For Tatiana Zappardino, landing the role of Tina Manfredi in The King of Tulsa was no easy task.
Playing the daughter of a mob boss – especially the daughter of one played by Sylvester Stallone – comes with its own set of challenges, but for Tatiana, it’s exactly what she’s been doing for her from the beginning of her acting career. The role you envisioned yourself.
When asked if she had ever thought about playing such a role, Tatiana didn’t hesitate. “I believe in myself,” she said confidently.
After serving as a public affairs officer in the Marine Corps, Tatiana decided to pursue her dreams, maxing out her credit cards, taking classes, and dove into showbiz.
“Everyone thought I was crazy,” she laughs, recalling how she quit her job as a waitress to focus on acting full-time. “But I know it’s going to happen. I don’t necessarily think I’ll be playing Sly’s daughter, but I do look forward to working with great people one day.
One of Tatiana’s highlights in portraying Tina was the character’s acerbic sense of humor and no-nonsense attitude. “I love how snarky she is,” Tatiana said with a laugh.
“She’s the only one on the show who can get away from trash-talking Dwight and put him in his place at times.” Unlike other members of Dwight’s circle who often show him respect, Tina keeps him grounded.
“A lot of people on the show adored him and had a lot of respect for him, and she would be like, ‘No, be quiet. Stop it. That’s enough.’ I think my favorite thing was that she got away with murder a little bit.
Tina’s relationship with Dwight is complicated, made even more complicated by 25 years of estrangement. However, despite the years apart, their relationship seemed to develop quickly on the show.
Tatiana draws on her own experiences when discussing Tina’s decision to reconnect with her father. “Coming from personal experience of losing her father, I think Tina felt that 25 years was enough time. It was like, ‘What do I do? wallow in self-pity?’
“You have to get rid of it and decide, ‘Do I want it in my life? Yes. OK, let’s let it go,'” was her decision. “
Tatiana’s personal connection to her character adds depth to Tina’s actions. Tina was very decisive. Once she makes up her mind, she sticks to it.
This decisiveness is shown in how Tina takes control of her life, whether it’s standing up to Dwight or taking steps to protect herself and her family.
“Tina is not the kind of person who wants to sit back and watch. She wants to be in control of her own destiny and her children’s lives. She doesn’t want to rely on other people to do it. She’s strong.
“She’s a strong person; she’s a Manfredi,” Tina said, noting that Dwight still sees her as a child. “She hasn’t grown up in his eyes.”
So, Tina bought a gun to take control of the situation. “She woke him up and said, ‘No, I’m not a kid anymore. It’s time to let go a little bit and let me deal with things,'” Tatiana explained.
Tatiana appreciates Tina’s strength and independence, but she’s eager to see Tina’s character develop further.
“I felt like Tina fell into a Betty Crocker family-style character, and I really wanted to be one of those characters that women could look up to and say, ‘Man, I’m Tina Manfredi. I’m that kind of character. The girl who takes care of business and walks the walk while everyone else is talking.
What makes Tina stand out on the show is not just her strength, but the way she navigates the male-dominated world of Tulsa Kings. “It’s a very ‘man’s world’ show,” says Tatiana, who admits that there are a lot of male characters in the show.
But this does not mean that women are marginalized. Female characters are finding their own way to assert themselves. Neither Tina nor Joan just stood aside quietly.
Tatiana took an active role in shaping Tina’s character and even advocated for certain changes on set. She recalled a scene where Tina was supposed to say she would try to cooperate with her husband just because of the proximity, but Tatiana refused.
“I said, ‘No, that’s not Tina. She can be fine without a husband. But that doesn’t mean Tina should be without a man.
Tina’s personal life takes a turn in King of Tulsa Season 2 Episode 6 when she develops a potential romantic relationship with Mitch, a rugged, laid-back character who is the polar opposite of her ex-husband.
“I think the show needs romance somewhere, and I do think that Tina and Mitch, even though I never spoke to him in season 1, once they got together, it was kind of like, ‘Oh, I You can see that. I love that.
“He had a rugged temperament that was the complete opposite of her ex-husband and still had traces of her father. We married a man like our father.
“I think he’s a good balancer for Tina because she’s a little bossy, a little loud, maybe a little bit New York. And he’s a little bit redneck, so he kind of likes to let her off the hook. I think it’s going to go somewhere. A place. I hope so.
Although the relationship is still in its early stages, Tatiana sees the potential to grow. “I absolutely loved working with Garrett, so I’m hoping that this collaboration will flourish and maybe end up being like Beth and Rip,” she said with a laugh, clearly excited about the idea.
In addition to Tina’s storyline, Tatiana’s work on The Kings of Tulsa also gave her some insight into the world of fandom. While she may not have been recognized in the grocery store yet, she’s noticed how passionate the show’s fan base has become.
“I really don’t wear makeup and no one recognizes me,” Taniana admits. “They turn me on a little more. “I wear T-shirts that say Aragorn or The Office. No one recognizes me and I’m happy with that. I like to keep my personal life private.
For Tatiana, acting is about more than just fame. It’s about the craft and opportunity to inspire others, especially women.
“I want to play roles that inspire women,” she said. That’s one of the reasons she’s so enthusiastic about the evolution of Tina’s character.
“When she was in New York, she had her own business. She wasn’t a stay-at-home mom, and now she’s suddenly in the kitchen in Oklahoma just cooking and tucking the kids. Tatiana thinks Tina wants to Want more.
“I think she hasn’t found her place in Oklahoma yet. I think in season three, I hope they can really find where she belongs in the storyline and not just this behind-the-scenes happiness. area.
As for how the rest of the season unfolds, Tatiana gave us a glimpse into the chaos that awaits in the season finale. She warned against getting too attached to anyone and hinted that there could be some shocking exits as the season ends.
“I’m not going to tell you the specifics. What I’m saying is, don’t get too attached to any of the characters because there’s a lot of carnage in it.
“There are so many big guys in the kitchen now, I think some of them have to go,” she laughs.
New episodes of The King of Tulsa will premiere Sunday on Paramount+.
Watch The King of Tulsa online
