Tulsa King is one of the flagship shows of Paramount+ that has consistently impressed the audience with its thrilling storyline. Season 1 of the crime drama, which premiered in 2022, introduced the audience to Dwight "The General" Manfredi, played by Sylvester Stallone.
As mafia capo Dwight moves to Tulsa after serving a 25-year sentence in prison, he forms alliances and rivalries with various crime lords, played by some highly talented actors.
The cast expanded in season 2 with the addition of actors like Frank Grillo, who plays Bill Bevilaqua, a crime boss from Kansas City. Known for his performances in shows like Prison Break and Kingdom, Grillo added a new dimension to the narrative of Tulsa King with his iconic role as an antagonist.
Frank Grillo plays crime boss Bill Bevilaqua in Tulsa King
Frank Grillo makes his first appearance as Bill Bevilaqua in the premiere episode of Tulsa King Season 2. He is warned by Cal that Dwight is intruding into his territory in Tulsa. Bill is shown as a powerful gangster with a strong grip over the city, but his control is tested when Dwight arrives.
To tackle Dwight, Bill starts plotting against him by pushing Cal and the District Attorney, Dylan McGrath, to work together to ruin his case in court. Meanwhile, his frustration grows as he realizes that Dwight is not backing down and is even building up his own operations, like setting up a dispensary.
Bill tries to pull in support from Chickie and others, while Dwight’s presence keeps on getting stronger. He then steps up his efforts to intimidate Dwight by meeting him and demanding a share of his profits. But Dwight stands his ground and argues that Bill has already lost control of Tulsa.
The power struggle intensifies after Dwight’s gang kills one of Bill’s hitmen, Carl Caputo, and dumps his body outside Bill’s place. This act sets off a war between Dwight and Bill, and the latter comes under pressure.
Bill subsequently gets torn between his anger over losing Carl and his interest in the money Dwight is generating. He feels conflicted, as he wants revenge for Carl’s death, yet he is tempted to keep Dwight alive for business reasons.
Dwight agrees to a sit-down with Bill and offers him a cut of his profits, hoping to avoid more bloodshed. However, Bill feels unsettled by the deal and is not fully committed to peace, suggesting he might strike back if the partnership stops being profitable.
Bill’s desire for control reaches a new level when his men urge him to attack Dwight and make it look like New York is to blame, but he decides that the money Dwight brings in is too valuable to lose, at least for now. Yet, his trust in the deal remains shaky.
The situation becomes even more tense when Dwight’s ally, Tyson, attempts to get revenge on Bill, leading to a shootout between Tyson and one of Bill’s men. Although Bill has not planned to take immediate action against Dwight, this incident pushes him closer to a breaking point.
Hence, Billy’s dynamics with Dwight have seen significant ups and downs in Tulsa King. The two have gone from being arch-rivals to partners. However, with Billy still unsure about keeping the deal, it is possible that the two might face off against each other again.
Soon after Tulsa King Season 2 premiered in September 2024, Frank Grillo hinted at how his relationship with Dwight would change over the course of the season. He said in an interview with MovieWeb:
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"It's that classic kind of, you know, [Dwight is at] someplace that belongs to me, and he's there without my permission. And when I come to ask for what's mine... you know, the rest of it ensues. And it starts out where we're so adversarial, and it goes in another direction, and that's what I loved about it.”
Tulsa King Season 2 airs on Sundays on Paramount+.
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