Sylvester Stallone is the action star known for the Rocky and Rambo franchises, which delivered high-octane action for cinephiles. The actor wrote the first Rocky and became a star overnight as the film earned $225 million worldwide against an $860,000 budget. Stallone was nominated for Best Actor and Original Screenplay at the Oscars.
The film spawned the Rocky franchise which is still going strong. The actor also created the hugely successful Rambo franchise and The Expendables film. However, Stallone stated that he did not find any similarities between him and these iconic characters. He also mentioned that the only character he ever put details of himself into was that of a hitman.
Sylvester Stallone Says He Is Not Like Rocky or Rambo
The worldwide fame that Sylvester Stallone received when he starred as the underdog boxer Rocky Balboa in Rocky was unparalleled. The actor reportedly struggled to make it as an actor when he wrote the script for the sports drama. He also convinced the producers to put him in the lead role as a condition to get the film made.
Stallone’s masterpiece spawned five more films and a spin-off franchise with three films. He was nominated for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars and the film won Best Picture. Stallone then went on to direct the sequels and became known as the bonafide action star of the ‘80s and ‘90s.
Despite all the fame he has gotten with Rocky and the action franchise Rambo, Stallone stated that he did not find any similarities with the titular characters. The star compared himself to the characters and said that he was neither as good as Rocky, nor was he as dark as Rambo. He said to The Aquarian,
“I, Sylvester Stallone, am really not much like Rocky. Rocky is a much more ethical, and moral person than I am. He’s really a great guy…And Rambo is a much darker person than I am, and much more reserved and withdrawn.”
Sylvester Stallone also mentioned that he felt overwhelmed when people came to him and told him that his story of getting Rocky made was inspirational. He said that he was surprised by the impact of the film and that he always had faith in it. He said,
“I’m very flattered whenever I hear stories like this, or about a student who has written a graduate thesis on Rocky or Rambo. I’m always surprised to see that the films had that kind of impact. Having that sort of faith in something that only you truly understand and believe in is still prevalent today. If I just know in my gut that a film is going to work, I’ll fight to the death over it, and I convince myself.”
The sports drama has been a defining film in pop culture and has been paid tribute to and been parodied multiple times.
Sylvester Stallone Used His Persona Only For The Role Of A Hitman
While Sylvester Stallone stated that he did not find any similarities between him and Rocky or Rambo, he mentioned that he tried to add qualities of himself in the film Bullet to the Head. The action film which also starred Sung Kang and Jason Momoa saw Stallone play a hitman named Jimmy Bobo, who had to bring down a corrupt businessman.
Stallone mentioned that he tried to play Bobo as he would play himself, except that he was a hitman. He said that he developed the character with him as a reference and only brought in the story elements to fit his character. He said to The Aquarian,
“I wanted to be as casual and comfortable with the character as possible. I said, ‘If Sylvester Stallone were a hitman, this is how he would be.’ So, pretty much what you see up there is Sylvester Stallone as a hitman. Rather than trying to create a character that was different from me, I tried to make the character the same as me, and just add the story.”
The 2013 film was directed by Walter Hill, who was known for the films 48 Hrs. and Red Heat. The film was a box office bomb, earning $22.6 million against a $55 million budget.
