Paramount+’s Tulsa King is back for its third season, and so is its formidable lead, Sylvester Stallone. At a global press conference hosted by ABS-CBN’s Yong Chavez, the legendary actor and executive producer discussed the show’s evolution, his creative process, and the deeper themes behind his mobster-turned-mentor character, Dwight “The General” Manfredi. Stallone also opened up about his enduring career, revealing how Tulsa King has reignited his passion for storytelling and offered new dimensions to explore as both an artist and a man.
Reinventing the Modern Gangster
Stallone admitted that taking on a gangster story after iconic series like The Sopranos felt daunting. “The idea that you can come up with a gangster film, something new… you’re going to be compared against them,” he said. Yet, through Dwight Manfredi, a mobster forced to rebuild his life in Tulsa after prison, Stallone found a way to balance toughness with vulnerability.
He emphasized that maintaining humanity is key to the character’s appeal. “Without love, there is no story,” Stallone explained. “When we started, I was a terrible guy, hurting people, lost his wife, lost his daughter. He has to rebuild that.” By infusing Dwight with longing and compassion, Stallone said he wanted audiences to “like him” and see that even hardened men need connection.
Writing, Faith, and Finding Meaning in the Work
Known for writing many of his own films, from Rocky to Rambo, Stallone described the writing process for Tulsa King as “verbal math.” He elaborated, “The dialogue has to add up to something. You want all the characters to say something that matters.”
He revealed that early scripts went through countless rewrites as new ideas and storylines emerged. “Once the writing is done, 90 percent of the problems are over,” Stallone said. But by Season 3, he noted, “Everyone trusts one another… I haven’t touched literally a word. The machine is flowing.”
When asked about his upcoming memoir, The Steps, he reflected on his 50-year career with humility and spirituality. “Time promotes forgetfulness,” he said. “But when you look back, you realize you didn’t do it alone. Every fight, every friend, every moment with your parents—it all leads to now. You’re the sum total of everything that’s ever happened.”
Masculinity, Vulnerability, and the Value of Empathy
A recurring theme in Stallone’s conversation was his exploration of masculinity across his characters from Rocky Balboa to Dwight Manfredi. “I think the worst disease in the world is loneliness,” he said. “Dwight has to make a choice, be angry and bitter or make friends, make a family.”
That sense of connection, Stallone believes, extends to his real life. “It’s very intoxicating being treated like a king,” he said of fame. “But you have two choices: be grateful or be arrogant. I tell my daughters, ‘Be empathetic, because 90 percent of people are doing things they have to do, not things they want to do.’”
He also admitted that prioritizing work over family earlier in life came at a cost. “I used to keep it superficial. I thought work is important, but it’s second,” he said. After surviving multiple back and neck surgeries, he promised himself to change. “It takes a transformative moment to wake you up. Knocking on death’s door will do it.”
The Evolution of Tulsa King
Now entering its third season, Tulsa King continues to expand under co-creator Taylor Sheridan, whom Stallone praised as a kindred spirit. “Taylor and I both failed as actors before finding success as writers,” Stallone said. “Through failure, he discovered incredible success. Writers are precious.”
He described the show’s growth as both personal and professional. “The first season, you’re jumping out of an airplane with no parachute. Everyone was skeptical—‘Why is Stallone doing TV?’” he recalled. “But the show worked because it had heart, energy, and humor. By Season 3, the characters have become family. You’ve lived with them for three years. It’s a relationship.”
Stallone teased that Season 3 will be the show’s most emotional yet, with “seismic” moments involving Robert Patrick’s character and deeper exploration of Dwight’s flaws. “My character is messing up,” he said. “He’s failing and needs another gangster’s help to get back together again. It’s going to be incredibly complicated, but emotional.”
Longevity, Legacy, and What’s Next
Reflecting on his unmatched career, spanning six decades of box-office hits, Stallone said, “There’s no secret. It’s just having the right vehicle at the right time for the right audience.” He compared iconic cinematic moments to “a rocket taking off,” explaining, “You have the music, the love, the fight, all happening at once. That’s magic.”
Still, at 78, Stallone isn’t slowing down. “Love for the game” is what drives him. “I want to do it better, be more sincere, more emotional, more spiritual,” he said. “Something wonderful is happening in my brain. It’s called wisdom. I wish I knew then what I know now, but I’m going to put as much living into life as I can.”
As for Dwight Manfredi’s future, Stallone promised even bigger stakes in Season 4. “Life is constantly an earthquake,” he said. “The audience is going to see that. What’s made this season work is that [Dwight’s] not doing well. Dwight’s a mess, and that’s human. That’s life.”
New episodes of Tulsa King season 3 stream Sundays on Paramount+
