Garrett Hedlund is charming on and off the screen, and his role as Mickey in his latest, The King of Tulsa , is no exception.
Former rodeo rider and bar owner Mickey brings a down-to-earth yet aspirational energy to the Sylvester Stallone-led team.
Sitting down with Garrett via Zoom, it’s easy to see why his portrayal of Mickey resonates with fans – he approaches the character with warmth and complexity.
When we asked Garrett why Mickey was eager to work with Dwight, he offered a multi-layered perspective.
“Mitch is living a good life…he’s living a safe life, having paid the price for some chaos in his past,” Garrett explains, revealing a more vulnerable side of Mitch.
However, Mickey always had a lurking ambition waiting for the right spark to ignite it. Enter Dwight Manfredi, the legendary Mafia capo played by Stallone.
“Dwight enters the situation and comes up with more ideas – getting more money, facing more dangers and, hopefully, ultimately, more happiness.”
That last part lingers because it’s clear that Mickey’s motivations aren’t just for wealth or excitement – but a search for something deeper.
“I think Mickey is actually waiting for someone like Dwight to come into his life and tell him that’s not the case. That’s not the whole story.
Garrett’s words reveal that Mitch is driven by an uneasy feeling. He was used to the routine, but he knew life had more to offer. While Mitch isn’t completely reckless, he is looking for opportunities to push him out of his comfort zone.
This might explain why he was so quick to support Dwight’s illegal behavior. “They both have connections to prison life,” Garrett added, noting their similarities.
Mitch may be a good guy at heart, but he’s no stranger to bad decisions. He and Dwight share a common understanding that makes them golden kindred spirits in Tulsa.
“Mitch is a former rodeo rider, a bull rider and a composer, and he’s a natural fit to be one of Dwight’s right-hand men on his team of misfits.”
As for whether Mitch is fully committed to Dwight’s team, Garrett sees his character as someone who knows when to step up. “When he feels he can help, he steps in; when he feels he has the ability, he steps in.
“Beyond that, he can just sit back and watch things that have nothing to do with him.”
Mickey seems to have perfectly balanced involvement and self-preservation. He’s there when he’s needed, but he’s smart enough not to get bogged down in every little problem – and a lot of that happens.
One of the fun things about Tulsa King is watching the chaos that Dwight unintentionally brings about. When we mentioned this, Garrett couldn’t help but laugh: “Look, I think wherever Dwight goes, there’s definitely this cloud of chaos surrounding him.”
That’s part of what makes Dwight so charming – no matter how bad things get, he always finds a way out, even if it’s just with his teeth and a healthy dose of humor.
“You’re going to be on a long journey with Dwight this season because it’s certainly not going to end. New obstacles and opportunities keep popping up.
Speaking of obstacles, season two has introduced some heavyweights – Frank Grillo and Neal Macdonald have joined the cast of The Tulsa Kings, and Garrett is excited about the energy they bring to the table.
“It decorates [the show] It’s awesome,” Garrett said. “Grillo and Neal Macdonald are wonderful people, wonderful actors. Such wonderful additions… It adds more tension, more drama, more stakes, and you see Dwight and the crew How to finally get through it all.
It’s not just the new faces that change things – Garrett will be sharing more of his musical side in season two. His musicianship, Garrett confirms that we will be seeing more of this in the future.
“There are little details throughout,” he joked, though he was careful not to overpromise. “You never know what’s hidden in there, but yeah, it’s nice to get up and sing for the peeps once in a while.”
Fans of Garrett’s own music might be wondering if we’ll see any of his original compositions on the show, but Garrett teased that it wouldn’t exactly match Tulsa King’s high-energy vibe.
“Now I’m starting to wonder if I have any songs that are celebrating enough… I don’t have any songs that can compare to ZZ Top’s ‘Tush,'” he laughs.
Despite its light-hearted moments, there’s always been a simmering tension at Tulsa King that could escalate this season if a rat is discovered among the ranks. While Garrett didn’t reveal any spoilers, he agreed that this betrayal could upend everything for Dwight’s crew.
“There’s no drama without conflict,” Garrett points out, and audiences crave this sense of danger. “You want to be on the edge of your seat … wondering what’s going to happen to someone.”
That’s why Tulsa King is so compelling – you care about these characters, even if you worry that someone might make a mistake and betray the entire team.
As our conversation ends, Garrett is still excited about the new season. “I’m very proud of this season,” he said. “I thought the audience was going to thoroughly enjoy something…a lot of touching moments and big explosions. It didn’t disappoint.
Before we wrap up, we have one last fun question – if Garrett could play any character other than Mickey in The Tulsa Kings, who would it be?
Without hesitation, he smiled and replied, “Horses.” This witty, humorous response reminds us why Garrett is so beloved both on and off the screen.
It’s no surprise that the first episode of The King of Tulsa Season 2 premiered with huge ratings. It’s clear that Season 2 will continue to deliver more of the drama, emotion and action that fans have come to expect, with Garrett Hedlund’s Mickey appearing in the climax.
Watch The King of Tulsa online
