Hollywood's iconic action hero Sylvester Stallone is back in Tulsa King Season 2 as Dwight "The General" Manfredi, a mafia boss who once ruled the underworld of New York City before going to prison for almost 25 years. Tulsa King Season 1 kicked off with Dwight stepping back into the game with a plan to re-establish his empire in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
With Stallone playing the titular character, the Paramount+ series also introduced fans and viewers to Tatiana Zappardino’s Cristina "Tina" Manfredi-Grieger, the mafia boss' estranged daughter. The actress played a recurring, yet crucial figure in Tulsa King Season 1, as it helped deepen Dwight Manfredi's story.
Tina was deeply affected by her father's arrest and involvement in the mafia world which strained their relationship. She has been living as an independent woman with a family and owns a florist store. Read more to explore Tina's story in the crime drama.
Exploring Tatiana Zappardino’s character Tina in Tulsa King
As seen in Tulsa King Season 1, when Dwight Manfredi is released from prison in episode 1 titled Go West, Old Man, he asks Chikie (Domenick Lombardozzi) if he knows that his ex-wife divorced him due to his arrest and that he hasn't talked to his daughter Tina for 18 years. This was the first mention of Tatiana Zappardino’s character in the crime drama.
As mentioned above, Tina owns a florist store in New York and has a family of her own. In episode 2, Dwight Manfredi searched for Tina online and called her. He was surprised that his daughter is married and has a happy family. As expected, Tina talked to him briefly and coldly, highlighting her conflicts with his father.
However, Dwight didn't give up on his daughter and finally met her in person. Though it started as a strained father-daughter relationship, viewers see Tina trying to reconcile with her father in Tulsa King.
By the end of Season 1, Tina revived her relationship with Dwight and even thought of relocating to Tulsa with her family. However, before that happens, Dwight faces the most unexpected betrayal from Stacy who gets him arrested.
Tina Manfredi-Grieger was abused in childhood
One of the most compelling parts of Tina Manfredi's story in Tulsa King Season 1 was her childhood experience with abuse when her father was in prison. Initially, it was believed that Tina's trauma was only due to Dwight's absence in her life, but later it's revealed to be more than that.
In a shocking twist, Dwight learned that his beloved daughter was sexually assaulted by Nico, who was one of the members of his mob family. Following the betrayal, Dwight ruthlessly killed Nico in front of other mobsters who didn't dare to speak a word. This highlights Dwight Mafredi's status in the mafia world, as despite not knowing the exact story, his fellow mobsters accepted Manfredi's actions.
Tatiana Zappardino is a regular cast member in Tulsa King Season 2
Tatiana Zappardino had a limited role in Tulsa King Season 1, but she's a regular cast member in the second chapter which arrived on the streamer in September. The crime drama is reaching its finale as the seventh episode arrives today, with the finale set for a release in November 2024.
While talking about the father-daughter relationship in Tulsa King Season 2, Tatiana Zappardino said in an interview with Pop Culture Unplugged:
"There’s a lot less animosity this season. In Season 1, there was a lot of resentment from Tina because her father had left her. This season, it’s more about them getting to know each other again."
The actress also sheds light on Tina's future in Tulsa King and hopes she evolves into a more powerful character and "become part of the mob" just like her father did. Tina might also find a new love interest as she crosses paths with Mitch, who's completely different from her ex-husband.
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