Sylvester Stallone has been involved in controversy during the filming of "Tulsa King," with allegations emerging last month regarding his conduct towards extras on set. The 77-year-old actor, stars as mafia capo Dwight 'The General' Mandfredi in the series. Allegations painted Stallone and director Craig Zisk in a negative light, claiming they referred to extras as "ugly and fat." Both Stallone’s representatives and Zisk have denied these claims.
Stallone shared a behind-the-scenes video from the set in Atlanta, displaying camaraderie with co-stars Garrett Hedlund, Martin Starr, and Jay Will. The accusations first surfaced through now-deleted social media posts by TV writer Julie Benson, who cited distress from a friend working as an extra. Subsequently, casting director Rose Locke reportedly quit, citing a toxic environment.
The allegations include Stallone making remarks about the background actors’ appearance and demanding younger, more attractive replacements. While some on-set accounts supported these claims, others denied witnessing any improper behavior, noting Stallone seemed disinterested but did not hear offensive remarks.
Zisk strongly refuted the allegations and clarified that his instructions to Locke for casting were not followed. He denied comments about "pretty girls," noting that Stallone’s wife was present at the time. The actors’ union SAG-AFTRA also commented, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy for disparaging remarks but admitted to not being directly contacted about the incident.
"Tulsa King" continues production for its second season.