Royalty Has Arrived: Samuel L. Jackson's Character Introduced in Latest Episode of 'Tulsa King'

Paramount+ series Tulsa King just introduced its latest cast member in the penultimate episode of season three, a moment poised to change the show's direction forever.

Hollywood legend Samuel L. Jackson is officially part of the series as Russell Lee Washington Jr., a hired hitman and old friend of main protagonist Dwight Manfredi, played by Sylvester Stallone.

His character's debut also serves as the backdoor pilot for his Tulsa King spinoff, NOLA King, which was announced in June.

Setting Up the Spinoff

In the episode titled 'Dead Weight', it is revealed that Russell met Dwight in prison, where Dwight saved his life at least once. Russell arrives in Tulsa after being hired by Quiet Ray, played by James Russo, to assassinate his old friend.

Instead of carrying out the hit, Russell offers Dwight a 'professional courtesy' by warning him about the threat. During their conversation, Russell admits he wants to leave his life of crime behind and says he is impressed with what Dwight has built in Tulsa.

This interaction sets the stage for Jackson's upcoming spinoff series, which will likely follow his character after he departs Tulsa.

'He wanted to do it so badly' - Stallone

Series star Sylvester Stallone revealed in an exclusive interview with Us Weekly ahead of the season three premiere in September that Jackson himself pushed to join the show.

'He was the aggressor. He wanted to do it so badly,' Stallone said. 'He went to the producer. The producer came to me.'

Stallone also praised Jackson's on-set presence, noting that he 'walks onto the set with complete confidence' and approaches Tulsa King no differently.

'He knows he's got it. He knows he's the man. He has a certain swagger,' Stallone added.

Series creator Taylor Sheridan is known for attracting high-profile talent to his projects, and Jackson, now 76, is the latest major star to join his growing universe.

When the spinoff was announced in June, Jackson told Collider that Tulsa King had long been on his watchlist, along with several other Sheridan projects. He also admitted he knows 'very little' about what will happen in NOLA King.

'At least 15 of those shows are on my watchlist all the time,' he said. 'I watched Tulsa King, and I liked it, even before that idea came up.'

Other Known Details About the Tulsa King Universe

NOLA King is slated to begin filming in February 2026, with Jackson leading the cast. Stallone's Dwight Manfredi is also expected to appear. No additional casting announcements have been made, and there is no release date yet.

Meanwhile, the season three finale of Tulsa King will stream on Paramount+ next Sunday, 23 November.

In a surprising development reported earlier this month, 26 crew members were told not to return when production begins for season four. According to Deadline, this includes Stallone's long-time stunt double Freddie Poole.

Poole, who also serves as the show's stunt coordinator and has worked with Stallone for 14 years, told Deadline that 'creative reasons' were behind the decision. He was offered a photo double position but declined.