Home / Arts and Entertainment / Stallone Reveals Samuel L. Jackson's Eagerness to Join Tulsa King Universe
Stallone Reveals Samuel L. Jackson's Eagerness to Join Tulsa King Universe
16 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Stallone says Jackson "wanted to do it so badly" and approached the producers
- Jackson brings a confident "swagger" to the set, challenging Stallone
- Jackson's character Russell Lee Washington Jr. is a hired hitman in Tulsa King
According to Sylvester Stallone, veteran actor Samuel L. Jackson was the driving force behind his involvement in the Tulsa King universe. Stallone, 79, states that Jackson, 76, "wanted to do it so badly" and went directly to the producers to secure a role.
Jackson's confident and commanding presence on the Tulsa King set has been a highlight for Stallone. "He knows he's got it. He knows he's the man. He's has a certain swagger," Stallone notes, adding that the two actors' dynamic feels like "high noon" and a "gunfight." This mutual challenge has brought out the best in both performers.
Jackson made his Tulsa King debut in the penultimate episode of the show's third season, playing the role of Russell Lee Washington Jr., a hired hitman. The episode appears to serve as a backdoor pilot for the upcoming Nola King spinoff series, which will follow Russell's return to his hometown of New Orleans.
