The latest season of Tulsa King brings a familiar face back into Sylvester Stallone’s orbit.
Robert Patrick, known for roles ranging from Terminator 2 to The Sopranos, joins Season 3 of the Paramount+ series, marking the first time he and Stallone have shared the screen since the 1997 crime drama Cop Land.
Patrick plays Jeremiah Dunmire, a powerful bourbon distillery owner whose business becomes caught in the crossfire when Stallone’s character, Dwight Manfredi, expands his operations in Oklahoma. The tension between the two men fuels a central storyline throughout the season.
Speaking with UPI, Patrick recalled the impact Stallone had on him early in his career and throughout filming Cop Land. “Rocky was one of the most inspirational films I ever saw,” he said. “I asked him how he came up with the idea for it, and he explained it was a metaphor for his own career — he just needed a chance. It hit home even harder after that.”
The dynamic between their characters remains competitive, but layered. Patrick noted Stallone’s ability to balance toughness with vulnerability: “He’s one of the few actors who can be a formidable adversary and have some vulnerability,” Patrick said. “He’s so good at vulnerability.”
When Patrick arrived on the set of Tulsa King, the reunion was immediate. “He walked on set and said, ‘Hey, Robert, it’s been a few weeks,’ and I said, ‘It’s been a few years.’ We settled in. I knew it would be fun.”
Dunmire and Manfredi are written as men of the same generation with similar values — loyalty, legacy, and control over their territory. However, Dunmire views Manfredi’s arrival as an intrusion that warrants portrayal as men of the same generation, sharing a similar sense of retaliation.
“This guy comes in from out of nowhere, and now he’s cutting in on my turf,” Patrick said. “I’m offended and I’m disrespected. I’ve got to fight back.”
Season 3 pushes those tensions further. Recent episodes show Dunmire forming new alliances as the stakes in Tulsa escalate. Meanwhile, Dwight continues navigating shifting loyalties and threats — including a recent attempted attack tied to Dunmire’s camp.