You've probably seen the posters. Sylvester Stallone looking sharp in a suit, standing in the middle of a dusty Oklahoma street like he’s lost but also owns the place. That’s the vibe of Tulsa King. But honestly, if you think this show is just a one-man "Stallone in the South" project, you’re missing the best parts. The Tulsa King cast members are what actually make this weird, mob-meets-cowboy experiment work.
It’s about the chemistry. You have these gritty New York mob archetypes crashing into local Tulsa quirky types. It shouldn't work. It really shouldn't. But it does.
The Heavy Hitters: Dwight and the New York Relics
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Sylvester Stallone. He plays Dwight "The General" Manfredi. It’s his first real TV leading role, which is wild considering how long he’s been around. Dwight isn't just Rocky with a pinky ring. He's a guy who spent 25 years in prison, kept his mouth shut, and expected a "thank you" but got a one-way ticket to Tulsa instead.
Stallone plays it with this weary, old-school dignity that’s kinda heartbreaking.
Then there’s the family he left behind—or the one that pushed him out. Domenick Lombardozzi as Charles "Chickie" Invernizzi is a standout. Most people recognize him from The Wire, but here he’s a different kind of monster. He's the son of the boss, living in his father's shadow and slowly losing his mind. His performance in Season 2, specifically when the power dynamics shift, is genuinely tense.
Then you have Max Casella. He plays Armand "Manny" Truisi. Manny is a former Invernizzi soldier who fled to Tulsa years ago to start a life as a horse ranch hand. He’s the most stressed-out man in Oklahoma. Seriously, the guy looks like he’s having a heart attack in every scene. Casella plays that "shaking like a leaf but trying to be tough" energy perfectly.
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The Tulsa Locals: The Real Heart of the Show
If the New York guys are the engine, the Tulsa locals are the soul.
Martin Starr plays Bodhi. You might know him from Silicon Valley or Freaks and Geeks. He’s the guy who owns the weed dispensary Dwight "taxes." Bodhi is the absolute opposite of Dwight. He’s tech-savvy, quiet, and basically a pacifist. Seeing their relationship evolve from extortion to a genuine, weirdly sweet partnership is the highlight of the series.
- Jay Will (Tyson Mitchell): He’s the young taxi driver who becomes Dwight’s right-hand man. He brings a necessary youthful perspective to Dwight’s "out of time" worldview.
- Garrett Hedlund (Mitch Keller): A former bull rider and ex-con who runs the Bred2Buck bar. Hedlund brings a quiet, simmering intensity that makes you realize he’s probably the most dangerous person in the room—including the mobsters.
- Dana Delany (Margaret Devereaux): She owns the horse ranch. She’s the only person who can actually look Dwight in the eye and make him feel like a regular guy, not a "General."
The New Faces of Season 3
Season 3 really kicked things up a notch by adding some massive names to the Tulsa King cast members roster. If you haven't kept up, things are getting crowded in Oklahoma.
Robert Patrick joined as Jeremiah Dunmire. Yeah, the T-1000 himself. He plays a powerful liquor magnate who isn't exactly thrilled that an Italian mobster is moving into his territory. Seeing Patrick and Stallone share a screen is like an 80s action movie fever dream.
Then we got Kevin Pollak as Special Agent Musso. He’s an FBI agent with a massive chip on his shoulder. He’s not the typical "white hat" lawman; he’s got a personal grudge against Dwight that goes back to the New York days. Pollak brings that fast-talking, sharp-witted energy he’s famous for, which provides a great foil to Stallone’s more deliberate pace.
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Oh, and the big one: Samuel L. Jackson. His arrival was rumored for months, but seeing him as a rival power player changed the entire gravity of the show. It’s not just a small-time operation anymore. It’s a war.
Why the Casting Works (and What Most People Get Wrong)
People often think Tulsa King is a comedy. Or a straight drama. The truth? It’s both, and that’s because of the actors.
The casting directors didn't just pick "mob types." They picked actors who can play the absurdity of a 75-year-old man trying to figure out how to use an Uber while simultaneously planning a heist. Andrea Savage, who played Stacy Beale in the earlier seasons, was vital for this. She brought a grounded, almost cynical energy as an ATF agent who somehow ends up in bed with the man she’s supposed to be watching.
It’s the contrast.
You have Frank Grillo playing Bill Bevilaqua, a Kansas City mob boss who brings pure adrenaline to the screen. Then you flip to a scene with Annabella Sciorra, who plays Dwight’s sister Joanne. Her scenes are quiet, domestic, and remind you that Dwight actually has a family he loves.
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Practical Insights for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of these actors, there are a few things you should check out. It helps to see where these guys came from to appreciate what they're doing here.
- Watch the "Family Stallone" reality show. It sounds cheesy, but you see a lot of the real-life chemistry between Sly and his daughter, Scarlet Rose Stallone, who actually plays Spencer the barista in Tulsa King.
- Follow the filming locations. A lot of the cast is active on social media during production. Since moving production from Oklahoma to Atlanta (for the later seasons), the cast has shared a ton of behind-the-scenes looks at how they recreate that "Tulsa" feel.
- Check out the Spin-offs. With the announcement of NOLA King (starring Samuel L. Jackson), keep an eye on how characters might crossover. The "Sheridan-verse" is real, and the cast members often pop up in other projects like Yellowstone or 1883.
The show works because it doesn't take itself too seriously, but the actors take their characters very seriously. When you watch Dwight and Bodhi talk about the philosophy of business in a weed shop, it’s funny because of the writing, but it’s compelling because Martin Starr and Sylvester Stallone sell it like it’s Shakespeare.
Keep an eye on the supporting players like McKenna Quigley Harrington (Grace) and Chris Caldovino (Goodie). They started as small roles but have become essential parts of the Manfredi crew. That’s the sign of a healthy show—when the "background" characters eventually become the ones you’re most excited to see on screen.
To stay ahead of the curve, track the production cycles on Paramount+. Usually, casting calls for new seasons leak about three to four months before filming starts. If you see more "law enforcement" types being cast, expect the FBI storyline with Kevin Pollak to take center stage. If they're casting more "cowboy" types, expect a return to the Mitch Keller/Bred2Buck focus.