SAG-AFTRA Says There Is “No Room on Any Set for Disparaging ...

Actors’ union SAG-AFTRA is weighing in on the allegations that Tulsa King star Sylvester Stallone allegedly mocked the appearance of background actors on set in Atlanta.

When asked about the snowballing controversy, with one Tulsa King background actor speaking out on Wednesday about comments he believes were directed at him, a union spokesperson said in a statement, “There is no room on any set for disparaging comments to background actors or any performers. Though we have not been contacted directly about the incident on set of Tulsa King in Atlanta, SAG-AFTRA is committed to the safety and well being of cast members on all productions.”

SAG-AFTRA does represent background actors in some cases, though in Atlanta “the Union’s TV/Theatrical agreements do not cover background actors,” the spokesperson stated. “We are here to support with guidance if requested.”

On Monday, agency Catrett Locke Casting confirmed on Facebook that it had chosen to “part ways” with Tulsa King as claims circulated online about the treatment of background actors on the set of the Paramount+ show. In two screenshots circulated by a writer not affiliated with Tulsa King on X on Tuesday, casting director Rose Locke allegedly stated that she quit the show after visiting set and witnessing a “clear toxic environment that I was not comfortable putting myself or background artists in.” Locke has not returned requests for comment.

The second screenshot, allegedly from the moderator of a Facebook group, stated, “While working on TK this week Sylvester Stallone was observed calling the director over and saying ‘what the F* is up with these F**** ugly background [actors].’ He and the director proceeded to call certain people terrible names and laughed at them. ‘Tub of lard,’ ‘fat guy with cane’ and was making fun of their weight and handicaps. Sly said, ‘Bring in pretty young girls to be around me.’”

On the Catrett Locke Casting Facebook page, a background actor who said they were present at the shoot stated, “I was there, right behind Mr. Stallone. He shouted to the director to come over here. Lot’s [sic] of F bombs dropped. Stallone was very upset with the look of the background actors. Said they were hideous and old and fat. Next thing, people are being told to go back to holding and younger people were brought in.” 

The director of the shoot in question, Craig Zisk, has denied that this disparaging behavior took place, telling TMZ that Locke did not cast the kind of young background actors the show was looking for. Zisk told the outlet he did end up using the actors for the scene and they were “polite and did their jobs.” Later, Zisk says he told Locke she would need to submit photos for background actors and she later quit. The show’s producers, 101 Studios, have told THR they are looking into the claims.

On Wednesday, Tulsa King background actor Thomas Mooneyham, who says he was asked to leave a bar scene so he could be replaced with two other actors, spoke to Deadline about feeling that some of the alleged comments were directed at him. The 53-year-old, who carries a cane, said he noticed Stallone glance at him “a time or two” and laugh with someone who he supposed was the director. He didn’t hear their comments that day, but later, he read about the alleged remarks on a private Facebook page.

“What bothers me is that somebody overheard him and the director,” Mooneyham told Deadline. “It ain’t even the part that I am fat. I wasn’t the only big one that was there. But I do feel like I was singled out because they said ‘old tub of lard with the cane.’ I was the only one there with the cane.”

The second season of Tulsa King recently began shooting in Atlanta and Oklahoma after a successful first season that saw the series climb to becoming one of Paramount+’s most-watched shows since the streamer debuted.