Sylvester Stallone has heard the criticism about casting his daughter Scarlet Rose Stallone in Tulsa King, and didn't shy away from the nepotism claims.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Instead, the Hollywood actor doubled down on his decision, claiming that any good parent would have done the same.
"Of course it's nepotism, you idiot," Stallone said in an interview on Oct. 16.
"First they go, 'Nepotism is terrible,'" he told USA Today. "I said, 'Oh please, you're not a good parent if you haven't performed a little nepotism. Then obviously you don't care about your kids, because they come first.'"
Stallone added, "Of course it's nepotism, you idiot. That's why we're parents. We want the best for our children. So obviously, we let them have every advantage."
Scarlet Rose Stallone, 24, has a recurring role as "Spencer," a former barista who follows her mafia family's footsteps into a life of crime, in Tulsa King.
Sylvester Stallone Argues Nepotism Doesn't Guarantee Success
Although her famous father helped her land the role, Stallone noted that nepotism does not guarantee success, and that second-generation stars are responsible for spurring their careers.
"Can they maintain that level of excellence?," he asks in the USA Today article. "That's out of our hands. But if you can open the door, we'll see if they have the ability to go through it."
"People will say, 'She got that job, it's too easy.' You're right. Perhaps it could be. But to maintain that, to be in front of millions of people, you either got it or you don't."
Scarlet Rose Stallone made her feature film debut in 2024, starring in "Reach Me" alongside her father. Last year, she appeared in "Hunting Season" starring Mel Gibson and "Gunslingers" starring Nicolas Cage. She will get another shot to prove her acting chops on Tulsa King Season 4, which is airing on Paramount+.
The crime drama premiered in November 2022 and boasts an 86 percent Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Sylvester Stallone plays the series protagonist, Dwight Manfredi, a New York mafia capo who is exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Tulsa King Season 4 premiered on Oct. 16 on Paramount+.
