Sylvester Stallone, “Sly” to those that have known about him the longest, has been one of the most popular action hero icons in movies for a long time running and finally seems to be passing on the torch to the younger generation as he begins to wrap up some of his most famous movies, or so it seems. He made it official on social media not too long ago that he’ll be passing the torch to Michael B. Jordan following Creed II, which was just released not too long ago, and he’s apparently finished filming the last Rambo movie. If this is true then it might mean that Stallone is finally thinking about retiring or at least slowing down, though there’s always the chance that he’ll be coming out with another Expandables movie to wrap things up. We won’t know until the trailers drop so at this point it’s a guess at best to say that he’s finally reached the point in his career when he wants to take it easy.
Here are a few things that people might not have known about him.
10. A while back he took up painting in his spare time.
Stallone decided to start oil painting as a hobby and he’s not that bad, but then again an art critic might tear him to pieces from a safe distance since it’s more of a hobby and not something that might draw much attention unless someone was willing to buy it just based on who he is.
9. He was part owner of the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis.
The chain went under some time back and Stallone actually sued for damages since he was advised to stick with it even as the restaurant was plummeting into decline. It might be that he doesn’t have a head for business, or didn’t at the time, but when things start going that poorly it’s usually time to back out.
8. His slurred speech and perpetual snarl was caused when he was born.
There was an accident when the doctor was using the forceps that caused a bit of nerve damage and paralysis to the lower left side of Stallone’s face. He’s had it worked on over the years and been able to incorporate it as part of his act but it’s still fairly noticeable.
7. In high school he was voted most likely to end up in the electric chair.
That’s not exactly something you would think of as a positive prediction but it could be that he was kind of a troublemaker back in the day or someone that was just flat out unafraid of anything or anyone and people thought he might meet a rather bad end. Or it was a joke.
6. He’s not really fond of his first name.
Sylvester isn’t the worst name in the world but when you have to grow up with it and endure whatever kids can come up with to tease you with it then it might be that Sly was one of the best nicknames he could have come up with and was preferable to his real name.
5. Sly appeared in a softcore porn movie when he was 23.
You’ve got to remember that a lot of actors did a lot of things before they became famous and given that Sly wasn’t really well known before Rocky it was something that he might have seen as a way to pay the bills and keep himself fed.
4. He was considered for the role of Truman Gates in Next of Kin.
This doesn’t seem like it would have worked since Stallone looks and sounds like a city-boy whereas Patrick Swayze had the necessary drawl in his voice and even the look of someone that could have come from the hills. Sometimes the character just needs the right look after all.
3. He’s a cigar smoker.
Stallone used to smoke cigarettes but he decided to quit when he found out that he was short of breath constantly on the set of Rocky when it was time to go to work. Since then it seems that he’s been primarily a cigar man.
2. Sly was just about broke when Rocky finally got the green light.
He had a little over $100 to his name and not much else, so Rocky being given the go-ahead was something of a godsend since it set him up for a long, long while. Rocky II didn’t do quite as well but it continued the success he was having and allowed him to move on to other roles.
1. He was offered the role of Stuntman Mike in Death Proof.
This is another role that just doesn’t seem like it would have been right for him since Kurt Russell has a different kind of cool than Stallone does, a laid back, almost relaxed attitude that Stallone really has to work to achieve.
Whatever you want to say about him one thing is clear, Stallone is one of the oldest and best action heroes to ever grace the big screen.
