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Sylvester Stallone Has a Blunt Response to Nepotism Critics Over His Daughter’s ‘Tulsa King’ Role

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Few stars speak as candidly as Sylvester Stallone, and the 80-year-old actor isn’t slowing down. His Paramount+ crime drama ‘Tulsa King’ returned for its fourth season on October 16, continuing the story of Dwight “The General” Manfredi, a New York mob boss exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, after serving 25 years in prison. Paramount+ has already renewed the Taylor Sheridan-created series for a fifth season.

One cast member has drawn particular attention. Stallone’s real-life daughter, Scarlet Rose Stallone, plays Spencer, a former barista turned horse caretaker and stablehand at Fennario Ranch. She first appeared in Season 1 and has since appeared in 22 episodes, with her role growing significantly in Season 4.

Her expanded presence has sparked familiar online chatter about nepotism, and now her father has addressed it head-on. In an October 16 interview with USA Today, which has since gone viral, Stallone openly admitted that casting Scarlet is nepotism and bluntly dismissed the critics who object to it.

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Rather than deny the advantage, he framed it as part of being a parent. Stallone argued that parents naturally want the best for their children and should give them every opportunity they can, suggesting that those who refuse to help aren’t putting their kids first.

He has even joked that a person isn’t a good parent if they haven’t performed a little nepotism. The comments quickly spread across social media, with many praising his honesty and others pushing back on the sentiment.

Stallone was clear that his help only goes so far. He told USA Today that whether a child can maintain a high level of excellence is out of a parent’s hands, explaining that he can open the door but his kids must prove they have the ability to walk through it. He also stressed that once an actor is performing in front of millions of viewers, talent becomes impossible to fake. In his view, performers either have what it takes or they don’t.

Spencer’s arc has steadily expanded since her introduction. By Season 3, she was helping Tyson, played by Jay Will, and Goodie, played by Chris Caldovino, scout a fraternity house for a drug theft, drawing on her college business classes to negotiate her share.

Her role is set to grow even further. Paramount+ has confirmed that Scarlet has been promoted to series regular for Season 5, with production moving from Atlanta to New York as Dwight returns to his Mafia roots.

For Scarlet, the experience has been about more than her career. Speaking to PEOPLE at PaleyFest NY on October 10, she said working with her father has allowed them to become friends. She also revealed that he teases her about her delivery, though she likes to remind him she belongs to a different generation.

Scarlet is the youngest of Stallone’s 3 daughters with his wife, Jennifer Flavin, alongside Sophia and Sistine. She is also branching out beyond acting, teaming with Rayll to develop the ‘Fears to Fathom’ horror video game franchise for film and TV.

Stallone’s comments land amid a broader Hollywood conversation about nepo babies and how much family connections shape careers. While some viewers will always question how Scarlet landed the part, her father seems entirely unbothered. Whether her career thrives will ultimately depend on what she does with the opportunity, a point Stallone himself made clear.

Do you agree with Sylvester Stallone’s defense of casting his daughter in Tulsa King?

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