Academy Award winner Sylvester Stallone says he is delighted at finally getting the opportunity to star in a gangster project 50 years after he was denied a small role in The Godfather.
The actor found superstardom after the release of Oscar-winning sports epic Rocky in 1976, but prior to that he was a jobbing actor attempting to find his way in the industry, even after an acclaimed performance in The Lords of Flatbush.
The Godfather was released in 1972 and Stallone clearly knew it would be a hit as he desperately attempting to land a role in the movie, even as an extra.
“I went to Paramount, and said, ‘Can I be an extra in the wedding scene?’,” he recalled, speaking to Empire.
“They said, ‘Yeah, we don’t know if you’re the type of guy.’ I go, ‘I’m not the type? To play in the background, hiding behind a fucking wedding cake?’”
The Tulsa King
Now, Stallone will star in his own gangster series, funnily enough for Paramount +.
The Tulsa King sees the Rocky actor play mafia capo Dwight ‘The General’ Manfredi, released from prison after 25 years inside. Upon his release, he is instructed by his bosses to head to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to create a new crime empire.
“Finally I get my gangster shot 50 years later, and that’s perfect,” he said, alluding to his Godfather snub.
“Everything comes to those who wait."
The series will premiere on 12 November.
Comments (0)