Stallone, Schwarzenegger Rivalry Ended With Governor Run
Sylvester Stallone says his rivalry with Arnold Schwarzenegger lasted about 20 years and only ended when Schwarzenegger ran for governor of California and stopped making movies. The “Rocky” star made the comments on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, according to Variety. Primetimer, citing Entertainment Weekly, dated the appearance to November 5.
What Stallone Said
Asked whether the competition shaped his career and pushed him to take risks, Stallone said it did, according to Variety. He described the two as confrontational.
He recalled an early encounter at the Golden Globe Awards, where he felt he was being given a hard stare before Schwarzenegger won, according to Variety.
Stallone said they kept vying for the title of top action star and liked to challenge each other, calling it very contentious.
Stallone also said he never wanted to be an action star until First Blood, which convinced him that well-made action films are a form of modern mythology, according to Yahoo News UK.
How It Ended
Stallone said the rivalry was not put to bed until about 20 years later, when Schwarzenegger decided to run for governor, according to Variety. The two ran into each other at the same cigar place.
Stallone said he told Schwarzenegger, “Enough of this. We’re not in competition anymore,” according to Variety. He added that Schwarzenegger was no longer making films and thanked him for spurring him on.
Stallone said they are no longer as financially competitive, adding that this is long gone, according to Yahoo Entertainment.
Stallone said Schwarzenegger felt the same way, according to The Blast. The outlet said the pair have since appeared in four films together: three Expendables films and Escape Plan.
Background and Timeline
Schwarzenegger entered the California governor’s race in 2003, won and served two terms until 2011, according to Primetimer. He made a cameo in Stallone’s 2010 film The Expendables, according to Entertainment Weekly as cited by Primetimer. Yahoo Entertainment reported that Schwarzenegger invited Stallone to attend one of his inaugurations as governor.
The pair also both invested in the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain, which launched in 1991. Stallone said they would not even share a stage to give a speech, according to Yahoo Entertainment.
Unilad said the feud goes back to the 1970s, and that Stallone previously described it as being like “life and death.”
Primetimer reported that Stallone recognised that competing with Schwarzenegger pushed him to work harder, and that the change in their careers gave them room to appreciate that influence.
Schwarzenegger’s Version
Schwarzenegger has given a different timeline. Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi, he said they competed on everything from muscles and on-screen kills to box-office takings, calling it “all out war,” according to AFP via Gulf News.
He said they became friends in the 1990s, after deciding they were mature enough to stop.
The accounts differ on when the feud ended. Joydey9ja.com has not independently verified either version.
About the Author
