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 like Rambo, the True Lies actor would strategize ways to beat him.
Both Stallone and Schwarzenegger have created evergreen action flicks for movie lovers, including the Rocky and Terminator series. However, the Samaritan actor felt that he faced a disadvantage compared to his peers like Schwarzenegger.
Sylvester Stallone Was Stereotyped In A Particular Type Of Action Role
Sylvester Stallone’s movies like First Blood and Rocky featured 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. The Demolition Man actor felt that unlike him, Arnold Schwarzenegger could 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.”
The Tulsa King actor 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 Specialist actor believed that the audience often expected him to be suffering for the films to resonate.
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. The Creed actor further admitted that it contributed to the success of the Total Recall actor, 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 like The Expendables and Escape Plan. When Schwarzenegger refused to return for the fourth installment of The Expendables, citing a general disinterest, speculations arose that the rivalry might have been a reason.
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
