next for the actor is Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door in which he features alongside Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, two former magazine writers who reunite under strange circumstances.

This article first appeared on Men's Journal and was syndicated with permission.

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