Noah Segan, an actor and screenwriter who has frequently collaborated with director Rian Johnson, developed ‘The Only Living Pickpocket in New York’ while caring for his infant son. Segan wrote the script within six months of his child’s birth in 2017, composing it during nap times. When Segan presented the completed screenplay to Johnson in 2018 during the production of ‘Knives Out,’ Johnson responded positively and indicated he might begin producing films if the detective mystery performed well commercially.
Following ‘Knives Out’ grossing $312 million against a $40 million budget, Johnson and producer Ram Bergman established T-Street Productions. The company subsequently developed Segan’s script into a feature film. The production began as a modern-day crime drama centered on a pickpocket confronting the obsolescence of his profession in an increasingly digital world, with the character facing financial difficulties while attempting to support his incapacitated wife.
The filmmakers initially sought actors in their 80s for the lead role of Harry Lehman but expanded their search to include performers 65 and older after determining the initial pool was too limited. The role ultimately went to John Turturro, marking his first starring film role in over two decades. The film premiered theatrically later this month, with early critical reception described as positive and the performance generating discussion in awards circles.
Segan noted that Johnson’s involvement with collaborators extends beyond financial backing, creating an environment of creative encouragement and collaborative joy on productions. The actor also acknowledged that sleight-of-hand master Ricky Jay influenced his conception of the protagonist character, though the script underwent revisions following Jay’s death during the production of the first ‘Knives Out’ film.
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