Sylvester Stallone’s Facial Paralysis: Stallone’s “Slurred Speech Pattern” is Because of His Birth Complications

Sylvester Stallone's Facial Paralysis: Stallone's "Slurred Speech Pattern" is Because of His Birth Complications
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The actor-born Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone made his brand of muscular melodrama a staple of the action film genre over the course of his illustrious career, in particular by playing ‘John Rambo’ and ‘Rocky Balboa’. Sylvester Stallone has made a fortune while having both huge box-office successes and (some really bad flops as well). Even though he has archived everything imaginable, he still has more to come.

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There is no set route to success in Hollywood because every performer has a unique path to reach the top. Some people struggle more than others, such as the Rocky actor, who encountered many obstacles on his way to becoming a household name.

Do you know that the actor, who has gained notoriety for a variety of things, including his unique appearance, was actually born with facial paralysis?

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Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone

Let’s talk extensively about the facial structure of this 76-year-old actor-filmmaker since fans have long been curious about it.  

Also Read: “Nobody knows action like I do”: Arnold Schwarzenegger Crowns Himself the Action GOAT After Quitting Sylvester Stallone’s Franchise

Sylvester Stallone Is Undoubtedly a Legend

To start with, Sylvester Stallone cannot possibly be left off ‌a list of the top action actors of all time. The actor would actually need to be close to the top of the list given his success over many years in the industry and his roles in several action franchises.

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Rocky, a classic from the 1970s, launched Stallone’s first significant film franchise and made him a star on the big screen. Some people might have thought that was sufficient, but Stallone had a larger perspective and sought out other projects that could make his star shine even brighter.

He began the Rambo film series in the 1980s, giving him yet another collection of timeless movies to capitalize on. In addition to giving him yet another iconic character to add to his growing list of achievements, this helped raise his profile to a new level.

Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone

In the early 2000s, the veteran actor launched The Expandables film franchise. Although the movies were a huge success and had a star-studded cast, they were not classics in the same way that Rocky and Rambo were.

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Stallone has a long list of successes to his credit outside of his franchise film work, all of which have contributed to his status as a movie legend. However, his distinctive facial features have been one of many things he has been recognized for throughout his career.

Also Read: “I’m out of it”: Arnold Schwarzenegger Betrays Sylvester Stallone, Won’t Return to $789M Franchise After Netflix Appointed Him New Role

Was Sylvester Stallone Facially Paralyzed From Birth?

Contrary to popular belief, facial paralysis is a much more common disorder. Anyone can be impacted by it, even famous people from Hollywood.

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Celebrities are well known for changing their appearance in Hollywood in order to gain an advantage. While others have rocked the imperfect natural look. Some have questioned whether Sylvester Stallone was born with facial paralysis given the shape of his mouth.

According to LA Peer Health, facial paralysis refers to the inability to “voluntarily move some or all of the facial muscles, which is typically the result of some type of damage to the facial nerve.”

These muscles control important bodily processes like chewing, speaking, squinting, and expressing moods and emotions. Because of this, facial paralysis has the potential to be a serious condition.

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Sylvester Stallone in a still from Rambo (2008)
Sylvester Stallone in a still from Rambo (2008)

According to the health website:

“The actor, best known for his roles as “Rocky Balboa” and “John Rambo,” was actually born with facial paralysis resulting from birth complications. The residual effects of Bell’s palsy are responsible for his crooked smile and slurred speech pattern.”

This clarifies a lot of details about Stallone’s signature appearance. 

Also, we can’t deny the fact that when the Creed actor first entered Hollywood, his distinctive appearance helped him stand out from the crowd. 

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Also Read: “He was the dragon I had to slay”: Not Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Nastiest Rival Was This 5 ft 10 in, 225 lbs Mythical Beast

Source – LA Peer Health

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Written by Siddhika Prajapati

Articles Published: 1424

Between everyday normalities and supernatural abnormalities, Siddhika Prajapati finds the story in everything. Literature Honors Graduate and Post-Graduated in Journalism (from Delhi University), her undying need to deduce the extraordinary out of simplicity makes her a vibrant storyteller.

Serving as a Senior Entertainment Writer at Fandom Wire and having written over 1400 pieces, Siddhika has also worked with multiple clients and projects over the years, including Indian Express, India Today, and Outlook Group.

Who knows, maybe your next favorite persona on the screen will be crafted by her.