In the early 1970s, Sylvester Stallone was a struggling actor who couldn’t even land a background part in The Godfather. After being rejected, Stallone seized control of his own destiny and wrote the 1976 picture Rocky. He was adamant that only he would play the lead character of Rocky Balboa. So, he didn’t hand the script over until a deal was made. Despite being offered a life-changing amount of money to sell the script, Stallone convinced the producers to let him play the titular character.
Rocky went on to win three Oscars at the 1977 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Stallone was also nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Screenplay. Critics were hailing him as the next Marlon Brando. But soon after the success of Rocky, Stallone embarked on a different path and became a full-fledged action hero. Stallone’s career swerving into action movies saw him lose credibility as a serious actor. But he has churned out a number of dramatic performances across his career that deserve recognition by the Academy. Here are five times Sylvester Stallone deserved an Oscar.
1. First Blood
While First Blood has gone down as one of the most iconic action movies ever made, it originally set out to be a totally different movie. The original cut of the movie was over three hours long, but Stallone wasn’t happy with his performance. In fact, he hated it so much that he even offered to buy the film so he could burn it. An agreement was eventually made, and the film was cut down to 93 minutes.
Despite the lack of dialogue, Stallone delivered a gut-wrenching monologue at the end of the movie. Altogether, he delved into the controversial subject of PTSD. Stallone spent hours interviewing war veterans to get inside the head of a soldier who returned home, only to be rejected. The Oscars have a proclivity to ignore action movies come awards season. So that’s likely what happened here. However, Stallone’s performance was worthy of a nomination and showcased his abilities as a dramatic actor.
2. Rocky Balboa
After the initial success of the first movie, the subsequent sequels saw the Rocky franchise inflate from a solid drama to an ego-driven action series. Stallone attempted to take Rocky V back to its roots in 1990. So, he re-teamed with the original director, John G. Avildesen. But critics slated the picture. After 16 years, and with Stallone falling off the box office radar, he decided to take Rocky for one last outing in 2006’s Rocky Balboa.
Rocky Balboa showed audiences a side of the character they hadn’t seen before. Dealing with intense grief over the loss of his wife, Rocky decides to step into the ring one more time at 60 years old. Stallone delivered yet another Oscar-worthy monologue that has become one of the most quoted movie lines in cinema history. He left Rocky’s ego at the door. In the process, he reconnected with the complex yet loveable character that cinema fell in love with in 1976.
3. Creed
Creed saw Sylvester Stallone portray Rocky for the first time from a script he didn’t write. Stallone has always held his creation close to his heart and is renowned for being fiercely protective over it. So, when Ryan Coogler convinced him to play the character again in a spin-off movie, it was obvious that the material was top-notch.
Stallone delivered an understated performance as a man still grappling with profound grief and emotional trauma. Creed saw Stallone take the character on a bittersweet emotional journey as he connected with the son of his late friend, Apollo. He showcased his dramatic abilities once again with a heartbreaking monologue. Stallone’s performance resonated with critics and saw him bag his first Oscar nomination since 1977. But he lost the gold to revered stage actor Mark Rylance.
4. Rocky
Rocky undoubtedly shot Sylvester Stallone into massive superstardom. The story of an underdog boxer getting the shot he deserves ironically tied in with Stallone getting his shot. This is perhaps a key factor in Stallone’s performance feeling so raw and genuine. Rocky deals with the same feelings that Stallone dealt with himself in his pursuit to be recognized – poverty, wasted talent, and a sheer determination never to give up.
Rocky has gone on to be regarded as one of the greatest movies ever made. Its solid stature in cinema history was cultivated by Stallone’s underdog story and unforgettable on-screen rendition. While he was nominated for two Oscars that year, Stallone walked away empty-handed in what could possibly be the biggest Oscar travesty to date.
5. Cop Land
By the late 90s, Sylvester Stallone had become a massive action star. With a string of smash hits like Demolition Man, Cliffhanger, and Daylight, under his belt, this box office titan seemed unstoppable. Despite this glaring success, Stallone felt he had strayed too far from his thespian roots and wanted to prove himself again as a solid dramatic talent. However, studios didn’t want Stallone to stop churning out box office gold.
In a desperate attempt to prove himself again, Stallone took a small salary of $60,000 to star in James Mangold‘s Cop Land. He ditched his fitness regime and gained a considerable amount of weight to play the downtrodden sheriff of a small New Jersey community populated by corrupt cops. Stallone ditched his larger-than-life moxy to play the deflated sheriff who must rise to the occasion when he begins to suspect his community of wrongdoings. He gave the performance of his career, delivering a nuanced performance that showcased that he never lost the initial spark that gained him an Oscar nomination 20 years previous.
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