Many actors in Hollywood would give anything to bring just one character to life who has a pop culture legacy that will stand the test of time, and Sylvester Stallone is making it happen for a third time as Tulsa King’s moves-making mobster Dwight “The General” Manfredi. The TV character is seemingly worlds away from the actor’s two most iconic prior roles: Rocky Balboa and John Rambo, but Stallone says it’s actually a dream combination of the two.
Ahead of Tulsa King’s third season hitting the 2025 premiere schedule, CinemaBlend spoke with Sylvester Stallone, and I asked him about how jumping back into playing Dwight on a regular basis compared to lacing up the gloves and strapping on the bandolier for Rocky and Rambo, and here’s what he told me:
Well, Rocky was a very, to me, kind of casual role. I felt very relaxed. Rambo is very stressful. Because you don't speak; you have to react physically a lot, and it's quite taxing. [Tulsa King] is the best of two worlds, because it's something I've always wanted to do. If you ever wanted an indictment of who Sylvester Stallone is, that's pretty much it.
I mean, we're going to go ahead and assume that Stallone's personal behavior isn't quite as criminal or deadly as Dwight's is, and that side of the character isn't part of the convo here. Rather, Dwight Manfredi seems to impart all of the badassery and fury of Rambo, but with a more calm and collected approach that would even put Rocky at ease. Assuming Rocky doesn't pull some shit like trying to work with Vincent Piazza's Vince Antonacci or anyone else behind Dwight's back.
Sly Stallone shared a bit more insight when it comes to how Dwight is both an extension of himself and his past characers, saying:
I have a very wry sense of humor. I like to put it out there. I also have a Rambo side. So it all seems to come into play in this in this character. I mean, it's great.
In the past, Stallone has shared his opinion that action movie heroes shouldn't talk much, which obviously stems out of his work on Rambo. But even though Tulsa King isn't a movie, and so that comparison doesn't quite match, I think we can all agree Dwight Manfredi would feel like a different person if he didn't talk much. How else are these characters going to learn about crossing the Rubicon and all of Dwight's other encyclopedic info-bombs?
So often, movie-centric actors make the transition to television by playing a role that contrasts what audienes are used to, and while that can sometimes go extremely well, the chances are high for it to fall flat. That's definitely not the case here with Tulsa King, however, and I can't wait for Season 3 to expand this Taylor Sheridan-produced empire.
Tulsa King's Season 3 premiere is now live for fans to stream via Paramount+ subscription, with new episodes releasing every Sunday.
