Dia Dipasupil/Getty John Turturro.

Legendary actor John Turturro is best known for crafting memorable characters through his collaborations with directors like Spike Lee and the Coen brothers. But earlier in his career, Turturro's work with certain directors made him feel less like a collaborator and more like a punching bag.

Turturro got his start in movies in the fast-and-loose era of the 1980s, landing parts in films made by established names like William Friedkin ("To Live and Die in L.A."), Woody Allen ("Hannah and Her Sisters"), Martin Scorsese ("The Color of Money"), and Michael Cimino ("The Sicilian"). But not all his memories from this time are positive.

"A few of the people you mentioned — not Marty — were really rough," Turturro told Business Insider . "They were borderline beyond abusive sometimes. There was a lot of violence done to the actors in those movies."

John Turturro.…