Acclaimed Actor Missed Chance to Star in Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut"

In a recent interview, acclaimed actor John Turturro disclosed that he had missed an opportunity to work with legendary director Stanley Kubrick. Kubrick had reached out to Turturro about a role in his 1999 film "Eyes Wide Shut," which was released posthumously after Kubrick's death.

Turturro explained that he was shocked when Kubrick contacted him, as the director praised his acting abilities. However, at the time, Turturro had just finished five years of preparation for another film, "The Truce," in which he portrayed Primo Levi. Kubrick questioned whether the timing would align with Turturro's schedule, as he had heard the actor was planning to direct a movie the following year.

Unfortunately, the collaboration did not come to fruition, as Turturro did not firmly commit to the role, stating he would "read it, and we'll work it out." Kubrick apparently felt Turturro was not excited enough about the part, and the next day, the director was informed that Turturro was unavailable. The role ultimately went to actor-turned-filmmaker Todd Field, who played the character of Nick Nightingale in the film.

Turturro expressed regret over the missed opportunity, as he was a "big fan" of Kubrick's work and would have been interested in seeing how he would have "survived doing long takes" under the director's meticulous approach.