Frank Grillo was excited to step into Bill Bevilaqua’s cowboy boots once again for Tulsa King Season 4. After being held in federal custody for the bulk of Season 3, Bevilaqua wastes no time reestablishing himself as head of one of the fiercest outposts of the Renzetti family. In the Season 4 premiere, it’s clear that Bevilaqua hasn’t decided who will be the most useful to him as he amasses the power he craves: Dwight Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone) or Ray “Quiet Ray” Renzetti (James Russo). “Bill has no allegiance to either one of them, but he could use both of them against each other,” said Grillo. “He’s eager to see how it plays out before he decides who his true ally is.”
While Bevilaqua may have mixed feelings about both men, Manfredi has changed the way that Bevilaqua runs his operation. Before Bevilaqua encountered Manfredi, Grillo admits there was “complacency on Bill’s part” where his business was concerned. “Dwight did awaken something in Bill that continues to grow as the season goes on,” said Grillo. “Parts of Bill that he didn’t know will continue to surface.” As contentious as their relationship is at times, Grillo acknowledged that “Dwight respects Bill tremendously, and vice versa.”
Grillo was thrilled that Bevilaqua and Manfredi travel to New York City for a meeting of the Renzetti family in the Season 4 premiere. “Tulsa King is telling a lot of stories, but at its core, it’s a show about the mob,” said Grillo. One of the most shocking scenes of the episode occurs when Renzetti makes an example of a disloyal boss by cutting off his head and showing it to the rest of the men. “There’s a moment between Bill and Dwight when that head drops on the table,” said Grillo. “That energy carries forward into the future.”
Grillo hopped on a Zoom with Decider to discuss the Season 4 premiere, reveal what drives Bevilaqua, and more.
DECIDER: What I love most about Tulsa King is that—even when things are dark—everyone looks like they are having a great time. What does it mean to you to be part of this ensemble?
FRANK GRILLO: Oh, it’s huge for me. It’s no secret how much I revere Sylvester Stallone. It’s a gift to get to work with him and everybody else. He’s just really special. There are a lot of laughs, but we take our work very seriously. We just don’t take ourselves very seriously [laughs]. So, I’m glad you can see that.
Do you think Bill was content in Kansas City before Dwight came along? Or did Dwight awaken something in him?
That’s a great question that no one’s ever asked me. I asked myself that when I got the first script. The answer is, no, I don’t think he was happy. I really don’t. I think there was a complacency on Bill’s part. He was born into this lifestyle, but the Kansas City mob thing is small time compared to the New York family. Nobody’s taking him very seriously. Dwight did awaken something in Bill that continues to grow as the season goes on. Parts of Bill that he didn’t know will continue to surface.
It’s revealed in the first episode that Bill was held for four weeks by Musso and the feds. It’s clear that Bill is pissed, but Dwight tries to downplay what happened to him. I think that Dwight underestimates Bill. Would you agree?
Dwight respects Bill tremendously, and vice versa. However, I do think Dwight brushes him off because he’s part of the Midwestern faction of the Renzetti Crime Family. Dwight sees him as almost a podunk. I overuse the term “Machiavellian,” but I believe it’s a bit Machiavellian of Dwight to downplay what Bill’s been through. He’s trying to control the situation. If Dwight isn’t making a big deal about Bill’s abduction, why should Bill? It’s very interesting mind play.
I think Bill uses that “podunk” stereotype to his advantage at times. Like when he walks into Quiet Ray’s apartment wearing a cowboy hat to have a seemingly innocent conversation about Dwight—the hat is something we don’t typically see him wear. What did you think of the costume choice?
You’re exactly right. I choose when Bill wears the hat. Bill is very calculating with that hat and uses the perceptions that go along with it to his advantage. I don’t know if people notice, but I also change Bill’s voice a little depending on which character he’s interacting with. In New York, he sounds more Italian. In Tulsa, he sounds a little more Midwestern. I want Bill to be a chameleon. If he wants to be around them, he’s got to sound like them, right? It’s been fun to do that. It really has.
That meeting between the bosses in New York is such a powerful sequence, especially with the head-in-a-bag reveal! What was the highlight of filming that sequence?
That scene reminded me of the great mafia scenes in so many movies that I love. Tulsa King is telling a lot of stories, but at its core, it’s a show about the mob. I loved being around those guys pretending to be real mobsters. When I saw that head in a bag, I was like, “This is what I signed up for!” [Laughs] Plus, I got to sit across from Stallone. There’s a moment between Bill and Dwight when that head drops on the table. That energy carries forward into the future. It just gets better and better.
During their conversation at Quiet Ray’s apartment, I love when Ray asks Bill: “You hungry?” And Bill responds: “Only for power, Ray.” Is power the most motivating thing for Bill?
I think so. The same goes for all these guys. Only after you gain power and respect does the money come. It’s also a control thing.
I love how Bill issues the same warning to both Dwight and Ray about the other: “Be careful. I wouldn’t trust that prick to water my cactus.” What game is Bill playing?
For him, it’s triangulation. It’s what people often do. Your enemy is my friend, right? It’s like Bill is managing the chessboard that Dwight and Bill are playing on. That’s what he’s doing. Bill has no allegiance to either one of them, but he could use each of them against the other. He’s eager to see how it plays out before he decides who his true ally is. It’s very much like The Art of War.
I was going to ask if Bill was Team Dwight or Team Ray, but it’s clear he’s Team Bill.
Team Bill. He’s an opportunist, period. He does what he has to do. These guys are not gentle. Bill is only concerned with what benefits him and his family.
What can you tease about Bill’s journey this season?
I can tease that the stakes are higher than ever before [laughs]. There’s a level of involvement from Bill this season that I don’t think we’ve seen in the past. It gets really intense.