Sylvester Stallone has openly acknowledged employing nepotism by casting his daughter, Scarlet Rose Stallone, in the crime comedy-drama series Tulsa King, where he stars and serves as an executive producer. The 80-year-old actor defended his decision amid criticism, stating that providing advantages to his children is a fundamental aspect of parenting.

Scarlet Rose, 24, plays Spencer, a bartender hired by Stallone’s character, Dwight Manfredi. Speaking to USA Today, Stallone said it was natural for parents to use their influence to help their children, dismissing accusations of nepotism as short-sighted. “Of course it’s nepotism, you idiot. That’s why we’re parents. We want the best for our children. So obviously we let them have every advantage,” he said.

The debate over the role of “nepo babies” — individuals perceived to benefit from family connections in entertainment — continues to be a contentious topic. Some argue that such opportunities allow access without necessarily possessing the requisite talent, citing other celebrity offspring like Lily-Rose Depp and Brooklyn Beckham as examples. Stallone countered that what his daughter achieves with the opportunity is what ultimately matters. “Can they maintain that level of excellence? That’s out of our hands. But if you can open the door, we’ll see if they have the ability to go through it,” he said.

Scarlet Rose is one of five children Stallone has had over two marriages. She shares her stage presence with sisters Sophia Rose and Sistine Rose Stallone, whose acting credits include roles in films such as 47 Meters Down: Uncaged and Midnight in the Switchgrass, though Stallone was not involved in those projects. All three sisters appeared in the family reality series The Family Stallone, which aired for two seasons before being cancelled.

From Stallone’s first marriage to Sasha Czack came his sons Sage Moonblood and Seargeoh. Sage pursued acting as well and appeared alongside his father in Rocky V and Daylight before his death from heart disease in 2012 at the age of 36.

Tulsa King is currently two episodes into its fourth season. The series follows Stallone’s character, Dwight Manfredi, a Mafia figure establishing a family crime operation in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a new environment for the character in the Midwestern United States.