In April 2024, social-media posts accused Sylvester Stallone of making disparaging remarks about background actors on the Atlanta set of Tulsa King season two. The claims were disputed: director and executive producer Craig Zisk denied that the insults occurred and described a disagreement over casting extras for a bar scene. The reporting available here does not establish that Stallone made the remarks or what Paramount’s investigation ultimately found.
What Stallone was accused of saying
CNN reported on April 9, 2024, that two sources close to the show said social-media posts accused Stallone of describing background performers as “ugly,” a “tub of lard” and a “fat guy with cane.” Another post attributed to him the alleged request: “Bring in pretty young girls to be around me.” These are allegations relayed through posts and people close to production, not verified Stallone quotes. CNN’s April 9 report said two production sources told the outlet no formal complaints had been lodged at that time.
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CNN said the posts appeared to originate in Facebook groups about background actors’ experiences on the show. They gained wider attention after television writer Julie Benson shared purported screenshots on X. Benson was not affiliated with Tulsa King; CNN reported she learned of the claims from a friend who worked as a background actor. That sourcing chain matters: the reporting documents accusations circulating through posts and sources, but does not independently establish that Stallone made the remarks.
What Craig Zisk said in response
Zisk, the series’ director and executive producer, told TMZ that “no such insults were hurled.” He denied the alleged “pretty young girls” comment as well. In his account, the disagreement concerned a bar scene intended to feel hip and young: he said the production sought extras aged 25 to 35, while the people cast were considerably older than expected. He said they were used in the scene and described them as “polite and did their jobs.”
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Zisk said he asked casting director Locke to submit photos or headshots of prospective extras, and that she disagreed with that approach before leaving the production. TMZ’s April 9 report carried his account. CNN also reported a production source described a disagreement about matching the first season’s tone and Zisk’s request for photos of background actors. These accounts offer competing explanations; Zisk’s statement is a denial and his account of the casting process, not a public finding resolving the accusations.
Why the casting agency left
Catrett Locke Casting publicly announced that it had “chosen to part ways with Tulsa King,” and said it would finish the following week, with April 12, 2024, as its last day. The agency’s notice did not give a reason. Its departure therefore does not, by itself, confirm the alleged remarks or establish why the relationship ended. The Los Angeles Times report from April 10 quoted the agency’s public statement.
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What was reported about Paramount’s investigation
CNN and the Los Angeles Times reported in April 2024 that Paramount was investigating. CNN said interviews with cast and crew were underway while production continued, and that production plans were not changing at that point. The Los Angeles Times also relayed Zisk’s denial and his explanation that the extras were older than expected but were used in the scene; it said it could not reach a Stallone representative for comment at the time.
Those reports describe the situation in April 2024, not a final outcome. The material cited here does not establish whether Paramount later published a finding or issued another official statement, so it would be inaccurate to describe the investigation as currently ongoing or to claim that the allegations were confirmed or dismissed.
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What the record does—and does not—show
| Account | What it says | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Social-media posts and production sources, as reported by CNN | Posts accused Stallone of disparaging background actors and requesting “pretty young girls”; two sources close to the show told CNN no formal complaints had been lodged at that time. | That allegations circulated and were reported in April 2024; not that Stallone made the remarks. |
| Craig Zisk’s statement to TMZ | Zisk denied the insults and described a disagreement about the age and selection of extras for a bar scene. | His denial and explanation of the casting dispute; not an independent resolution of the allegations. |
| Catrett Locke Casting’s public notice, quoted by the Los Angeles Times | The agency said it had chosen to part ways with the show and gave April 12 as its last day. | The agency’s departure and stated final date; the notice did not state why it left. |
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