Having suffered paralysis in his lip, chin, and part of his tongue due to birth complications, which resulted in his speech becoming slurred, Sylvester Stallone was frequently picked on at schools. But Stallone did eventually overcome the odds and found his footing in Hollywood, starting with 1976’s Rocky, the Expendables star’s distinct accent becoming as iconic as the actor himself.
However, despite rising to stardom, the Rocky star playfully admitted that he could never play one major character following his slurred speech, which made his biggest rival an icon in the 80s.
Sylvester Stallone Admitted He Could Never Play Terminator
Unfortunately, not only did Stallone have to face bullying in school, but he once recalled that directors would often make fun of his speech pattern during auditions for commercials. But through sheer resilience in the face of adversity, Sylvester Stallone eventually got his big break, which was then followed by First Blood‘s success, cementing him as one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.
But despite earning major acclaim in showbiz, the Guardians star playfully admitted there are certain roles he’d never be able to play following his slurred speech, which includes the Terminator. While sharing thoughts on comic book characters he’d love to play, Stallone said he isn’t built like a comic book character, joking no one would cast him as the Terminator following his pallbearer-like voice. He told THR:
“I don’t look like any comic-book character. Like I could have never played The Terminator. No one would make a robot with a crooked mouth and voice that sounds like a pallbearer. It just doesn’t work.”
Interestingly, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who eventually landed the lead in The Terminator, too initially struggled in Hollywood following his thick Austrian accent. But like the Rambo star, his distinct accent became an asset, especially in The Terminator.
Sylvester Stallone Wasn’t Seen Fit to Play Superman
While Stallone might not see himself fit for traditional superhero characters, even though he does have two comic book roles under his belt, the actor was once close to becoming Superman. But even though the Salkinds wanted him to star in 1978’s Superman, as the actor was hot off the success of Rocky, director Richard Donner didn’t see him as the right choice.
Donner recalled (via THR):
“The Salkinds wanted a name. I met with Sylvester Stallone because of them. I tried to be nice and say, “This is wrong.” I liked Stallone; he turned out to be a nice guy. He wanted to do it. I remember meeting him in his manager’s office and I was as cordial as I could be. He was a big star and I’m some punk kid.”
While it’s hard to imagine anyone else other than Schwarzenegger as T-800, contrary to Stallone’s belief, following his gravitas as an actor, it’s safe to say he would’ve made a great Terminator.
The Terminator is available to rent on Apple TV.
