Marking his first-ever role in a scripted television series, Sylvester Stallone plays the part of mob capo Dwight "The General" Manfredi in the Paramount+ series, Tulsa King. The show was created by Yellowstone's creator Taylor Sheridan, who then gave control to showrunner Terence Winter. It is currently airing its first season.
Stallone plays a convincing mob boss on the show. According to an interview in Variety, Winter says the character is more similar to Stallone than "anything he's ever done." Performing in a TV series has also been something new for the actor, who says shooting the show has been much more time-consuming than filming a movie.
"It's beyond tough," says Stallone. "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."
The demanding schedule of shooting Tulsa King has put Stallone's future with the series in doubt. He told Variety he's unsure if he'll return for a second season, but he believes modifications could possibly be made to allow him to see his family more. Either way, he says, it's a "big decision."
"Can they shoot it in my home in Palm Beach? That'd be nice," he jokes. "I talked to my wife about it. If she comes along with the kids to the set to visit, perhaps. But it's a big decision, it really is."
Stallone agrees with Winter's assertion that his character is similar to his real self, noting that "the only difference is the name." He's also enjoying getting to show another side of himself by acting in the series.
"People think after 'Rocky' that I'm a little impaired. Or after 'Rambo,' they think you're monosyllabic, dangerous and antisocial," he says. "What you see as Dwight is what you see right now. This is who I am."
The show follows Stallone's character as he is released from a 25-year prison sentence and sent to Tulsa, Okla. to drum up new business for the mafia.
READ MORE: 'Yellowstone' Creator Taylor Sheridan Wrote 'Tulsa King' Pilot in a Day
