Sylvester Stallone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sylvester Stallone
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Stallone in 2019
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| Special Ambassador to Hollywood | |
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Nominee
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| Assumed office TBD Serving with Mel Gibson and Jon Voight
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 6, 1946 New York City, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Spouses |
Sasha Czack
(m. 1974; div. 1985)Jennifer Flavin
(m. 1997) |
| Children | 5, including Sage and Sistine |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Frank Stallone (brother) |
| Alma mater | University of Miami (BFA) |
| Occupation |
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| Awards | Full list |
| Other names |
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| Years active | 1968–present |
| Works | Filmography |
| Signature |  |
Sylvester Gardenzio "Sly" Stallone (born July 6, 1946) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has had a film career lasting over fifty years. Stallone has won many awards, including a Golden Globe Award and a Critics' Choice Award. He was also nominated for three Academy Awards. Stallone is one of only two actors ever to have a movie reach number one at the box office in six decades in a row.
Stallone worked hard as an actor for many years after moving to New York City in 1969. He slowly found roles in films like The Lords of Flatbush (1974). His biggest success began in 1976 with his famous role as the boxer Rocky Balboa. This was in the first Rocky film, which he also wrote. In 1977, he became one of the few actors nominated for two Academy Awards for the same film. He was nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor.
He also played the soldier John Rambo in First Blood (1982). This character appeared in five Rambo films (1982–2019). He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984. From the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, Stallone became one of Hollywood's highest-paid actors. He starred in action films like Cobra (1986), Tango and Cash (1989), and Cliffhanger (1993). He was also known for his friendly competition with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Stallone continued his famous roles in Rocky Balboa (2006) and Rambo (2008). Then he started The Expendables film series (2010–present). In this series, he plays the leader of a group of mercenaries, Barney Ross. In 2015, he returned to the Rocky story with Creed. In this film, a retired Rocky trains Donnie Creed, the son of his old rival Apollo Creed. This movie earned Stallone much praise and his first Golden Globe Award. He also starred in the sequel Creed II (2018). He played Stakar Ogord in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).
Stallone is seen as an important figure in action movies. He helped change what a Hollywood action hero looked like. He has also tried other types of movies. He starred in comedies like Oscar (1991) and Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992). He also acted in the drama Cop Land (1997), where he changed his body for the role. On television, he stars in the crime series Tulsa King (2022–present) on Paramount+. Besides acting, Stallone collects art and paints. He has also written books about fitness.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone was born in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan in New York City on July 6, 1946. His mother, Jacqueline "Jackie" Stallone, was a wrestling promoter. His father, Francesco "Frank" Stallone Sr., was a hairdresser. Sylvester has a younger brother named Frank Stallone, who is an actor and musician.
During Stallone's birth, doctors used tools called forceps. This accidentally damaged a nerve in his face. It caused the lower left side of his face to be partly paralyzed. This gave him his unique look and way of speaking. Because of this, he was sometimes bullied as a child. He dealt with this by getting into bodybuilding and acting. He lived in foster care for a short time before moving back with his family to Maryland when he was five. When he was 15, he moved to Philadelphia to live with his mother after his parents divorced.
Stallone went to several schools, including Miami Dade College. He also spent two years studying in Switzerland. He then returned to the United States to study drama at the University of Miami. In 1998, the University of Miami gave him a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree. They accepted his acting and life experiences in place of his final college credits.
Film and Stage Career
Early Roles and Big Break
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Before 1969, Stallone acted on stage using the name Mike Stallone. In 1970, he started using Sylvester E. Stallone. While at the University of Miami, he had a role in a drama filmed in 1968. He also worked on a low-budget film called "Horses" in 1969.
Stallone once took a role in a film called The Party at Kitty and Stud's (later renamed Italian Stallion). He was paid $200 for two days of work. He later said he took the role because he was desperate. He had been evicted from his apartment and was homeless for several days. He even slept in the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City. He said it was either do that movie or "rob someone."
After moving to New York City, Stallone lived with his girlfriend, Sasha Czack. She worked as a waitress to support them. He improved his writing skills by visiting a local library. He became very interested in the writings of Edgar Allan Poe.
In 1972, Stallone almost gave up on acting. He tried and failed to get a job as an extra in The Godfather. Instead, he got a small background role in What's Up, Doc?, starring Barbra Streisand. He is barely visible in this film.
Stallone got his first main role in the independent film No Place to Hide. This film was later re-edited and renamed Rebel. His other early film roles were small. These included brief appearances in M*A*S*H (1970) and Bananas (1971). In 1974, he had his second starring role in The Lords of Flatbush. In 1975, he had supporting roles in films like Death Race 2000. He also appeared on TV shows like Police Story and Kojak.
Stallone became famous worldwide with his hit film Rocky (1976). This was a sports drama about a struggling boxer, Rocky Balboa. Rocky gets a chance to fight the heavyweight champion Apollo Creed. Stallone got the idea for Rocky after watching a boxing match in 1975. He wrote the first draft of the script in three days. He wanted to play the lead role himself. Producers offered him $350,000 for the script, but they wanted other actors for Rocky. Stallone refused to sell unless he could star. Finally, they agreed, but with a smaller budget.
When Rocky was released, critics loved it. In 1977, Rocky was nominated for ten Oscars. Stallone was nominated for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay. The film won Best Picture, Best Directing, and Best Film Editing. Rocky is now part of the National Film Registry. Props from the film are in the Smithsonian Museum. The steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where Rocky trained, are now called the Rocky Steps. There is also a statue of Rocky near the museum.
Continued Success (1978–1999)
Stallone directed his first film, Paradise Alley, in 1978. He also starred in it. That same year, he starred in F.I.S.T., a drama about a warehouse worker. In 1979, he wrote, starred in, and directed Rocky II. This sequel was a big success, earning $200 million.
In 1981, he starred with Michael Caine and soccer star Pelé in Escape to Victory. He played a prisoner of war in a soccer game against Nazis. That same year, he starred in the thriller Nighthawks.
In 1982, Stallone played Vietnam veteran John Rambo in First Blood. This action film was based on a novel. Stallone changed the script a lot. The film was a success with both critics and audiences. Critics praised Stallone's acting. This movie started the Rambo film series. That year, Rocky III was also released. Stallone wrote, directed, and starred in it. This sequel was also a box-office hit. For these roles, Stallone trained very hard. He worked out six days a week.
In 1983, he directed Staying Alive, a sequel to Saturday Night Fever. This was the only film Stallone directed that he did not star in. While critics did not like it, Staying Alive was a commercial success. It earned nearly $65 million in the US.
During the 1980s, Stallone was one of the biggest action film stars in the world. He was often compared to Arnold Schwarzenegger. They had a friendly rivalry, trying to outdo each other in their movies.
Stallone tried different types of roles sometimes. In 1984, he starred with Dolly Parton in the comedy Rhinestone. He played a country music singer. He even sang a song for the soundtrack. Stallone later regretted turning down a role in Romancing the Stone to make Rhinestone.
In 1985, Stallone continued his success with Rocky IV and Rambo: First Blood Part II. He has played these two characters in 13 films in total. Both films were very successful financially.
Around 1985, Stallone was set to star in a remake of the classic film Angels with Dirty Faces. Instead, he made the action film Cobra, which was released in 1986 and was a box-office success. This led to him starting his own production company.
In 1987, he starred in the family drama Over the Top. He played a trucker who enters an arm wrestling competition. This film did not do well with critics or at the box office. In 1989, he starred with Kurt Russell in the action film Tango & Cash. This film earned over $120 million worldwide. Stallone also became a boxing promoter in the 1980s.
Stallone started the 1990s with Rocky V. This film brought back the first Rocky director. It was meant to be the last film in the series. However, it was not as successful as the others and received negative reviews.
Stallone then appeared in the comedy Oscar and the action comedy Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992). Both films were not successful. Stallone later said he took the second film because he heard Schwarzenegger was interested. Schwarzenegger joked that he pretended to be interested to trick Stallone into taking the bad script.
In 1993, Stallone made a comeback with the action thriller Cliffhanger. It was a big success, earning $171 million worldwide. Later that year, he starred in the futuristic action film Demolition Man. This film also did well, grossing over $159 million worldwide.
His success continued with The Specialist (1994), co-starring Sharon Stone. While critics did not like it, the film was a commercial hit. It earned over $170 million worldwide.
In 1995, he played the main character in the science fiction action film Judge Dredd. This film did not do well in the US but made $113 million worldwide. That year, he also appeared in the thriller Assassins with Julianne Moore and Antonio Banderas.
In 1996, he starred in the disaster film Daylight. He played a former emergency services chief trying to rescue people from an underground tunnel explosion. This film also did better overseas, earning $158 million worldwide. In 1997, Stallone played an overweight sheriff in the crime drama Cop Land. He starred alongside Robert De Niro. This film was well-liked by critics and was a modest success. Stallone's performance earned him an award. In 1998, he did voice work for the animated film Antz, which was successful.
Later Career and Franchise Films
In 2000, Stallone starred in the thriller Get Carter. This film was not well-received. His career slowed down after his next films, Driven (2001), Avenging Angelo (2002), and D-Tox (2002), also failed.
In 2003, he played a villain in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over. This film was a huge box-office success, earning almost $200 million worldwide. Stallone also had a small appearance in the French film Taxi 3. That year, he also gained praise for his role in the crime drama Shade.
In 2005, he co-hosted the TV boxing competition The Contender. He also appeared in two episodes of the TV series Las Vegas. That year, Stallone helped induct wrestling icon Hulk Hogan into the WWE Hall of Fame. Hogan had appeared in Rocky III. In August, Stallone released his book Sly Moves, about fitness and his life.
After a three-year break from films, Stallone made a comeback in 2006 with Rocky Balboa. This was the sixth film in the Rocky series. It was a critical and commercial hit. Stallone wrote, directed, and starred in it. The film earned $155.7 million worldwide on a budget of $24 million. His performance was highly praised.
In 2008, Stallone returned to his other famous role as Rambo in Rambo. This was the fourth film in the series. It opened to $18.2 million on its first weekend. It earned $113.2 million worldwide.
In 2009, Stallone had a small role in the Bollywood film Kambakkht Ishq.
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In December 2010, Stallone was voted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Also in 2010, Stallone wrote, directed, and starred in the action film The Expendables. He was joined by other action stars like Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Dolph Lundgren. The film also had small appearances by Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film earned $34.8 million on its opening weekend. This was the biggest opening weekend of Stallone's career. In 2011, Stallone voiced a lion in the comedy Zookeeper.
The Expendables 2 was released in August 2012. It received positive reviews. The cast included new stars like Jean-Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris. That year, Stallone also helped write the book for the Rocky Broadway musical.
In 2013, Stallone starred in the action film Bullet to the Head. He also starred in the action thriller Escape Plan with Arnold Schwarzenegger. He appeared in the sports comedy drama Grudge Match with Robert De Niro, which reminded people of the Rocky films. Stallone also wrote the action film Homefront, starring Jason Statham.
The Expendables 3 was released in August 2014. This film added Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson, and Harrison Ford to the cast. However, this film was not well-received and earned the least money in the series.
In 2015, Stallone played Rocky Balboa again in Creed. This film focused on Adonis "Donnie" Creed, the son of Apollo Creed. Donnie wants to become a boxer. The film was highly praised. Stallone's performance as Rocky earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor and his third Academy Award nomination.
In 2017, Stallone appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as Stakar Ogord. In 2018, he co-starred in Escape Plan 2: Hades. He also announced that he had finished a script for a Creed sequel. Creed II was released in November 2018 and was very successful.
In 2019, Stallone said that a new Rocky sequel and a TV series about a young Rocky were being planned. He also formed a film studio called Balboa Productions. In May 2018, a fifth Rambo film was announced. Rambo: Last Blood was released in September 2019. It earned $91 million worldwide.
In late 2020, Stallone voiced Rambo in the video game Mortal Kombat 11. In 2021, he voiced King Shark in the film The Suicide Squad. In 2022, Stallone starred in Samaritan, a superhero film. In November 2022, Stallone made his streaming TV debut in Tulsa King. He plays a Mafia boss in this series. A second season was quickly announced.
In May 2023, Stallone and his family starred in a reality TV series called The Family Stallone. That same month, Stallone played Stakar Ogord again in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. A documentary about Stallone, called Sly, was released in 2023. In October 2023, he played Barney Ross again in Expend4bles. This film was not successful.
Upcoming Projects
Stallone's production company has many projects planned. These include a film about the boxer Jack "Galveston Giant" Johnson. Stallone is also set to star in a film called Hunter. He also wants to direct a film about the life of Edgar Allan Poe.
Personal Life
Marriages and Children
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Stallone has been married three times. He has two sons from his first marriage and three daughters from his third marriage.
On December 28, 1974, he married Sasha Czack. They had two sons: Sage Moonblood Stallone (1976–2012) and Seargeoh (born 1979). Seargeoh was diagnosed with autism at a young age. The couple divorced in 1985.
Stallone married model and actress Brigitte Nielsen in 1985. Their marriage lasted two years and was often talked about in the news.
In 1988, Stallone met model Jennifer Flavin. They were in a relationship until 1994. After a brief engagement to another model, he and Flavin got back together.
In May 1997, Stallone and Jennifer Flavin married. They have three daughters: Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet. His daughters were chosen to be the Golden Globe Ambassadors in 2017. In August 2022, Jennifer Flavin filed for divorce. However, in September 2022, the couple decided to stay together.
Family and Friends
Stallone is close with his brother Frank Stallone. Frank has contributed theme songs to many of Sylvester's films, including the Rocky films. Frank also appears in small roles in many of Sylvester's movies.
Injuries
Stallone is known for doing many of his own stunts. He has had several injuries during his acting career. While filming Escape to Victory, he broke a finger. For a scene in Rocky IV, he asked Dolph Lundgren to punch him hard in the chest. Stallone ended up in intensive care for four days. While filming a fight scene for The Expendables, he broke his neck. He needed a metal plate inserted.
Views and Beliefs
Stallone was raised Catholic but stopped going to church as his career grew. He rediscovered his faith in 2006 after his daughter was born ill. He has said that he spent time in Hollywood "losing his way" but later put things "in God's hands." He also said he is "pretty spiritual" and believes in the "spirit of man."
Stallone has supported some Republican politicians. However, he does not say he is a member of the Republican Party. He has also given money to the Democratic National Committee and to Democrats. He supports gun control. In 2016, he described Donald Trump as a "larger than life" character but did not officially support him for president. He declined an offer to lead the National Endowment for the Arts, saying he wanted to work on issues for veterans. In 2023, he and his family met Pope Francis at the Vatican.
Involvement in Politics
On January 16, 2025, it was announced that Donald Trump would appoint Stallone to a new role. He would serve as a Special Ambassador to Hollywood. He would share this role with actors Jon Voight and Mel Gibson. Trump said he wants these actors to help make Hollywood "stronger than ever before."
Acting Credits and Awards
Throughout his career, Stallone has received many awards. These include a Golden Globe Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, and a People's Choice Award. He has also received international awards. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and two BAFTA Awards.
- Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1984)
- International Boxing Hall of Fame (Class of 2010)
- Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture for Creed (2016)
- Heart of Hollywood Award from the Board of Governors of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (2016)
Images for kids
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Sylvester Stallone's signature
See also
In Spanish: Sylvester Stallone para niños
