As the double-dealing Bernie Bernbaum, John Turturro makes a strong impression, despite having relatively little screen time. His character is the catalyst for the gang war in Miller's Crossing, but he manages to stay out of the violence.

Since Miller's Crossing, Turturro has been in such films as Barton Fink (the Coen brothers' next movie after Miller's Crossing), Quiz Show, Clockers, and made a cameo in the Coen brothers 1998 film, The Big Lebowski.

Quotes from John Turturro on Miller's Crossing:

• "In a way, it's like Dr. Faustus. I'm a devlish character, appearing and disappearing. And all of my scenes are with Tom (Gabriel Byrne), so I only exist through him."

• (About the Coen brothers) "I'm used to doing my own blocking. But what's great with them is: You're in a film. It's so different from just being recorded. Everything has a reason. Once or twice I threw in a new thing by accident, and they liked it. I think I've surprised them a few times."

• From Film Comment, issue September-October, 1990:
  Turturro - ...Bernie Bernbaum is a conglomeration of Joel, Ethan, people that I've met, and imagination. He's a guy who's just trying to be a survivor. He's constantly on the move. Which is kind of Jewish history. But I was also thinking of a street hustler, just trying to keep alive from moment to moment."
  Film Comment - Bernie had a finger gesture that seemed to sum up his whole character.
  Turturro - Really? I did something physical that probably changed my gestures. Something like raising my shoulders a little higher. Physically you can, by making a little adjustment, change your whole attitude. Some people laugh like they're confident; others are afraid to laugh too much because they may get hit or something. You let these things play on you and then you go, Oh that's right, or wrong. And once in a while you hit something.
  But [Bernie] was also a great, well-written character.
  Film Comment - Choosing to have Bernie hysterically beg Tommy [Gabriel Byrne] for his life rather than face death "like a man" made Tommmy's character all the stronger for not shooting him. Was that written into the script?
  Turturro - No, it's not written in exactly. It was written that he was struggling, but the way I did it was up to me, really. I just made him as human as possible. The guy's gbegging for his life, he tries everything possible. I just let it fly.