Honestly, if you grew up in the mid-2000s, it was impossible to escape the shadow of the New York Yankees cap and the oversized jerseys. Jerry Ferrara basically became the patron saint of the "loyal best friend" trope. For eight seasons on HBO, he was Salvatore "Turtle" Assante, the guy who drove the Escalade and handled the logistics of Vincent Chase’s chaotic life. But here’s the thing—if you think his career started and ended with a bong hit and a pair of rare Nikes, you’ve missed some of the best work he’s ever done.
Most actors get trapped in the amber of their most famous role. Ferrara almost did. But looking at the full list of jerry ferrara movies and tv shows, there is a very deliberate pivot that happened somewhere around 2013. He went from being the "funny fat kid" (his words, not mine) to a sleek, versatile character actor who can hold his own against De Niro or Bryan Cranston.
The Power Pivot and the Proctor Era
If Entourage made him a household name, Power made him a serious actor. There's no other way to put it. When he showed up as Joe Proctor in Season 2 of the Starz hit, fans were skeptical. Could the guy who once spent an entire episode trying to find a lost dog in Malibu really play a high-stakes, morally compromised mob lawyer?
Turns out, yeah. He could.
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Proctor wasn't just a recurring guest; he became the moral (or immoral) backbone of some of the show’s tensest arcs. He stayed on from 2015 to 2019, eventually becoming a series regular. Seeing him go toe-to-toe with Omari Hardwick’s Ghost showed a level of grit that Turtle never had. It’s arguably his most "human" performance. He wasn't playing a caricature of a Brooklyn guy; he was playing a father and a lawyer who was way over his head but too smart to quit.
Breaking Down the Big Screen: Movies You Might Have Missed
People forget that Ferrara has a pretty massive filmography. He’s not just "the TV guy." He’s been in everything from massive summer blockbusters to indie darlings that barely got a theatrical release.
- Think Like a Man (2012) & Think Like a Man Too (2014): These were huge. Playing Jeremy, the "non-committer," he showed he could do the romantic comedy thing without it feeling forced. His chemistry with the rest of the cast—especially Kevin Hart—was a highlight of both films.
- Lone Survivor (2013): This was a curveball. Peter Berg cast him as Sergeant Hasslert. It’s a small role, but it was a massive departure. He went from a Vegas suite in Last Vegas to a dusty military set in New Mexico almost overnight.
- Sully (2016): Working with Clint Eastwood is a "bucket list" moment for any actor. Ferrara played Michael Delaney in this retelling of the Miracle on the Hudson. It’s a restrained, professional performance. No flash. Just solid acting.
- Dating & New York (2021): This is one for the indie fans. He plays Cole, a doorman who acts as a sort of narrator/observer of modern dating. It’s a cozy, cynical, very "New York" movie that feels like a spiritual successor to his early days, but with more grey hair and wisdom.
Why Entourage Still Matters in 2026
We have to talk about it. It’s the elephant in the room. Entourage is over twenty years old now, which is terrifying to think about. But the show—and Ferrara’s portrayal of Turtle—is having a weirdly resilient second life.
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There’s a reason people still search for jerry ferrara movies and tv shows even though the show wrapped over a decade ago. It’s comfort food. But also, Turtle had the only real character arc in that entire group. Vince stayed the same. E stayed stressed. Drama stayed delusional. But Turtle? Turtle went to college. He lost the weight. He started a Tequila brand (Avión, which is a real brand now, partly thanks to the show's product placement). He became a mogul.
In a 2025 interview on the Awful Announcing podcast, Ferrara admitted that for years he said a reboot was impossible. Now? He says he "sees it." He thinks a 2026 version of the show would probably involve Turtle being the celebrity and someone else driving him. That’s a spin-off I’d actually watch.
The Career Credits You Probably Forgot
- Brooklyn Rules (2007): If you want to see him in a gritty, Scorsese-lite mob drama, this is the one. He stars alongside Alec Baldwin and Freddie Prinze Jr. It’s very Bensonhurst.
- Shooter (2017-2018): He had a recurring gig as Kirk Zehnder. Again, playing into that more serious, tactical vibe he developed post-2010.
- A Million Little Things (2018): A quick but memorable guest spot as Todd. It showed he could do the "tear-jerker" drama just as well as the "bro-comedy."
The Business Side: Fat Sal’s and Beyond
You can’t really talk about his career without mentioning that he actually is an entrepreneur, just like his character. He’s a co-founder of Fat Sal’s Deli. If you’ve ever been to the one in Westwood, you know it’s legendary. It’s rare for an actor’s real life to mirror their fictional "hustle" so closely, but Ferrara pulled it off. He also hosts a podcast called Throwbacks with former NFL QB Matt Leinart, where they basically just talk sports and nostalgia. He’s leaned into the "sports guy" persona, and it works because it’s authentic. He’s a die-hard Knicks fan, often seen courtside, and he doesn't fake the passion for it.
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Actionable Insights for Fans and Binge-Watchers
If you’re looking to dive back into his filmography, don’t just start with the Entourage pilot for the tenth time.
- Watch Power first. Specifically, start with Season 2. It’s the best way to see his range and how much he grew as a performer.
- Check out Lone Survivor. Even though it’s a small role, it’s a great example of him disappearing into a character that is the polar opposite of "Turtle."
- Listen to the Throwbacks podcast. If you want the real Jerry—the one who’s a dad, a sports nerd, and a guy who’s been through the Hollywood ringer—this is where you find him.
- Keep an eye on the reboot rumors. With the 20th anniversary recently passing, the talk about a reunion is louder than ever. Ferrara is officially "on board" with the right idea, so stay tuned to his socials for any concrete 2026 announcements.
The reality is that Jerry Ferrara survived the "one-hit-wonder" curse that claims so many TV actors. He did it by working hard, changing his look, and being willing to take smaller, more intense roles to prove he had the chops. Whether he's a mob lawyer or a guy looking for a rare pair of Dunks, he’s always the most relatable guy on the screen.