There have been claims that Sylvester Stallone has created a 'toxic environment' during the production of Tulsa King.
The actor from the Rocky movie is currently shooting for the second season of the well-received drama series in Georgia, following its premiere on Paramount+ in November, 2022. AtlantaHowever, reports suggest that the 77-year-old and an unnamed director
reportedly made disrespectful comments about the appearance of some of the background actors, which led to the casting team Rose Locke Casting leaving the project. According to several sources, a number of extras shared their experiences on a private Facebook page for Atlanta-based background actors, claiming that the pair referred to some people on set as 'unattractive' and 'tub of lard'.
Additionally, it is reported that one man overheard himself being called a 'fat guy with a cane,' a comment that deeply affected him. US Variety obtained screenshots from Facebook, which alleged that Stallone said to the director: 'What the f**k is happening with these f**king unattractive background' – in reference to the extras.
Deadline The series made its debut on Paramount+ in 2022 (Picture: Paramount+)
‘He and the director proceeded to call certain people terrible names and laughed at them.’
A Facebook page for Rose Locke Casting directs followers to CL Casting, where a note posted on April 7 confirmed that they have left the project – but shared no details or reason behind their decision.
‘We wanted to send you an update on the happenings here in our casting world,’ it read. ‘We have chosen to part ways with Tulsa King. We will be finishing up next week and the 12th will be our last day.
‘We send well wishes to whomever takes over the show. We thank all of you great background artists for your continued support.’
A source close to the show told
that they had recently become aware of the posts and were investigating the allegations.
They also made it clear that those involved were trying to match scenes from the first series for creative purposes. Metro.co.uk Although Stallone has yet to speak out over the reports, director and executive producer Craig Zisk refuted the claims when approached by
He told the publication that no insults were hurled on set and said that the lead actor never said anything about being surrounded by ‘pretty girls’.
Furthermore, he added that Stallone’s wife, Jennifer Flavin, was present during filming. TMZ.
Stallone has not yet spoken publicly about the series (Picture: Getty)
In the first season of Tulsa King, Stallone's character, Dwight Manfredi, relocates from New York to Oklahoma after being released from prison.
Despite being a familiar face on our screens for many years, Stallone admitted to finding the experience of a TV show more challenging than expected.
‘It’s beyond tough. I can’t believe some people have done this for four, five or six seasons,’ he previously told Variety. ‘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!’
Metro.co.uk has reached out to representatives of Stallone and Paramount+ for a statement.
The show first aired in 2022.
Metro.co.uk has contacted reps for Stallone and Paramount+ for a comment.
