Random Fascinating Stories About Sylvester Stallone, Hollywood's Most Macho Sta (14 items)

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  (#7) He Had His Own Men’s Magazine Called ‘Sly’

  In 2004, Sylvester Stallone started his own magazine, appropriately named Sly. As a men's health and fitness publication, Sly targeted readers ages 35 to 54 and, according to publisher spokesperson, Stallone was going to "be actively involved in the editorial process every month."

  The first issues of Sly came out in 2005, but not without controversy. Sly had the same name as an internet magazine, a women's magazine focused on shoes, bags, and accessories. Judge Richard Casey called the site "a shoe fetish" publication when he ruled Sly could remain on newsstands. The online Sly parlayed into a $1 million lawsuit against the judge. 

  Unfortunately, the magazine had a very short, very limited run.
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  (#9) He Kept - And Still Has - The Turtles From 'Rocky'

  Right before Rocky became such a success, Sylvester Stallone had to sell his dog, Butkus. He sold Butkus for $40, later repurchasing him with money he made from selling his screenplay. Stallone paid $15,000 to get his dog back - an amount that was, "worth every penny." 

  Butkus made his way onto the big screen, playing Rocky Balboa's dog, but the movie also featured two turtle companions. Named Cuff and Link, the turtles went home with Stallone after the first Rocky and he has continued to care for them.

  Both Cuff and Link appeared in Creed 2, 44 years after their onscreen debut. 
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  (#10) He Was Busted With 48 Vials Of Human Growth Hormone

  In 2007, Sylvester Stallone was found guilty of carrying 48 vials of human growth hormones (HGH) into Australia. The vials included both testosterone and Jintropin. 

  Jintropin, used by Stallone to give his "body a boost," is not approved for use in either the United States nor Australia. When caught with the substance, Stallone insisted it was for personal use. Authorities found Stallone to be contrite and, after a significant fine, decided there was nothing, "further the court could or should do in order to deter Mr. Stallone from committing these offenses again."

  In an interview the following year, Stallone addressed the charges, noting he, "put in years and years and years of hard labor to stay in shape... The most important thing about HGH - and I think more people should be aware of this - is it really takes off the wear and tear that your body takes. The power to recuperate is very, very limited. So all it does is expedite." He cautioned, however, that it wasn't the path to fitness and health. "If that were the case," he said, "everyone would be a superhuman."
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  (#12) He Took On Fellow Tough Guy Bruce Willis, Who He Called 'Greedy And Lazy'

  In 2013, as Sylvester Stallone looked to bring back the cast of the first two Expendable movies for a third, he struggled to get Bruce Willis to sign on. Willis was said to have asked for $4 million to shoot for four days in Bulgaria, something that prompted Stallone to dismiss the actor and replace him with Harrison Ford.

  Stallone posted on Twitter, "WILLIS OUT... HARRISON FORD IN !!!! GREAT NEWS !!!!! Been waiting years for this!!!!"

  In a later Tweet, Stallone wrote, "GREEDY AND LAZY ...... A SURE FORMULA FOR CAREER FAILURE," a statement that his representatives later affirmed were made about Willis. 

  In 2014, the two seemed to have made amends, with Stallone tweeting, "Made up with BRUCE W. A stand up guy, my mistake...."
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  (#1) He Encouraged Dolph Lundgren To Knock Him Out In 'Rocky IV'

  While doing press for Rambo V: Last Blood in Cannes, France, in May 2019, Stallone recalled his first interactions with Dolph Lundgren. As the antagonist in Rocky IV, audiences weren't supposed to like Ivan Drago and, from Stallone's recount, he didn't like Lundgren either.

  This was by design. When Stallone first saw him, he thought Lundgren, "was like the real Terminator, and I go, ‘I hate this friggin’ guy.' He’s just too perfect, too good looking. And if I loathe him, I’m sure the world will. He’s not really, but he looks like something that’s a thousand years in the future. This is not a guy you see waiting on your table."

  Stallone knew Lundgren was perfect to play Drago, the ideal "superhuman being... someone who would be overwhelming... someone who is literally perfect. Indestructible. Shoulders, calves, forearms, giant butt, neck, back, everything." One day, while shooting, Lundgren hit Stallone, "so hard he almost stopped my heart." As a result, Stallone challenged his co-star:

  I told him, "Why don’t we just do it? Just try to knock me out. Really cut loose as hard as you can." That was a really stupid thing to say. Next thing I know, I’m on a low-altitude plane to the emergency room, and I’m in intensive care for four days.
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  (#5) He Wrote The First Draft Of ’Rocky’ In Three Days

  After watching a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner on March 24, 1975, Stallone had an idea for a screenplay. He was inspired by Wepner's efforts, the determined yet outmatched "Bayonne Bleeder" from New Jersey. Wepner went 15 rounds against Ali, the same number of rounds Rocky Balboa would later fight against Apollo Creed.

  Stallone spent three days writing the first draft of Rocky, taking few to no breaks. After he was done, he gave the 90-page script to his agent who shopped it out to producers. With several interested parties, Stallone - down to his last $100 - also insisted on starring in the film.

  As negotiations continued, the offer for the screenplay rose to as much as $400,000. However, Stallone accepted $25,000 for the screenplay and the role as the movie's namesake.

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