The actors union SAG-AFTRA has weighed in after Sylvester Stallone was accused of insulting background actors on the set of his popular Paramount+ series Tulsa King earlier this week.
The union — which ended its strike against major Hollywood studios in November — noted that ‘disparaging comments’ directed at background actors would not be permitted, via a statement.
Stallone, 77, was accused of mocking extras on the show’s set in Atlanta, Georgia, over their weight and appearance, as well as one actor’s use of a cane.
However, the director that Stallone allegedly complained to on set has denied the accusations.
In its statement, a spokesperson for SAG-AFTRA stated: ‘There is no room on any set for disparaging comments to background actors or any performers.’
The actors union SAG-AFTRA has weighed in after Sylvester Stallone, 77, was accused of insulting background actors on the set of his popular Paramount+ series Tulsa King earlier this week; pictured in November 2022 in NYC
The union — which ended its strike against major Hollywood studios in November — noted that ‘disparaging comments’ directed at background actors would not be permitted, via a statement; still from Tulsa King
Although the union clarified that it had ‘not been contacted directly’ about Stallone’s alleged behavior on set in Atlanta, it stated that ‘SAG-AFTRA is committed to the safety and well being of cast members on all productions.’
It’s unclear what steps the union might take — if any — as it also clarified that ‘the Union’s TV/Theatrical agreements do not cover background actors’ in Atlanta, though there are some instances in which the union does represent extra, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
‘We are here to support with guidance if requested,’ the statement concluded.
In Tulsa King, the Rocky actor, 77, stars as mafia capo Dwight ‘The General’ Mandfredi, who just got out of prison after serving a 25-year stretch. He is exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he builds a new criminal empire with a group of unlikely characters.
The show’s second season is currently filming in Atlanta, with the claims against Stallone emerging in a since-deleted X post from April 8 by TV writer Julie Benson which read: ‘Got this disturbing news from my Atlanta friend who’s background on Tulsa King this wk.
‘Casting agent quit because she was so disgusted. My friend is feeling anxious about working now.@TheSlyStallone what do you have to say for yourself, sir? Beyond disappointed, I’m livid.’
Rose Locke, a casting director on Tulsa King, had quit the series.
The post included screenshots of a Facebook post which claim Stallone was heard saying to the show’s director Craig Zisk: ‘What the F*** is happening with these F****** ugly background’ – referring to the extras in a scene.
Despite its statement against ‘disparaging comments’ on set, SAG-AFTRA said it doesn’t represent background actors in Atlanta; still from Tulsa King
Stallone was accused of creating a ‘toxic’ working environment after allegedly complaining about ‘ugly’ extras and a ‘tub of lard’ with a ‘cane’
The post continued: ‘He and the director proceeded to call certain people terrible names and laughed at them. ‘Tub of lard,’ ‘fat guy with cane’ and was making fun of their weight and handicaps.
The post further alleged ‘Sly said, “Bring in pretty young girls to be around me.”‘
Another background actor claimed on the CL Casting Facebook page: ‘I was there, right behind Mr. Stallone. He shouted to the director to come over here. Lot’s of F bombs dropped.
‘Stallone was very upset with the look of the background actors. Said they were hideous and old and fat. Next thing, people are being told to go back to holding and younger people were brought in.’
The Facebook post said Locke has resigned from the show and that background actors ‘all need to stand together’ in order to ‘show this production we don’t support this kind of disrespect in GA.’
Another screenshot was of an email allegedly from Locke in which she wrote she had gone to the set after being ‘informed of certain things.’
‘At the end of the day I resigned because it was a clear toxic environment that I was not comfortable putting myself or background artists in.’
She apologized to the recipients of the email and added her number to gather information about anything people ‘saw or heard. I will be sending the info to HR.’
In Tulsa King, the Rocky actor stars as mafia capo Dwight ‘The General’ Mandfredi, who just got out of prison after serving a 25-year stretch. He is exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma
The post included screenshots of a Facebook post which claim Stallone was heard saying to the show’s director Craig Zisk: ‘What the F*** is happening with these F****** ugly background’ – referring to the extras in a scene’
The Facebook page for Rose Locke Casting — which refers visitors to the page for CL Casting — posted a statement on April 7 announcing it had parted ways with Tulsa King.
The post read: ‘Hi team, we wanted to send you an update on the happenings here in our casting world. 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.
‘Love You Mean It — Rose, Bailey, Chicago, Patrick and Robb.’
One background actor wrote on Facebook in response: ‘I was there! I was 10 feet from Stallone and I did not hear him say those words BUT he did seem to not to want to be there.
‘He never spoke to any extras and he did call the Director over and whisper things and there was a heavy set man on a cane as an extra. I LOVE Stallone but I was very disappointed in him. He was only there for an hour and a half so I do not want to hear him say anymore how grueling shooting a tv show is.
Other extras claimed they did not see any unsavory behavior, writing: ‘I observed nothing out of the ordinary, nothing different than any of the other Background Acting experiences I have been involved in.
Another penned: ‘I noticed nothing out of the ordinary onset. One of the directors was a bit feisty with his ‘let’s be quiet OR keep it down so we can work’ yet, I have heard that on every set. Not a big deal.’
A third wrote: ‘There were some remarks made that i personally heard… things could have been handled more tactfully, but it’s their show.’
One background actor wrote on Facebook in response: ‘I was there! I was 10 feet from Stallone and I did not hear him say those words BUT he did seem to not to want to be there’
Craig Zisk, the Director and Executive Producer of the Paramount+ series denied the claims to TMZ and said Locke, who was not on set during the day of the alleged encounter, improperly cast the extras
Zisk, the Director and Executive Producer of the Paramount+ series denied the claims to TMZ and said Locke, who was not on set during the day of the alleged encounter, improperly cast the extras.
The director said the extras were supposed to be in a ‘hip, young bar,’ and the plan was to get actors in the 25 to 35-year-old range. He says the actors who were cast were considerably older.
Zisk said he ended up using the actors for the scene and added: They were polite and did their jobs.’
He claims he told Locke she needed to submit headshots of the extras to ensure they met with the premise of the show an says she responded: ‘I don’t work that way.’
He responded: ‘That’s the way I work and everyone I know works that way in extras casting. He claims she responded ‘OK’ but then quit an hour later.
Zisk denies Stallone said anything about ‘pretty girls’ and added his wife Jennifer Flavin was on set at the time.
On Wednesday, the Tulsa King background actor Thomas Mooneyham told Deadline that he felt ‘singled out’ after hearing claims that Stallone had allegedly described an actor as a ‘tub of lard’ and a ‘fat guy with a cane.’
Mooneyham did not hear the alleged comments himself, but he believes they were directed at him, as he uses a cane for knee pain.
‘I was seated at a table with another gentleman, like we were listening to the band,’ he explained. ‘Stallone’s table with the other main characters was diagonal from ours, about 12 feet away.
Zisk denies Stallone said anything about ‘pretty girls’ and added his wife Jennifer Flavin was on set at the time (pictured together 2022)
Tulsa King background actor Thomas Mooneyham told Deadline on Wednesday that he didn’t hear Stallone’s alleged comments but believes they were directed at him, as he ‘was the only one there with the cane’; seen in December in Las Vegas
‘I did notice that he looked at me a time or two and he talked with, I guess, the director and laughed with him and all,’ he recalled. ‘But I didn’t put anything together.’
However, he said the two were subsequently ‘moved from the scene and replaced with the younger cowboy and a good-looking cowgirl.’
‘Now does that bother me? Not in the least. What bothers me is that somebody overheard him and the director,’ he continued. ‘It ain’t even the part that I am fat. I wasn’t the only big one that was there. But I do feel like I was singled out because they said “old tub of lard with the cane.” I was the only one there with the cane.’
DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Sylvester Stallone and Paramount+ for comment.
