The good Sly still has to pay dearly for his stunts to this day. Image source: Leonine Studios
In Hollywood, it is common for actors in risky scenes to be represented by a stunt double so that they do not injure themselves. Understandable, after all, the actors often simply lack the professional training to be able to carry out certain actions safely.
Rocky Balboa, Rambo und Co.: For a long time, Sylvester Stallone was one of the few exceptions. The action star has performed the stunts himself for a large part of his career – and according to his own statement, he still pays dearly for them to this day.
The Expendables as a turning point
Again Hollywood Reporter reports, Stallone recently issued a stern warning to aspiring action stars on his reality TV show The Family Stallone (available on streaming service Paramount+):
Don’t do your own stunts. […] There’s something romantic about doing your own stunts. There’s something very unromantic about doing your own stunts.
Sylvester Stallone also cites a specific example as a turning point in his career: While filming the first part of The Expendables, he was hit hard by wrestling legend Steve Austin in a fight scene – with consequences:
I remember one punch and I could actually feel a crack. […] I never recovered from Expendables 1. After this movie it literally wasn’t the same physically.
Later in the episode of his reality show, we also learn that Sly Since this incident, she has had an impressive seven back operations had to endure – one of them only during the broadcast.
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The Expendables – cinema trailer from 2010 for the Stallone film
Already afraid of death
Even though Sylvester Stallone is generally considered a tough guy among action fans, The Expendables wasn’t the only incident that left the star shaking.
Our sister portal reported already in 2021 Moviepilotthat Stallone has suffered from fear of death before – in one of his lesser-known roles.
In the movie Nighthawks from 1981, Sly plays New York cop DaSilva, who competes against terrorist Wulfgar Reinhardt (Rutger Hauer). About halfway through the film, Stallone had to be pulled up dozens of meters with a winch – at a height of 80 meters.
I’ve never been so scared [….] I was dangling 80 meters above the East River, the wind was pulling me in every direction and the rope could be hit by something at any time and break.
Early in Stallone’s career, a stunt in the film Nighthawks demanded everything from him. Image source: Plaion Pictures
In 2022, Sylvester Stallone spoke in an interview about his attitude when making a film and why he does his own stunts. Apparently the action legend has very high standards and thrills also play a not unimportant role:
If I don’t do it myself, it will never be done right. […] I just go up there and say: I can do it.
You can watch the interview excerpt in question here:
Link to YouTube content
At the ripe old age of 77, no one will begrudge Sly if he slows down a bit in the future or lets himself be represented for one or two stunts. He probably won’t slip into Rambo’s shoes again anyway, but he already has a successor in mind. You can find out exactly who that is in the article linked above.
