Kevin Turen

{{Short description|American film and television producer (1979–2023)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Kevin Turen

| image = Publicity_Photo_of_Kevin_Turen.jpg

| image_size = 180px

| caption = Publicity photo of Kevin Turen

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1979|08|16}}

| birth_place = New York City, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|11|12|1979|8|16}}

| death_place = California, U.S.

| occupation = Film and television producer

| alma_mater = Columbia University

| years_active = 2005–2023

| notable_works = Euphoria
Arbitrage
X
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Pieces of a Woman

| spouse = {{marriage|Evelina Turen|2012}}

| children = 2

}}

Kevin Turen (August 16, 1979 – November 12, 2023) was an American film and television producer. His film credits included the X film series (2022–2024), Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021),{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/those-who-wish-me-dead-movie-angelina-jolie-taylor-sheridan-new-line-cinema-1202606405/|title=BRON Sets Taylor Sheridan-Angelina Jolie Thriller ‘Those Who Wish Me Dead’ At New Line|website=Deadline|date=May 2, 2019|access-date=November 13, 2023|archive-date=January 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131153357/https://deadline.com/2019/05/those-who-wish-me-dead-movie-angelina-jolie-taylor-sheridan-new-line-cinema-1202606405/|url-status=live}} The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022),{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/neil-patrick-harris-cast-the-unbearable-weight-of-massive-talent-nicolas-cage/|title=Neil Patrick Harris Joins Nicolas Cage in ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’|website=TheWrap|date=November 23, 2020|access-date=November 13, 2023|archive-date=November 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113065715/https://www.thewrap.com/neil-patrick-harris-cast-the-unbearable-weight-of-massive-talent-nicolas-cage/|url-status=live}} Pieces of a Woman (2020),{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/vanessa-kirby-pieces-of-a-woman-the-crown-1203378519/|title=Vanessa Kirby to Star in Drama ‘Pieces of a Woman’ (EXCLUSIVE)|website=Variety|date=October 22, 2019|access-date=November 13, 2023|archive-date=November 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113065717/https://variety.com/2019/film/news/vanessa-kirby-pieces-of-a-woman-the-crown-1203378519/|url-status=live}} and Arbitrage (2012). His television work included Euphoria and The Idol, on which he served as an executive producer.

Early life

Kevin Turen was born in New York City on August 16, 1979. He studied English and Cinema at Columbia University.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/kevin-turen-producer-euphoria-the-idol-dead-at-44-1235645284/|title=Kevin Turen, Producer on ‘Euphoria’ and ‘The Idol,’ Dies at 44|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=November 12, 2023|access-date=November 13, 2023|archive-date=November 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113054904/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/kevin-turen-producer-euphoria-the-idol-dead-at-44-1235645284/|url-status=live}}

Career

Turen was an executive at First Look Pictures, eventually becoming its president. In the 2010s, he worked at Infinity Media and Treehouse Films. In 2012, he developed and produced Nicholas Jarecki's acclaimed financial thriller Arbitrage, which was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for its star, Richard Gere. In 2014, he became the head of Phantom Four, a production company started by screenwriter David S. Goyer. During this time, Phantom Four worked on the film Assassination Nation (2018), written and directed by Sam Levinson. This began an extended collaboration with Levinson and his wife, Ashley; Turen co-founded Little Lamb Productions with them, and went on to produce the film Malcolm & Marie and work as an executive producer on the TV shows Euphoria and The Idol.

Personal life

Turen married Evelina in June 2012, and they had two sons.

=Death=

On November 12, 2023, Turen was driving his Tesla vehicle on autopilot mode when he suffered a cardiac emergency.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/12/euphoria-producer-kevin-turens-cause-of-death-1235649600/|title=‘Euphoria’ Producer Kevin Turen’s Cause Of Death Revealed|first=Bruce|last=Haring|website=Deadline|date=December 2, 2023|access-date=December 2, 2023}} His son Jack was able to navigate the car to the side of the road and call 9-1-1; Turen was transported to a hospital, where he died at the age of 44.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/11/kevin-turen-dead-euphoria-the-idol-producer-1235600826/|title=Kevin Turen Dies: ‘Euphoria’ & ‘The Idol’ Producer Was 44|website=Deadline|date=November 12, 2023|access-date=November 13, 2023|archive-date=November 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113051500/https://deadline.com/2023/11/kevin-turen-dead-euphoria-the-idol-producer-1235600826/|url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Kainz |first1=Natalie |last2=Dasrath |first2=Diana |title='Euphoria' producer Kevin Turen dies at 44 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/euphoria-producer-kevin-turen-dies-44-rcna124874 |access-date=November 13, 2023 |publisher=NBC News |date=November 13, 2023 |archive-date=November 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113200712/https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/euphoria-producer-kevin-turen-dies-44-rcna124874 |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-11-16/kevin-turen-euphoria-producer-medical-emergency-while-driving-tesla|title=Kevin Turen’s father says TV producer suffered medical emergency while driving, praises ‘hero’ grandson|website=Los Angeles Times|date=November 16, 2023|access-date=November 17, 2023}} According to a report from a medical examiner, Turen died from acute cardiac dysfunction and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, with coronary artery disease listed as a contributing factor. Hurry Up Tomorrow, one of his last films released posthumously, was dedicated to his memory.