Sylvester Stallone is one of the most well-known celebrities in Hollywood. He has been a part of a number of very successful film series, including Rocky, Rambo, The Expendables, and The Guardians of the Galaxy. Through projects like this, not only has he established himself as an extremely talented and iconic actor. The actor has also had a hand in reinventing the action movie genre, changing how these films were perceived for the better.
Stallone recently came out with a documentary about his personal and professional life, where he also touched on the subject of his upbringing. Unfortunately, the actor revealed that he had a very traumatic childhood. He mentioned that his father was physically abusive towards him and his brother growing up.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of physical abuse
Sylvester Stallone Had An Abusive Father Growing Up
Sylvester Stallone recently came out with a documentary about his life, rise to fame, and career, called Sly, on Netflix. Here, he touched on many topics, including talking about his experience growing up with his father. Frank Stallone Sr., an Italian-American hairdresser, passed away in 2011. It was revealed by the actor that his father was extremely physically abusive towards him growing up.
“My father was Rambo, in reality” he went on, “I was raised by a very physical father. Nothing was ever settled verbally. It was usually a physical ultimatum.”
Interestingly enough, he explained that the character of Rambo from his cult-classic franchise was based on him. He then talked about how Stallone Sr. was not able to resolve conflicts with the children verbally. He would always resort to physical means, beating up his children or threatening to do the same.
Sylvester Stallone Was Beaten Up During A Match
Sylvester Stallone then went on to recall a specific instance he had with his father that stuck with him through the test of time. He explained in his documentary that one time, he was part of a polo match, riding a horse with a polo stick, when his father was not satisfied with the way he was doing it. Rather than teaching him how to do this after the match was finished, his father chose to do something extreme and unnecessary.
The actor revealed that his father walked onto the field, grabbed him by his throat, and threw him on the ground. Then, he took Stallone’s horse and walked away from him. This incident had such a big impact on his younger self that the actor did not want to see a horse ever again in his entire life.
Sylvester Stallone explained that he was “no stranger to serious pain” He said, “I think it just became, ‘I’m not gonna break.’”
Despite all that Stallone endured in his childhood, getting familiarized with serious pain at too young an age, the actor still did not let it break his spirit. He went on to explain that he based the character of Rambo on these experiences, channeling all the anguish that the abuse brought him, and making a strong and resilient personality.
Sly is now streaming on Netflix.
