An Atlanta casting company that provides background extras for Sylvester Stallone’s series “Tulsa King” has left the production amid allegations that Stallone and a series director disparaged some of the actors.
Rose Locke Casting of Atlanta, which was hired to find actors over 18 for the Paramount+ series — now shooting its second season — quit the production after working conditions on the set were discussed on a private Facebook page for Atlanta background actors, according to Deadline.
Among the allegations on the Facebook page were that Stallone, 77, and one of the show’s unnamed directors called some of the extras “ugly,” “tub of lard” and “fat guy with cane.”
It was also alleged that Stallone suggested the production bring in “pretty young girls to be around me,” according to Deadline.
Rose Locke Casting quit “Tulsa King” on Sunday, April 7, according to its Facebook page.
“We wanted to send you an update on the happenings here in our casting world. We have chosen to part ways with ‘Tulsa King,’” the company said. “We will be finishing up next week and the 12th will be our last day.
“We send well wishes to whomever takes over the show. We thank all of you great background artists for your continued support.”
In a separate post, Locke urged her clients to get in touch if they heard or experienced anything on the show’s alleged “toxic” set.
“I have been informed of certain things that happened on Thursday, the first day of the casino [shoot],” she wrote in part. “I came the 2nd day (Friday) to see what was happening. At the end of the day I resigned because it was a clear toxic environment that I was not comfortable putting myself or background artists in.”
On Monday, writer Julie Benson, who’s not associated with “Tulsa King,” shared Locke’s message and added some other complaints about Stallone’s alleged behavior.
A source close to “Tulsa King” told Deadline that they only recently became aware of the social media posts and “are looking into the matter” as the series tries to match scenes from Season 1.
Deadline reported that the news about the alleged behavior on the “Tulsa King” set was picked up by other Facebook pages for background actors, including one run by Dee Dee McDaniel Simmons of South Carolina.
“Several groups are talking about what happened on the set of ‘Tulsa King’ filming in Atlanta,” she wrote. “At first I had hoped it was just a bad rumor started by 1 person who may have felt some type of way; but there have been countless people who were on set and have stated what they saw, how they were treated, etc.
“Sadly Sly Stallone and crew made things miserable for the background artists and many have said the set was completely unprofessional and a total mess. Although I have not personally worked with Rose Locke & CL Casting … I have great respect for them for pulling out of the project and looking out for their background artists.”
However, according to TMZ, “Tulsa King” director/producer Craig Zisk denied Locke’s allegations, and said no insults were ever uttered by anyone on the set.
Zisk said Locke was not on the set during the day of the alleged insults — and that her company improperly cast the extras for the series, who were supposed to “be in a hip, young bar” with actors to be cast in the 25- to 35-year-old range.
But the background actors were “considerably older,” according to TMZ, while Zisk said, “They were polite and did their jobs.”
Zisk said he told Locke that she needed to submit headshots of the extras to jibe with the filming, but that she said, “I don’t work that way,’” according to TMZ. Zisk said he told her, “That’s the way I work and everyone I know works that way in extras casting” and that Locke responded “OK” — then quit an hour later.
Zisk also said Stallone never said anything about “pretty girls around him,” and that his wife, Jennifer Flavin, was on set the entire time during filming.
On the Paramount+ series, which marks Stallone’s first TV starring gig, he plays New York mob boss Dwight “The General” Manfredi, who, after spending 25 years in prison, is sent by his bosses to be a force in Tulsa, Oklahoma — where he establishes his own “family” in an effort to build a new criminal empire.
The series was created by “Yellowstone” guru Taylor Sheridan. Stallone is one of its executive producers.