Robert Patrick, who plays the formidable antagonist Jeremiah Dunmire in the Paramount+ crime drama Tulsa King, recently shared a heartfelt story behind a key line of dialogue. The actor revealed he deliberately included a tribute to his late co-star, James Gandolfini, connecting his current role back to his time on the iconic HBO series The Sopranos.
A Deliberate Tribute to James Gandolfini
During the third season of Tulsa King, Patrick’s character, Jeremiah Dunmire, confronts Sylvester Stallone’s Dwight Manfredi and delivers a memorable, taunting line: “How’s your balls, Manfredi?” This was not a random choice. Patrick confirmed this was a direct nod to his experience filming The Sopranos more than two decades ago.
In Season 2 of The Sopranos, Patrick played Davey Scatino, a desperate gambler who finds himself in debt to Tony Soprano. Before filming an intense scene where Gandolfini’s Tony was to physically intimidate Scatino, Patrick joked with the actor backstage, telling him to bring his A-game for the beating. The next day, Gandolfini walked onto the set, tossed aside a cigarette, and greeted Patrick with that exact phrase: “How’s your balls?” The unusual and memorable line stuck with Patrick ever since.
“I was thinking about it, having The Sopranos experience, how to tie that in. I really wanted to do that, and I wanted to do it for The Sopranos fans, because I imagine there’s a lot of Sopranos fans that are watching Tulsa King and enjoying it.” – Robert Patrick
Decades later, while filming Tulsa King Season 3, Patrick saw an opportunity to honor that memory. He improvised the line as his character stepped out of a car to confront Manfredi. When Stallone asked about the line’s origin, Patrick explained the connection to Gandolfini. Stallone loved the tribute so much that he jokingly suggested Gandolfini deserved a writing credit.
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The Shared DNA of Two Crime Dramas
This connection is more than a simple inside joke; it highlights the shared DNA between the two shows. Tulsa King features several creatives from The Sopranos, including executive producer and writer Terence Winter. The cast also includes Sopranos alumni like Annabella Sciorra, who played Tony Soprano’s girlfriend Gloria Trillo and now appears as Dwight Manfredi’s sister, Joanne.
The line serves as an easter egg for dedicated fans, creating a throughline between the two series. It acknowledges the similar world of crime, loyalty, and violent rivalries that both shows explore, while respecting their distinct tones. The Sopranos is widely regarded as a dramatic masterpiece, while Tulsa King takes a more comedic, fish-out-of-water approach to the genre.
Robert Patrick’s Role in Tulsa King Season 3
In the show’s third season, which wrapped up with its finale on November 23, 2025, Patrick took on the role of the main antagonist, Jeremiah Dunmire. His character kidnapped Dwight Manfredi’s sister and became a central threat to the fledgling Tulsa criminal empire. The season culminated in a fiery showdown where Dwight Manfredi rescued his sister and ultimately set Dunmire ablaze. This finale marked the end of Patrick’s character, confirming he will not return for the already-renewed fourth season.
The improvisation of the “How’s your balls” line became a fitting, full-circle moment for Patrick, connecting his current work to a pivotal early role and paying respect to a former co-star. The moment resonates as a seamless and personal homage within the world of television crime dramas.
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