Sylvester Stallone Defends Nepotism in Casting Daughter Scarlet in 'Tulsa King'

Sylvester Stallone has addressed accusations of nepotism after casting his 24-year-old daughter, Scarlet Stallone, in the Paramount+ crime drama "Tulsa King." The 80-year-old actor defended his decision, stating that parents should embrace nepotism to provide their children with opportunities.

"Of course it’s nepotism, you idiot," Stallone told USA Today in a recent interview. He elaborated on his stance, explaining, "First they go, 'Nepotism is terrible.' I said, 'Oh please, you’re not a good parent if you haven’t performed a little nepotism. Then obviously you don’t care about your kids, because they come first."' Stallone added, "That’s why we’re parents. We want the best for our children. So obviously, we let them have every advantage."

Stallone, who shares daughters Sophia, 30, and Sistine, 28, with wife Jennifer Flavin, also noted that ultimately, a child's ability to succeed is out of a parent's hands. "Can they maintain that level of excellence?" he questioned. "That’s out of our hands. But if you can open the door, we’ll see if they have the ability to go through it."

He acknowledged that while it might be easier for his daughter to secure a role, maintaining it requires genuine talent. "People will say, 'She got that job, it’s too easy.' You’re right. Perhaps it could be. But to maintain that, to be in front of millions of people, you either got it or you don’t."

Scarlet Stallone portrays the character Spencer in "Tulsa King," where Stallone's character, Dwight "The General" Manfredi, is released from prison after 25 years and exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he begins building a criminal empire.

Earlier this year, Stallone and "Tulsa King" director Craig Zisk faced allegations of making derogatory remarks about background actors. A now-deleted social media post by TV writer Julie Benson claimed that Stallone and Zisk allegedly called extras "ugly and fat." Rose Locke, a casting director for the series, reportedly quit due to the incident.

Zisk denied the claims to TMZ, stating that Locke improperly cast the extras for a scene set in a "hip, young bar." He asserted that the actors cast were considerably older than the desired age range of 25 to 35. Zisk claimed he asked Locke to submit headshots to ensure the actors fit the scene's premise, and she responded by quitting the show. Stallone's representatives did not comment on the allegations at the time, according to the Daily Mail.

In the series, Stallone's character Manfredi is released from prison after a 25-year sentence and sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he establishes a new criminal enterprise with a group of diverse characters.