Sylvester Gardenzio "Sly"Stallone (/stəˈloʊn/; born July 6, 1946) is an American actor and filmmaker. In afilm career spanning more than fifty years, Stallone has receivednumerous accolades, including aGolden Globe Award and aCritics' Choice Award, as well as nominations for threeAcademy Awards and twoBAFTA Awards. Stallone is one of only two actors in history (alongsideHarrison Ford) to have starred in a box-office No.1 film across six consecutive decades.[1][2] Films in which he has appeared have grossed over $7.5 billion worldwide.[3]
Regarded as anicon of action cinema, Stallone is credited with helping redefine theHollywood action hero.[6][7][8] He has occasionally ventured from the action genre, with mixed results. He starred in the comediesOscar (1991) andStop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992), the first film failed at box office[9] office but the second one had modest success. He also starred in the 1997 dramaCop Land, for which he temporarily shed his sculpted physique and gained weight for his role as a powerless sheriff. In television, he has starred in theParamount+ crime seriesTulsa King (2022–present). In addition to his film work, Stallone is a noted art collector and painter, and has written books on fitness.
Early life and education
Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone[10][11][12] was born in theHell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City's Manhattan borough[13] on July 6, 1946,[14] the elder son of celebrityastrologer andwomen's professional wrestling promoterJacqueline "Jackie" Stallone (née Labofish; 1921–2020) and hairdresserFrancesco "Frank" Stallone Sr. (1919–2011),[15][16] who opened up and ran a group of hair salons inMaryland and was an avidpolo player.[15][17] His mother was an American fromWashington, D.C., withBreton French[18] andUkrainian Jewish ancestry,[19][20][21] while his father was an Italian immigrant fromGioia del Colle[16] who moved to the U.S. in the 1930s.[22][23] His younger brother is actor and musicianFrank Stallone.[16] Many biographies of Stallone indicate that his birth name is "Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone" and his mother explained in an interview that she originally named him "Tyrone" because she admired the actorTyrone Power, but Stallone's father changed it to "Sylvester". His nickname as a child was "Binky" but he chose to go by the nickname of Mike/Michael after schoolmates began calling him "Stinky".[10][11][12] His middle name "Gardenzio" is an alteration of the Italian given name "Gaudenzio" and he usually shortened it to "Enzio".[24]
Complications during Stallone's birth forced his mother's obstetricians to use two pairs offorceps while delivering him, accidentally severing a nerve in the process.[25][26] This caused paralysis of the lower left side of his face (including parts of his lip, tongue, and chin) which gave him his signature snarling look and slurred speech.[26][27] As a result, he was bullied in his childhood, with which he coped by getting into bodybuilding and acting.[28] A guidance counselor once told Stallone's mother: "Your son is suited to run a sorting machine or to be an assistant electrician, primarily in the area of elevator operations"; nevertheless, Sylvester aspired to be an actor and a screenwriter.”[29]
Stallone spent part of his infancy in foster and boarding care, rejoining and moving back with his family to Maryland when he was five. In the early 1950s, his father moved the family to his mother's native Washington, D.C. to open a beauty school. In 1954, his mother opened a women's gym called Barbella's.[30][31] He initially stayed with his father following his parents' divorce when he was 11, but joined his remarried mother inPhiladelphia when he was 15.[32]
At one point, Stallone was voted "Most Likely To End Up In The Electric Chair" in high school;[33] nevertheless, Stallone attended Notre Dame Academy andAbraham Lincoln High School in Philadelphia,[34] andCharlotte Hall Military Academy inCharlotte Hall, Maryland, prior to attendingMiami Dade College.[35] He spent two years, from September 1965 to June 1967, at theAmerican College of Switzerland. He returned to the United States to study as a drama major at theUniversity of Miami, from 1967 to 1969, but did not graduate.[36] Decades later, after Stallone's request that his acting and life experiences be accepted in exchange for his remaining needed college credits to graduate, he was granted aBachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree by the University of Miami in 1998.[37][38]
Until 1969, he appeared on the stage under the name Mike Stallone; in 1970, he started using the stage name Sylvester E. Stallone. While attending the University of Miami, Stallone had a role in the dramaThat Nice Boy (akaThe Square Root), filmed in 1968.[39][40][41] Moreover, he andJohn Herzfeld worked together in 1969 on a low-budget self-produced film called "Horses".[42]
Stallone had his first starring role in thesoftcore pornography feature filmThe Party at Kitty and Stud's (1970). He was paidUS$200 for two days' work.[43] Stallone later explained that he had done the film out of desperation after being evicted from his apartment and finding himself homeless for several days. He has also said that he slept three weeks in thePort Authority Bus Terminal in New York City prior to seeing a casting notice for the film. In the actor's words, "it was either do that movie or rob someone, because I was at the end – the very end – of my rope".[44] The film was released several years later asItalian Stallion, in order to cash in on Stallone's newfound fame (the new title was taken from Stallone's nickname sinceRocky). Stallone also starred in the eroticoff-Broadway stage playScore which ran for 23 performances at the Martinique Theatre from October 28 to November 15, 1971, and was later made into the 1974 filmScore byRadley Metzger.[45]
After moving to New York City, Stallone shared an apartment with his girlfriend, Sasha Czack, an aspiring actress who supported them by working as a waitress.[46] Stallone took odd jobs around this time, including being a cleaner at a zoo, and a theater usher; he was fired from the latter for scalping tickets. He furthered his writing skills by frequenting a local library, and became interested in the works ofEdgar Allan Poe.[47]
In 1972, Stallone was on the verge of giving up on having an acting career; in what he later described as a low point, he tried and failed to get a job as an extra inThe Godfather.[48][49] Instead, he was relegated to a background role in another Hollywood hit,What's Up, Doc?, starringBarbra Streisand. Stallone is hardly visible in his two appearances.
Stallone happened to be acting in a play that a friend invited him to partake in, and an agent in attendance thought that Stallone fit the role of Stanley, a main character inThe Lords of Flatbush, which had a start-stop schedule from 1972 to 1974 over budget issues.[50] Stallone, around mid-1973, achieved his first proper starring role, in the independent filmNo Place to Hide, playing a man who is associated with a New York–based urbanterrorist movement, with a jewelry-seller as his love interest. The film was re-cut and retitledRebel years later, this second version featuring Stallone as its star. In 1990, this film was re-edited withouttakes from the original film and newly shot matching footage, thenredubbed – in the style ofWoody Allen'sWhat's Up, Tiger Lily? – into a parody of itself titledA Man Called... Rainbo.
Stallone's other first few film roles were minor, and included brief uncredited appearances inM*A*S*H (1970), as a soldier sitting at a table;Pigeons (1970), as a party guest; Woody Allen'sBananas (1971), as a subway thug; in the psychological thrillerKlute (1971), as an extra dancing in a club; and in theJack Lemmon filmThe Prisoner of Second Avenue (1975), as a youth. In the latter film, Jack Lemmon's character chases, tackles, and mugs Stallone, thinking that Stallone's character is a pickpocket. He had his second starring role in 1974, inThe Lords of Flatbush.[26] In 1975, he played supporting roles inFarewell, My Lovely;Capone; andDeath Race 2000. He made guest appearances on the TV seriesPolice Story andKojak. He is also supposedly inMandingo. It is often said that his scene was deleted.[51]
Stallone gained worldwide fame with his starring role in the smash hitRocky (1976), a sports drama about a struggling boxer,Rocky Balboa, taking on heavyweight championApollo Creed.[26] On March 24, 1975, Stallone saw theMuhammad Ali vs. Chuck Wepner fight. That night Stallone went home, and after three days he had completed the first draft ofRocky.[52] Stallone subsequently denied that Wepner provided any inspiration for the script; however, Wepner filed a lawsuit which was eventually settled with Stallone for an undisclosed amount.[53][54] Other possible inspirations for the film may have includedRocky Graziano's autobiographySomebody Up There Likes Me, andthe film of the same name. Stallone attempted to sell the script to multiple studios, with the intention of playing the lead role himself. Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff became interested and offered StalloneUS$350,000 for the rights, but they had their own casting ideas for the lead role, includingRobert Redford andBurt Reynolds. Stallone refused to sell unless he played the lead character – and, eventually, after a substantial budget cut to compromise, it was agreed he could be the star.[55] Upon its release, criticRoger Ebert stated that Stallone could become the nextMarlon Brando.
Stallone made his directorial debut and starred in the 1978 filmParadise Alley, a family drama in which he played one of three brothers who get involved inprofessional wrestling. That same year, he starred inNorman Jewison'sF.I.S.T., a social drama in which he plays a warehouse worker, very loosely modeled onJames Hoffa, who becomes involved in labor union leadership. In 1979, he wrote, directed (replacingJohn G. Avildsen), and starred inRocky II. The sequel became a major success,[26] grossingUS$200 million.
In 1981, he starred alongsideMichael Caine and soccer starPelé inEscape to Victory, a sports drama in which he plays aprisoner of war involved in aNazi propaganda soccer game. That same year, he starred in the thrillerNighthawks, in which he plays a New York city cop who plays a cat-and-mouse game with a foreign terrorist, played byRutger Hauer.
In 1982, Stallone starred asVietnam veteranJohn Rambo, a formerGreen Beret, in the action filmFirst Blood,[26] an adaptation of theeponymous novel byDavid Morell, though the script was significantly altered by Stallone during the film's production,[56] which was both a critical and box-office success. Critics praised Stallone's performance, saying he made Rambo seem human, as opposed to the way he is portrayed in the book of the same name. It launched theRambo franchise. That yearRocky III was released in which Stallone wrote, directed, and starred. The second sequel became a box-office success. In preparation for these roles, Stallone embarked upon a vigorous training regimen, which often meant six days a week in the gym and further sit-ups in the evenings. Stallone claims to have reduced hisbody fat percentage to his all-time low of 2.8% forRocky III.[57]
In 1983, he directedStaying Alive, the sequel toSaturday Night Fever, starringJohn Travolta. This was the only film Stallone directed that he did not star in.Staying Alive was universally panned by film critics.[58] Despite being a critical failure,Staying Alive was a commercial success. The film opened with thebiggest weekend for a musical film ever (at the time) with a gross of $12,146,143 from 1,660 screens.[59][60] Overall, the film grossed nearly $65 million in the US box office against its $22 million budget. Worldwide it grossed $127 million.[61] Though the US box-office intake was significantly less than the $139.5 million[62] earned bySaturday Night Fever, the film nevertheless ranked in the top ten most financially successful films of 1983.
During the 1980s, Stallone was considered one of the biggest action film stars in the world,[63] along withArnold Schwarzenegger. TheSchwarzenegger-Stallone rivalry continued for years;[64] they attacked each other in the press, and tried to surpass the other with more on-screen killings and larger weapons.[63]
Stallone occasionally attempted, albeit unsuccessfully, roles in different genres. In 1984, he co-wrote and starred alongsideDolly Parton in the comedy filmRhinestone, where he played a wannabe country music singer. For theRhinestone soundtrack, he performed a song. Stallone turned down the lead male role inRomancing the Stone in order to makeRhinestone instead, a decision he later regretted.[65]
In 1985, Stallone continued his success with theRocky andRambo franchises withRocky IV andRambo: First Blood Part II. Stallone has portrayed these two characters in a total of 13 films. Stallone met formerMr. OlympiaFranco Columbu to develop his character's appearance for the filmRocky IV, just as if he were preparing for the Mr. Olympia competition. That meant two workouts a day, six days a week.[66] Both films were major financial successes.
It was around 1985 that Stallone was signed to a remake of the 1939James Cagney classicAngels with Dirty Faces. The film would form part of his multi-picture deal with Cannon Films and was to co-starChristopher Reeve and be directed byMenahem Golan. The re-making of such a beloved classic was met with disapproval byVariety and horror by top criticRoger Ebert. Cannon opted to make the action filmCobra which was released in 1986 and became a box-office success. It led to the setting up of his production company White Eagle Enterprises.[67]
In 1987, he starred in the family dramaOver the Top as a struggling trucker who tries to make amends with his estranged son and enters anarm wrestling competition. This was poorly received by critics and was a box-office failure.[68] In 1989, he co-starred alongsideKurt Russell in thebuddy cop action filmTango & Cash, which did solid business domestically and overseas, grossingUS$57 million in foreign markets and overUS$120 million worldwide.[69] Stallone became a boxing promoter in the 1980s. His boxing promoting company, Tiger Eye Productions, signed world champion boxersSean O'Grady andAaron Pryor.[70]
1990-1999: Career fluctuations
Stallone began the 1990s starring in the fifth installment of theRocky franchise,Rocky V. This film brought back the first film's director, John G. Avildsen, and was intended to be the final installment in the series. It was considered abox-office disappointment and received negative reviews.[71]
Stallone next appeared inJohn Landis' period comedyOscar which was both a critical and box-office failure.[72] In 1992, he appeared inRoger Spottiswoode's action comedyStop! Or My Mom Will Shoot[73] which was also both a critical and box-office disaster. Stallone signed onto the film based on rumors that Schwarzenegger was interested in the lead. Schwarzenegger said that, knowing the script's quality was poor, he publicly faked interest in starring for producers to lure Stallone.[63]
In 1993, he made a comeback withRenny Harlin's action thrillerCliffhanger,[74] which was a success in the US, grossingUS$84 million, and worldwide, grossingUS$171 million.[75] Later that year, he starred in thefuturistic action filmDemolition Man directed byMarco Brambilla, co-starringWesley Snipes andSandra Bullock.[76] OnRotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 60% based on 42 reviews, with an average rating of 5.43/10. The site's consensus reads: "A better-than-average sci-fi shoot-em-up with a satirical undercurrent,Demolition Man is bolstered by strong performances by Stallone, Snipes, and Bullock."[77] The film debuted at No. 1 at the box office.[78][79][80]Demolition Man grossed $58,055,768 by the end of its box-office run in North America and $159,055,768 worldwide.[81]
His string of hits continued with 1994'sThe Specialist co-starringSharon Stone and directed byLuis Llosa, which opened in the U.S. on October 7.[82] While the critical reception was overwhelmingly negative,[83] the film was a commercial success.[84] In its opening weekend it made $14,317,765 and ended up making back its budget with $57,362,582 at the domestic box office while making another $113,000,000 overseas, giving it a worldwide gross of $170,362,582.[85]
In 1995, he played thetitle character (from the British comic book2000 AD) in the science fiction action filmJudge Dredd. His overseas box-office appeal saved the domestic box-office disappointment ofJudge Dredd, which cost almostUS$100 million and barely made its budget back, with a worldwide tally ofUS$113 million. Despite the film's poor box-office performance, Stallone signed a three-picture deal withUniversal Pictures for $60 million, making him the second star afterJim Carrey to receive $20 million per film. The deal expired in February 2000 without him making any films, however, so he received no payment.[86]
That year, he also appeared in the thrillerAssassins withJulianne Moore andAntonio Banderas. That same year, Stallone, along with an all-star cast of celebrities, appeared in theTrey Parker andMatt Stone short comedy filmYour Studio and You commissioned by theSeagram Company for a party celebrating their acquisition ofUniversal Studios and the MCA Corporation. Stallone speaks in his Rocky Balboa voice with subtitles translating what he is saying. At one point, Stallone starts yelling about how can they use his Balboa character, that he left it in the past; the narrator calms him with awine cooler and calling him "brainiac." In response, Stallone says, "Thank you very much." He then looks at the wine cooler and exclaims, "Stupid cheap studio!"[87]
In 1996, he starred in thedisaster filmDaylight as a disgraced former emergency services chief who attempts to rescue survivors of an underground tunnel explosion.Daylight also underperformed at the domestic box office, grossing $33 million, but did better overseas and grossed a total of $158 million worldwide.[88] In 1997, Stallone was cast against type as an overweight sheriff in the crime dramaCop Land in which he starred alongsideRobert De Niro andRay Liotta. The film was critically well-received and was a modest success at the box office, earning $63 million on a $15 million budget, and Stallone's performance earned him theStockholm International Film Festival Best Actor Award. In 1998, he did voice-over work for the animated filmAntz, which was a success domestically.
2000–2005: Declining years
In 2000, Stallone starred in the thrillerGet Carter, a remake of the 1971 British film of thesame name, but the film was poorly received by both critics and audiences. Stallone's career declined considerably after his subsequent filmsDriven (2001),Avenging Angelo (2002) andD-Tox (2002) were also critical and commercial failures.
In 2003, he played a villainous role in the third installment of theSpy Kids series:Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, which was a huge box-office success (almostUS$200 million worldwide). Stallone also had a cameo appearance in the 2003 French filmTaxi 3 as a passenger. Also that year, Stallone started to regain prominence for his supporting role in theneo-noir crime dramaShade which was only released in a limited fashion but was praised by critics.[89] He was also attached to star and direct a film tentatively titledRampart Scandal, which was to be about the murder of rappersTupac Shakur andThe Notorious B.I.G. and the surroundingLos Angeles Police Department corruption scandal.[90] It was later titledNotorious but was shelved.[91]
In 2005, alongsideSugar Ray Leonard, he was the co-presenter of theNBC reality television boxing competition seriesThe Contender. That same year he also made a guest appearance in two episodes of the television seriesLas Vegas. That year, Stallone also inductedprofessional wrestling iconHulk Hogan, who appeared inRocky III as a wrestler named Thunderlips, into the WWE Hall of Fame; Stallone was also the person who offered Hogan the cameo inRocky III.[92] In August, Stallone released his bookSly Moves which claimed to be a guide to fitness and nutrition as well as a candid insight into his life and works from his own perspective. The book also contained many photographs of Stallone throughout the years as well as pictures of him performing exercises.
2006–present: Franchise films
16 years after filmingRocky V, Stallone reprised his role asRocky Balboa in 2006.
After a three-year hiatus from films, Stallone had a comeback in 2006 with the sixth installment of theRocky series,Rocky Balboa, which was a critical and commercial hit. After the critical and box-office failure of the previous installmentRocky V, Stallone had decided to write, direct and star in a sixth installment which would be a more appropriate climax to the series. The total domestic box office came toUS$70.3 million (andUS$155.7 million worldwide).[93] The budget of the film was onlyUS$24 million. His performance inRocky Balboa has been praised and garnered mostly positive reviews.[94] That year, the developmentDeath Wish remake began, when Stallone announced that he would be directing and starring in a remake ofthe 1974 film. Stallone said, "Instead of theCharles Bronson character being an architect, my version would have him as a very good cop who had incredible success without ever using his gun. So when the attack on his family happens, he's really thrown into a moral dilemma in proceeding to carry out his revenge." He later told the publication that he was no longer involved.[95][96] In a 2009 interview withMTV, though, Stallone stated that he was again considering the project.[97] However the role went toBruce Willis withEli Roth as director.
Stallone partnered with a beverage company producing an upscalebottled water brand called Sly Water.[98]
In 2008, Stallone reprised his other famous role in the fourth installment of theRambo franchise, titled simplyRambo (John Rambo in some countries where the first film was titledRambo). The film opened in 2,751 theaters on January 25, 2008, grossingUS$6,490,000 on its opening day andUS$18,200,000 over its opening weekend. Its box office wasUS$113,244,290 worldwide with a budget ofUS$50 million.
In July 2009, Stallone made a cameo appearance in theBollywood filmKambakkht Ishq, where he played himself.[100]
Also that year, Stallone wrote, directed and starred in the ensemble action filmThe Expendables. The film, which was filmed during summer/winter 2009, was released on August 13, 2010. Joining him in the film were fellow action starsJason Statham,Jet Li, andDolph Lundgren, as well asTerry Crews,Mickey Rourke,Randy Couture,Eric Roberts, andStone Cold Steve Austin, and cameos by fellow '80s action icons Bruce Willis andArnold Schwarzenegger.[102] The film tookUS$34,825,135 in its opening weekend, going straight in at No. 1 in the US box office. The figure marked the biggest opening weekend in Stallone's career.[103] In summer 2010, Brazilian company O2 Filmes released a statement saying it was still owed more thanUS$2 million for its work on the film.[104] In 2011, Stallone provided the voice of a lion inKevin James' comedyZookeeper.
In 2013, Stallone starred in the action filmBullet to the Head, directed byWalter Hill, based upon Alexis Nolent's French graphic novelDu Plomb Dans La Tete.[107] Also in 2013, he starred in the action thrillerEscape Plan, along with Arnold Schwarzenegger andJim Caviezel, and in the sports comedy dramaGrudge Match alongsideRobert De Niro, harkening back to theRocky franchise. Stallone was reported to be developing an English-language remake of the Spanish filmNo Rest for the Wicked, though the project was shelved.[108][109] That year Stallone was credited as writer for the Jason Statham action film vehicleHomefront.
In 2015, Stallone reprised his role as Rocky Balboa in a spin-off-sequel film,Creed, which focused on Adonis "Donnie" Creed, the son of his deceased friend/rival,Apollo Creed, becoming a professional boxer, played byMichael B. Jordan. The film, directed byRyan Coogler, received critical acclaim. Portraying the iconic cinematic boxer for the seventh time in a span of 40 years, Stallone's portrayal of the character received widespread acclaim and accolades, including theGolden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor, and his thirdAcademy Award nomination, this time forBest Supporting Actor.
Creed II went into production in March 2018, with a scheduled release on Thanksgiving 2018. Stallone was originally slated to direct before the appointment ofSteven Caple Jr., in his feature film directorial debut.[115]Creed II was released in the United States byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer on November 21, 2018. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and it went on to debut to $35.3 million in its opening weekend (a five-day total of $55.8 million), marking the biggest debut ever for a live-action release over Thanksgiving.[116][117]
On July 23, 2019, in an interview withVariety, Stallone said that a Rocky sequel and prequel are in development. ProducerIrwin Winkler said "We're very high on it" and that negotiations are underway for Stallone to write and star in the feature. "We're very anxious to make it." Stallone said the plot of the film would be about Rocky befriending a young fighter who is an undocumented immigrant. "Rocky meets a young, angry person who got stuck in this country when he comes to see his sister. He takes him into his life, and unbelievable adventures begin, and they wind up south of the border. It's very, very timely." Stallone said. Stallone also said there are "ongoing discussions" about a Rocky prequel television series, which he hopes will land on a streaming service and the series will likely follow a young Rocky Balboa as a professional boxing hopeful. Stallone said producer Irwin Winkler is hesitant on making the series saying that "There was some conflict there, yes. He felt in his mind that "Rocky" was primarily a feature film, and he didn't see it as being translated for cable, so there was a big bone of contention."[118][119] That year, Stallone hand-picked Derek Wayne Johnson to direct and produce a documentary on the making of the originalRocky, entitled40 Years of Rocky (2020). The documentary features Stallone narrating behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the film.[120]
Stallone formed a film studio named Balboa Productions with Braden Aftergood in March 2018, where Stallone will serve as co-producer for each of their projects. The studio signed a multi-year collaboration deal with Starlight Culture Entertainment to develop projects for film and television.[121] In May 2018, a fifth installment in theRambo franchise was announced, and in August 2018,Adrian Grünberg was confirmed as the director.[122]Rambo: Last Blood began filming by September 2018, with a script co-written by Stallone, who also reprised his role asVietnam War veteran John Rambo.[123] The plot centers around Rambo infiltrating aMexican drug cartel to rescue a family friend's daughter.[124] The film, which was released on September 20, 2019, in the United States,[125] grossed $18.9 million in its opening weekend, the best debut of the franchise.[126][127] The film grossed $91 million worldwide against a production budget of $50 million.
In May 2023 Stallone and his immediate family (wife and three daughters) starred in a reality television seriesThe Family Stallone. Seven days after launch, the series was renewed for a second season. That same month, Stallone reprised his role as Stakar Ogord inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.[132]Sly, a documentary film about Stallone byThom Zimny, premiered as the closing film of the2023 Toronto International Film Festival.[133] In October 2023, he reprised role as Barney Ross inExpend4bles, which was a critical and commercial failure, becoming the lowest-grossing film in the franchise.[134]
Upcoming projects
Following the releases ofCreed II andRambo V: Last Blood, Balboa Productions has had an extensive production slate. A film depicting the history ofJack "Galveston Giant" Johnson, the first African-American boxing heavyweight champion, is in development. The project was announced after Stallone's instrumental involvement in helping get Johnson a posthumous pardon from US PresidentDonald Trump.[135]
Stallone is also scheduled to star in the film adaptation ofHunter, a story which had originally been planned as the premise forRambo V: Last Blood. The story centers around Nathaniel Hunter, a professional tracker who is hired to hunt a half-human beast created as an experiment of a secret agency. A feature-length adaptation of the biographical novelGhost: My Thirty Years as an FBI Undercover Agent by Michael McGowan and Ralph Pezzullo about McGowan's career of over 50 undercover missions will follow, though there is no screenwriter attached to the project. Additionally, a film centered around black ops troops, being written by retired Army Ranger Max Adams, is also in development. Stallone wroteA Working Man in collaboration withDavid Ayer from a book series created byChuck Dixon, which was initially intended to be a television series, but later became a feature film starringJason Statham.[136] The television production slate includes a series adaptation of Charles Sailor'sSecond Son being written by Rob Williams.[137]
In May 2020, Stallone announced that a sequel to 1993'sDemolition Man is in the works: "I think it's coming. We're working on it right now with Warner Brothers. It's looking fantastic. So, that should come out, that's going to happen".[138] Stallone has continued to express his passion in directing a film based onEdgar Allan Poe's life, a script he has been preparing for years. He has also mentioned that he would like to adaptNelson DeMille's novelThe Lion's Game.
Asked in February 2008 which of the icons (Rocky or Rambo) he would rather be remembered for, Stallone said "it's a tough one, butRocky is my first baby, so Rocky."[140] He also stated that Rocky could be interpreted as the "conscious" and Rambo as the "unconscious" of the same character.[141]
Stallone has occasionally sung in his films. He sang "Too Close to Paradise" forParadise Alley (1978), with the music provided byBill Conti (who also collaborated with Stallone in prior years, having recorded the famous "Gonna Fly Now" theme for hisAcademy Award-nominated film,Rocky (1976) which was a U.S. No. 1 hit).[142] InRocky III (1982), Stallone (as Rocky Balboa) sang "Take Me Back" to his on-screen wife, Adrian (Talia Shire), as they lay in bed. The song was first performed by singer and younger brother,Frank, who had a small role in the originalRocky. ForRhinestone (1984), Stallone sang such songs as "Drinkenstein" as well as duets with his co-star, and actualcountry music star,Dolly Parton.[143] He also performed two songs when he guest-starred onThe Muppet Show in the 1980s, at the height of his career.[144] The last time Stallone sang in a film was inGrudge Match (2013) when he andRobert De Niro performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" together.[145]
Stallone has been married three times. He has two sons from his first marriage and three daughters from his third marriage.
At age 28, on December 28, 1974, he married Sasha Czack. They had two sons,Sage Moonblood Stallone (1976–2012), who died ofheart disease at age 36, and Seargeoh (b. 1979), who was diagnosed withautism at an early age. The couple divorced on February 14, 1985.
Stallone married model and actressBrigitte Nielsen on December 15, 1985, inBeverly Hills, California. Their marriage (which lasted two years) and their subsequent divorce were highly publicized by the tabloid press.[146][147][148]
In 1988, Stallone met modelJennifer Flavin and they were in a relationship until 1994, when Stallone told her he was having a child with modelJanice Dickinson. After the February 1994 birth, DNA tests confirmed he was not the father and Stallone ended his engagement to Dickinson. After a brief 1995 engagement with modelAngie Everhart, he and Flavin rekindled their relationship.
Stallone maintains a relationship with his brotherFrank who contributed the theme songs toRambo: First Blood Part II, andStaying Alive. In 1983, Frank's song "Far from Over", forStaying Alive, reached the #10 U.S. hit. Frank appears in minor roles, bit parts, and provides music in many films starring Sylvester, most notably in theRocky films, where Frank played a street corner singer and contributed songs.[154] Stallone's 48-year-old half-sister, Toni Ann Filiti, died of lung cancer on August 26, 2012.[155] Stallone was a close friend ofJoe Spinell, but they had a falling out during the shooting of their final collaboration,Nighthawks, in 1981, and Spinell died in 1989.[156]
Injuries
Known for physically demanding roles and his willingness to do the majority of his own stunts, Stallone has suffered various injuries during his acting career. During the filming ofEscape to Victory, he broke a finger trying to save apenalty kick againstPelé.[157] For a scene inRocky IV, he toldDolph Lundgren, "Punch me as hard as you can in the chest." He later said, "Next thing I know, I was in intensive care atSt. John's Hospital for four days. It's stupid!"[158][159] While filming a fight scene with"Stone Cold" Steve Austin forThe Expendables, he broke his neck and required the insertion of a metal plate.[160]
Legal issues
In February 2001, an exotic dancer named Margie Carr filed a lawsuit against Stallone, accusing him of rape while at a Santa Monica fitness center where they both worked out on February 26, 2000. A lawyer for Stallone denied the claim, saying she sold the story toGlobe the month before the lawsuit.[161][162][163]
In 2007, customs officials in Australia discovered 48 vials of the synthetic human growth hormoneJintropin in Stallone's luggage.[164] In a court hearing on May 15, he pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing a controlled substance.[165]
In 2013, it was reported that Stallone paid a $2 million lump-sum settlement alongside a monthly amount and a trust for psychiatric and medical expenses to his half-sister Toni-Ann Filiti in 1987. Filiti threatened to file a lawsuit accusing him of abuse. Representatives for Stallone and Filiti's mother Jacqueline Stallone denied the allegations, accusing Filiti ofblackmailing him and being a drug addict. However, Filiti's son, Edd Filiti, supported the claims, saying his mother "screamed about" abuse at the hands of her half-brother "over and over," before her death in 2012.[166][162]
In 2016, a report from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department was published stating that Stallone was accused of sexual assault by a 16-year-old girl while he was shooting a film inLas Vegas in 1986. The teen reportedly said that Stallone, then 40, forced her into athreesome with his bodyguard.[167] A representative for Stallone denied the allegation.[168] Stallone's ex-wife,Brigitte Nielsen, later came to his defense, saying that she was with him at the time of the alleged assault. Stallone'sOver the Top costarDavid Mendenhall also defended Stallone, denying claims that he introduced Stallone to the girl in question.[169]
In November 2017, a woman accused Stallone of sexually assaulting her at hisSanta Monica office in the early 1990s. Stallone denied the claim.[170] His attorney revealed the accuser filed a report after an entertainment website declined to pick up the story.[171] Stallone's attorneys also stated that while the actor had a consensual relationship with the accuser in 1987, they had two witnesses who refuted the claims.[172] In June 2018, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office confirmed an investigation, stating that the Santa Monica Police Department had presented asex crimes case against Stallone to a special prosecution task force for review.[173] In October 2018, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office made the decision not to charge Stallone for the alleged assault, as no witnesses corroborated the allegations. Stallone in turn filed a police report regarding her lying on an official document.[174][175]
Religious views
Stallone was baptized and raised a devoutCatholic but stopped going to church as his acting career progressed. He rediscovered his childhood faith when his daughter was born ill in 1996, and he again became a strict Catholic by late 2006.[176] The same year, he was interviewed byPat Robertson from theChristian Broadcasting Network's700 Club. He stated that he spent much of his previous time in Hollywood "losing his way" because temptation abounded, but later put things "in God's hands".[177] However, he toldGQ magazine in 2010, "I'm pretty spiritual; I believe a lot in the spirit of man. I'm certainly not an atheist... I was baptized Catholic, but I don't belong to a structured church. I have no opposition to it. I think there's great nuggets of knowledge in there, some wonderful rules to live by. Then the flip side is the amount of agony that's caused."[178]
On January 16, 2025, it was announced by Trump that Stallone would serve in a new role as a Special Ambassador toHollywood, sharing the role with fellow actorsJon Voight andMel Gibson. Trump stated that he wants these actors to make Hollywood "stronger than ever before" by bringing back business lost to "foreign countries".[190]
^Stallone, Sylvester.Sly Moves: My Proven Program to Lose Weight, Build Strength, Gain Will Power and Live Your Dream, Rogue Marble Productions, 2005, p. 12.
^"Total Film". United Kingdom. August 2010. p. 111. Stallone: "I was broke and basically sleeping in the Port Authority bus station for three weeks straight. I read in a trade paper about this film [The Party at Kitty and Studs, 1970] that was payingUS$100 a day – for aUS$100 a day I would wreak havoc. Instead of doing something desperate, I worked for two days forUS$200 and got myself out of the bus station."
^"Rocky Balboa".rottentomatoes.com. December 22, 2006.Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. RetrievedFebruary 19, 2020.
^Morris, Clint (June 8, 2008)."Stallone in Death Wish remake? Updated!".Moviehole. Archived fromthe original on July 3, 2007. RetrievedDecember 20, 2006.Upon listening to the talkback responses on AICN, many who turned their nose at the idea of a remake, Stallone tells the site today that he will NOT be doing the movie. Yep, he listened to the fans!
^Le Cercle, 2008-02-09, cinema talk-show on French television channelCanal+, during a review ofRambo, cited by Marie Sauvion: "Et quand il [Stallone] se mêle de psychologie, voire de psychanalyse, alors il a un discours, il dit, Rocky c'est la conscience, en gros, d'un même personnage, et Rambo ce serait son inconscient." / "And when he speaks in terms of psychology, or even psychoanalysis, he's got a discourse, he says, Rocky is the conscious, in broad strokes, of the same character, and Rambo would be his unconscious."
^Susan Zannos,Male Fitness Stars of TV and the Movies: Featuring Profiles of Sylvester Stallone, John Travolta, Bruce Willis, and Wesley Snipes, Mitchell Lane Publishers, 2000, page 27
^Hainey, Michael (September 2010)."Yo".GQ.Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. RetrievedDecember 30, 2010.Are you a religious man? I'm pretty spiritual; I believe a lot in the spirit of man. I'm certainly not an atheist... I was baptized Catholic, but I don't belong to a structured church. I have no opposition to it. I think there's great nuggets of knowledge in there, some wonderful rules to live by. Then the flip side is the amount of agony that's caused, which is, excuse me?
Steve Baker,Ricky Blitt, Will Carlough, Tobias Carlson, Jacob Fleisher, Patrik Forsberg, Will Graham,James Gunn, Claes Kjellstrom, Jack Kukoda,Bob Odenkirk, Bill O'Malley, Matthew Alec Portenoy,Greg Pritikin, Rocky Russo,Olle Sarri, Elizabeth Wright Shapiro,Jeremy Sosenko, Jonathan van Tulleken, and Jonas Wittenmark (2013)
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