Tulsa King star jokes his wife was afraid he would ‘get fired’

Dwight and Cal first meet at a fundraiser organized by ranch owner Margaret Devereaux. You can smell the testosterone through the screen as they start off on the wrong foot right away.

“Is there a problem?” Dwight asks, puffing out his chest after Cal orders him to stay in his lane.

“It wasn’t there, until it was,” he growls, undaunted by the sheer mountain of people before him, whose affairs increasingly impact his own.

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Speaking about the “toes to toes” with Stallone, who McDonough described as “one of the greatest” actors, he said: “I was so – not only prepared, but so excited and confident about my approach to the character that when I got there, Sly and I just butted heads in the first few takes, and my wife (producer and actor) Ruvé (Robertson) was on set, and she was like, ‘Honey, you’re being a little aggressive. He might not like it. Don’t get fired, this is a great job.’

“And then Sly comes around the corner. He’s staring at me with this look on his face and then he gets a smile on his face and gives me a huge hug and says, ‘Welcome to the show.’ Because I gave it my all and he loves it.

“He’s a fighter himself and it was great to have someone come in who was so prepared and ready to fight.”

McDonough went on to say that unlike many of the roles he has played (including villains or people of questionable morals), he is “very shy.”

“My wife calls me the lone wolf,” he added. “I kind of sit in a corner by myself and I’m just not that outgoing.”

But that all changes when he switches into execution mode – and that was especially vital for this role.

“When I play characters, I can do whatever I want, and the freedom that comes with that is amazing,” he said. “I have an innate confidence and I have no fear when I’m on a set like that. And to be opposite someone as talented and incredible as Sylvester Stallone, you have to be at your best, you have to be confident. You have to give it your all, because he’s strong in his choices and strong in his will and his confidence.”

He added: “It was a great test and I’m so proud of everything we did at Tulsa King this year.”

In Season 2, Dwight focuses on expanding his empire, but Cal Thresher and Bill Bevilacqua don’t make it easy for him.

“With the mafia looming in Kansas City and a powerful local businessman, Dwight struggles to protect his family and crew while keeping an eye on all his businesses,” the official synopsis reads.

“Besides, he still has a lot of unfinished business in New York…”

Tulsa King season 2 drops on Paramount Plus on September 15 in the US and September 16 in the UK – sign up for Paramount Plus here . Episodes will air weekly.

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