Sylvester Stallone Defends Giving Daughter Scarlet a Role in ‘Tulsa King’

Sylvester Stallone says parents naturally want to give their children opportunities, defending his decision to cast his daughter Scarlet Rose Stallone in the Paramount+ crime drama “Tulsa King.” The 80-year-old actor acknowledged that family connections helped Scarlet get the part, but he drew a distinction between receiving an opening and succeeding once the work begins. “Can they maintain that level of excellence? That’s out of our hands,” he said, according to USA Today. Stallone also dismissed the criticism with humor, saying parents want the best for their children and try to give them every advantage they can.

Scarlet, 24, has appeared in the series since its first season as Spencer. Her role expands in season four as the character becomes more closely involved in the show’s fictional criminal operation. Stallone stars as Dwight “The General” Manfredi, a New York mobster who tries to establish an empire in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after a lengthy prison term. Stallone and his wife, Jennifer Flavin, have three daughters: Sophia, Sistine and Scarlet. His comments place the focus on a question familiar well beyond Hollywood: how parents can open doors for their children while leaving them responsible for proving what they can do.

While promoting the fourth season, Stallone also discussed the lasting physical cost of performing action scenes throughout his career. He told Fox News Digital that work on “The Expendables” contributed to extensive injuries involving his back, neck and shoulders. Stallone said he has undergone nine back operations and three neck fusions, and that both shoulders were badly injured. Looking back, he said he no longer considers doing his own stunts a wise choice. His advice now is direct: leave such work to trained stunt professionals. He described his younger decision to take those risks as foolish rather than a point of pride, saying the resulting damage has been brutal. The reflection came as the longtime “Rocky” and “Rambo” star continues leading “Tulsa King,” while sharing the screen with his daughter in her growing role.

Editorial note: FMN prepared this summary from Fox News Entertainment's undated report and independently structured it for readers.