Stallone and Jackson's Unexpected Bromance on Tulsa King

In September 2025, veteran actor Sylvester Stallone, 79, revealed that he initially felt a sense of pressure when he learned that acclaimed actor Samuel L. Jackson, 76, would be joining the cast of his hit Paramount+ drama series Tulsa King.

Stallone, who leads the show as mafia capo Dwight "The General" Manfredi, recalls thinking that Jackson's addition would lead to a "fist fight" and "battle" between the two seasoned performers. However, Stallone's concerns were quickly put to rest when Jackson, who plays ex-con Russell Lee Washington Jr., warmly greeted him on set, saying, "Hey, dude brother."

Despite the two actors living just "a hundred yards away from each other for almost 30 years," they had never actually worked together before Tulsa King. Stallone notes that their careers had taken different paths, but they've now found a strong on-screen chemistry, with the veteran stars joking they could do a spin-off called "Tulsa King and Buddy."

Looking back on his own remarkable journey from struggling actor to Oscar winner, Stallone expresses surprise at how far he's come, wishing he had been "more aware" of the "chaos" during his early days. Now, at this stage of his career, the actor is focused on being "more grounded" and "steady," developing his own projects like Tulsa King to "really flesh it out."