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It’s common knowledge that Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger had a rivalry back in the day. Both actors constantly tried to outperform each other to establish themselves as Hollywood’s biggest action star. Schwarzenegger openly admitted this rivalry in his documentary,Arnold, stating that whenever Stallone came out with a major release likeRambo, theTrue Liesactor would strategize ways to beat him.
Both Stallone and Schwarzenegger have created evergreen action flicks for movie lovers, including theRockyandTerminatorseries. However, theSamaritanactor felt that he faced a disadvantage compared to his peers like Schwarzenegger.
Also Read:“People had to separate us”: Sylvester Stallone Painfully Accepted Getting Beaten by Arnold Schwarzenegger as Terminator Star Refused to Return for Expendables 4
Sylvester Stallone Was Stereotyped In A Particular Type Of Action Role
Sylvester Stallone’s movies likeFirst BloodandRockyfeatured protagonists who had to convey the suffering of their characters. The hero character needed to be gravely serious for the audience to connect with his pain in the movie. TheDemolition Manactor felt that unlike him,Arnold Schwarzeneggercould add an element of comedy to his movies. Stallone told Film Threat in an interview:
“Arnold and Bruce Willis can get away with things that I can’t. For example, they can make jokes about what they’re doing. That makes you realize the action is a show — that no one is really being killed — with a little bit comedy. If I do that, because of First Blood and Rocky, it comes off as dishonest.”
TheTulsa Kingactor emphasized that his performance would only work if people believed his characters as real rather than just movie roles. Stallone pointed out that introducing comedic elements would disrupt the dramatic environment created for the viewers.The Specialistactor believed that the audience often expected him to be suffering for the films to resonate.
Also Read:“A flatworm could write a better script”: Arnold Schwarzenegger Forced Sylvester Stallone To Do “One of the worst films in the entire solar system”
Sylvester Stallone Admitted That The Comedy Element Contributed To His Peers’ Success
Sylvester Stallone further added that people were okay with Arnold Schwarzenegger delivering funny punchlines in his movies. TheCreedactor further admitted that it contributed to the success of theTotal Recallactor, a success he couldn’t fight. Stallone even acknowledged the fact that Schwarzenegger was the biggest action star between the two of them.
“He was superior. He just had all the answers. He had the body. He had the strength. That was his character.”
The rivalry rumors still persist even after the actors have collaborated on several projects likeThe ExpendablesandEscape Plan. When Schwarzenegger refused to return for the fourth installment ofThe Expendables, citing a general disinterest, speculations arose that the rivalry might have been a reason.
Also Read:“I don’t want to get hurt”: Action God Sylvester Stallone Was Legit Scared For His Life When a 302 lbs Heavy Muscled Hunk Hulk Hogan Punched Him
Undoubtedly, both Stallone and Schwarzenegger have contributed immensely to the Hollywood action genre. Their rivalry and pursuit for the best action roles gave audiences some of the most memorable action thrillers of all time.
Source:Film Threat
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3017
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
