The actor who played John Rambo and Rocky Balboa, Sylvester Stallone, unexpectedly discovered that the Paramount+ crime series was his toughest role.
Sylvester Stallone was basically a man who lived off of chaos when it came to his previous roles in films; the best example of this would have to be the Rocky and Rambo franchises. He eventually secured his first major TV role at the age of 76 in the Taylor Sheridan series Tulsa King in 2022. Now that he has experienced a taste of being a TV actor, he is finally starting to understand how difficult it can be.
The father of five kids surprisingly called this experience “beyond tough”, but why was it even more difficult than his previous ventures? Well, it seems he has finally found a role where he can be himself after years of performing on the big screen. The character in question turned out to be Dwight Manfredi, a mafia boss who receives Tulsa after serving a 25-year prison sentence for murder.
Tulsa King: Sylvester Stallone Described Filming the Show as ‘Beyond Tough’
The physically demanding roles that Sylvester Stallone played in Rocky and Rambo may leave one wondering how any filming experience could top them. From taking countless punches in the boxing ring to performing intense stunts, his passion for what he did was unrivaled. But in the process of making Tulsa King, he found a new degree of difficulty.
In most other respects, Stallone is similar to his character in Tulsa King, even though he is obviously not a mobster. He told Variety in 2022:
“People think after Rocky that I’m a little impaired. Or after Rambo, they think you’re monosyllabic, dangerous, and antisocial. What you see as Dwight is what you see right now. This is who I am.”
Over time, Stallone’s characters from the films, like Rambo and Rocky Balboa, came to symbolize him. It was by no means an easy ride for him to live as an action figure or a boxing champion. He was actually hospitalized for several days during the filming of Rocky IV after taking a real punch from Dolph Lundgren (via Muscle & Fitness magazine).
However, it appears that filming a TV show is Stallone’s greatest obstacle to date. Speaking of Tulsa King, he stated:
“It’s beyond tough. I can’t believe some people have done this for four, five, or six seasons. It’s brutal compared to filmmaking. I’ll never say, ‘This is a hard shoot’ again on a feature. It’s a vacation compared to this! It really is.”
Making Tulsa King was not an easy task, but Stallone’s work was unquestionably valuable. Based on 47 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 79% approval rating and an average rating of 6.6/10.
Will Taylor Sheridan’s Show Return For Season Two?
Sylvester Stallone also informed Variety that he was not sure if he would return to Taylor Sheridan’s Tulsa King for another season. He joked:
“Can they shoot it in my home in Palm Beach? That’d be nice. I talked to my wife about it…But it’s a big decision, it really is.”
The actor appears to be returning to his work boots, as Tulsa King has been renewed for a second season since that time. According to Deadline, David Glasser, CEO of 101 Studios, stated the following the announcement of season 2.
“We could not be more excited about the success of Tulsa King. It’s a fun, fresh show that audiences are truly embracing in no small part because of its star, Sylvester Stallone.”
Given that Stallone never imagined he would have the opportunity to play a role like this, the actor claimed the shift was “liberating”. In an interview with Brooklyn Magazine, he answered questions about his Tulsa King’s role:
“It is the most liberating feeling because I never thought it was ever going to happen. I used to have to tell people that Rambo is a performance. I’m not really that monosyllabic, dark and petulant. I really don’t talk like Rocky either. People always assumed that’s who I am. This one, finally, is liberating because it is who I am..”
Of course, for any actor, it sounds like a dream come true to play a legendary character like John Rambo. But sometimes, Stallone finds the whole thing exhausting. And that is exactly why he loved playing Dwight Manfredi so much—it is a nice diversion from the brutality of action flicks.