Tulsa KingThe hit Paramount Plus series from creators Taylor Sheridan and Terence Winter, returns for its second season on September 15. Sylvester Stallone stars as Dwight Manfredi, a New York mobster who is successfully hypnotized in Tulsa, Oklahoma after of serving 25- years in prison. Over the course of Season 1, Dwight sets up a stand in Tulsa, reunites his ragtag Mafia family, takes on a local biker gang, and frees himself from his New York roots, while trying to reconnect with his estranged family. In Tulsa King season 2, he will go up against his former supporters in New York, and the Kansas City Mafia, who do not take too well to an East Coast interloper doing business in their area.
Season 2 of Tulsa King sees the return of the main actors in front of the camera, and the main writer behind the scenes. Winter is no stranger to gangster stories, having contributed to the success of legendary series such as The Sopranos again Boardwalk Empire. Tulsa King fits right next to those games, offering a mix of comedy, drama, and tough guy action, all courtesy of Sylvester Stallone.
It is expected to start on September 15 Photo by Tulsa King's second season, (((THENEXUS))) interviewed host Terence Winter about his work on Taylor Sheridan's series. He talks about some of the sad things in the Manfredi family, including his relationship with his late brother, an off-screen character whose death brings Dwight back to NYC at the beginning of the first season. He also talks about the audience's fascination with gangsters, and tackles the question everyone is asking: where is Badface?
Terence Winter On The Secret Family Lore Of Tulsa King
“Dwight's efforts to mend his broken family will continue in season 2.”
(((THENEXUS))): I watched the first season in two days, and I was sad that I only got the first episode of the second season, only the first episode. I said, “I need more! I'm hooked!”
Terence Winter: I love hearing that.
Before we begin, I have a special connection to your work that I must share. I live in Kelly McDonald's house from Boardwalk Empire, out in Far Rockaway.
Terence Winter: Oh, my God, no! You live in that house in Far Rockaway? Wow. That's crazy. I remember the biggest production challenge of shooting that house. We had to make the road look like a dirt road. I can't remember how we ended up doing it. Maybe we did it in CGI or whatever. But wow, that's amazing. What a small world. I spent a lot of time there. I grew up in Brooklyn, so I spent a lot of time in the Rockaways. You make me homesick!
Yeah, stuck in LA, I guess?
Terence Winter: Yes. We've lived here for seven years now, and maybe a few more. When the kids are in college, we can go back to New York.
I have some questions about the new season, about the first season, about the lore of the show. But the first one I want to ask is personal, about Joe, who we haven't seen on the show, but he's Dwight's late brother. They show the MTA jersey. Was he a bus driver?
Terence Winter: He was a token clerk. He worked in the token booth. Yes. His nickname was Token Joe. On the subway in New York, when you used to buy tokens, when that was a thing, that was his job.
Maybe you can't say it, but are we going to remind them that maybe we had that tension between being a working Joe and being a gangster?
Terence Winter: I can't give any details about that, but what I can say is, Dwight's efforts to mend his broken family certainly continue during season two. Dwight is a young man, you know, twenty-five years old, abandoned his family. More as a way, as he said, to protect them mentally, but in reality it was beyond him. And now you're trying to make up for lost time. He is trying to mend the broken relationship with his estranged sisters, and of course with his daughter and grandchildren. So, throughout the course of that, we'll get more insight into what the early days of that family were like.
My father was a bus driver, that's why I asked. When I saw that it was a uniform, I was like, oh…
Terence Winter: It was Ralph Kramden!
Bro, you don't even know. I mean, he was a tough guy and quick to anger, but he was so cute!
Terence Winter: Same guy! That's Ralph!
Almost literally. That was him, rest his soul.
Terence Winters Why Stallone Is Perfect for Tulsa King
“I think Dwight, in a different time and place, would have grown up to be a businessman.”
So, let's talk about Stallone, who plays Dwight. He's a star level where, no matter who he's playing, there's that sense of calling him Stallone. But… Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't feel the vanity you might expect from someone of his caliber, you know what I mean?
Terence Winter: Right.
But I also feel like the show is kind of, to some extent, shaped by his sensibilities, too.
Terence Winter: Yes, you're right. I mean a real person is incredibly warm. He despises himself. He's really funny. You are really smart. You are incredibly well read. Not like Dwight. I think one of the best compliments I got from him was when he read my pilot. He said, “This fits me like a tailor-made suit. This is me if I were a mobster. This is how I talk. It's perfect. This is my chance to show the world who I am.” You know, Rocky isn't the brightest guy in the world, he's adorable and sweet. But he is not exactly a scholar. And Rambo said nothing. Stallone said, “I finally get a chance to speak and do monologues and show people that I can not only do this, but I think it will be really surprising for people to see me in a different way.” I think, for him, it was a real breath of fresh air to finally get to stretch those muscles.
I feel like Dwight is not a Tony Soprano-level sociopath. Maybe it has to do with his relationship with his family, but he aims to legitimize himself and the choices he made. Tony Soprano and Nucky Thompson and Dwight Manfredi are all great friends, but can you talk about what made Dwight stand out from the characters you've worked with before?
Terence Winter: I think Dwight, at heart, is a rational, rational man. He is not a bully. I mean, most mobs in real life are bulls in Chinese stores. I think Dwight in general, will respect people until he feels they don't deserve it, and then the other shoe drops. He thinks in the sense that he is actually thinking about the world. He has had plenty of time in prison to reflect on his decisions. And he is incredibly well read. He has a much broader base of knowledge about the world than most gangsters. As you say, Tony was more, you know, more violent, maybe. I think Dwight, in a different time and place, would have grown up to be an entrepreneur. Like most New Yorkers, he was probably still rough around the edges, but not quite a gangster.
I think that's what makes him unique. He has a sense of humor. He is a good man. He really wants to go straight, but he has limited conflict resolution skills and limited business skills. But he tries. And sometimes, you know, he makes the wrong choices and creates more problems for himself. And then it's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy that things go wrong.
Building on his character, I have another question I want to ask. The guy in the burning building, I can't remember the character's name, but the guy Dwight kills in an act of kindness, and he goes to jail for killing him, was he the first one Dwight had ever killed or was it just him. that he was caught?
Terence Winter: Well … You know, in the history of the show, he was the first guy Dwight killed. Whether that's true or not, I don't know. (Laughs) The answer is kind of both. It was definitely the first time he was arrested. He then killed another boy in self-defense in prison. These are the only two things on his record. But whether or not Dwight has ever killed someone else, you'll have to ask him. He won't even tell me!
There are things like this that I do not understand in the world and in our country and in our humanity. Just another idea to get rid of criminals. One is just like, how does Dana Delaney get better as she gets older? Like, I don't know how that works. But it works.
Terence Winter: Those are the two biggest questions in life! Second, you'd have to ask Dana, but you're right. She is a lovely woman. Regarding the gangster story, I feel like, if you paint anyone in their colors as a person, you will find moments of relatability and sympathy. No one is one thing. No one is bad or good. There are times when you say, “Oh my God, this guy loves his dog, but he's a bank robber.” Or he goes, “he loves his kids,” you know, or “he's funny,” or “he helped me once.” And he goes, shit, now I have to rethink this since he's not all bad.
I guess who is Dwight again. You meet this guy and you're like, yeah, he's a criminal. But on the other hand, there is respect for him, too. So it becomes difficult. I met a lot of these guys in real life. It's the same thing where, obviously, they're not good people, but then again, there are human moments where you go, “okay, okay, there's that.” Do you know? So I think that makes it difficult for listeners sometimes. He's like, wait, why am I naming this guy? But you see a little of yourself there. I think, also, about Dwight, and someone like that, if you put them in a situation…
You and I go to the DMV and it's an incredibly frustrating experience. You see the mob boss doing that. He is not immune to this bullshit that we have to go through! And he's like, look now he has to deal with this, what a ridiculous nonsense to do. Or watch him try to order a coffee at Starbucks or discover the craziness of the world. It's delicious! You go, “Oh wow, he feels the same way I do about these things. He's going through the same things and it makes him so relatable and human.”
He must get his student's permission.
Terence Winter: Absolutely. Yes. All those things.
Tulsa King's Supporting Cast Deserves Much Credit
“Across the board, we have this incredible lineup, a very deep bench. There's nothing these guys can't do.”
Stallone, his name is on the show, but he has a great supporting cast. We talked about Dana Delaney, who, you know, is incredibly talented. Max Casella, I love him, and he gets to play a unique character that I don't know we've ever seen.
Terence Winter: I've always said Max is my secret weapon. I have worked with him many times and hope to work with him many times in the future. You are a miracle. Domenick Lombardozzi, Chris Caldovino, Vinny Piazza, Garrett Hedlund, Jay Will, Martin Starr. I mean, just across the board, we have this great lineup, a very deep bench. There is nothing these people can't do, or won't do. And that's part of the fun of season 2.
Now that we know all these characters and have set the table, now you know them more and they can grow. Now we can put them in situations full of conflict and emotions. The other thing is, sometimes there's this alchemy where you put two characters together in combinations you've never seen before and you say, “Oh my God, this is great. We should see more of this!” You know, throw Max Casella and Jay Will together. He's like, “Wow, these guys are funny together.” That's something to look forward to in season two, which I'm excited about and proud of.
I have to say, I love Domenick. He's one of my favorite actors, going back to… I think Miami Vice was the first thing I saw him in. But the first few episodes, I honestly didn't recognize her because I had never seen her with hair before. !
Terence Winter: He had that bad toupee, and I knew where that was going. Obviously, that moment at the end of the season is when you'll see that she's wearing a toupee and people in the audience were like, “Why? Her hair looks bad, that's the worst look ever!” I said, “Just wait. It has to be, we know that.”
You have to have that Gene Hackman Lex Luthor moment where he finally rips it off.
Terence Winter: Yes, absolutely. He is our Lex Luthor.
Last question. America needs to know. Where did Badface go? Where is Badface? Are you coming back?
Terence Winter: No, he's in jail. I think we've talked…
He said that he is not there.
Terence Winter: Yes, unfortunately he was arrested and is in prison. They may or may not appear. You will never know. People are getting out of prison. But I can't say or promise anything. But for now he is under arrest. Not an actor! Just a character.
That's right. So there is no bad blood with the actor.
Terence Winter: No, not really. Not even remotely, no, he was beautiful!
I was like, oh, Badface would have had such a good time at the bar shooting everyone at the end.
Terence Winter: Yes, absolutely!
More about Tulsa King Season 2
In Season 2, Dwight (Stallone) and his team continue to build and protect their growing empire in Tulsa, but just as they're getting their bearings, they realize they're not the only ones who want to stake their claim. With threats from a gang in Kansas City and a very powerful local businessman, Dwight struggles to keep his family and crew safe while keeping track of all his affairs. In addition, he still has unfinished business back in New York.
Check out our past Tulsa King discussions here:
Tulsa King season 2 premieres September 15 on Paramount Plus.