Sylvester Stallone

Stallone was married to Sasha Czack from 1974 to 1985 and to Brigitte Nielsen from 1985 to 1987. He has been married to Jennifer Flavin since 1997. He has two sons, Sage Stallone and Seargeoh Stallone, from his first marriage and three daughters, Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet, with Flavin.

His younger brother, Frank Stallone, is an actor and musician who contributed songs to several of Sylvester Stallone's films, including Rocky and Rambo: First Blood Part II. Frank also performed the song "Far from Over" for Staying Alive.

Born in New York City's Hell's Kitchen, Stallone moved with his family to the Philadelphia area after his parents divorced. Forceps used during his birth damaged a facial nerve, leaving paralysis on the lower left side of his face and contributing to his distinctive speech and facial expression. He attended the American College of Switzerland before studying drama at the University of Miami.

Stallone struggled to find acting work after moving to New York City and appeared in small roles before leading The Lords of Flatbush in 1974. He wrote Rocky after watching the 1975 Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner boxing match. Stallone refused to sell the screenplay unless he could play Rocky Balboa, and the 1976 film became a critical and commercial success. It received ten Academy Award nominations, including nominations for Stallone as Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay, and won Best Picture.

Stallone wrote, directed, and starred in several entries in the Rocky series. He returned to the character in Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, Rocky V, and Rocky Balboa. In Creed and Creed II, he portrayed an older Rocky who mentors Adonis Creed, the son of Rocky's former rival Apollo Creed. His performance in Creed earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor and a third Academy Award nomination.

In 1982, Stallone played John Rambo, a former Green Beret and Vietnam veteran, in First Blood. He co-wrote the film and its sequels, including Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo III, Rambo, and Rambo: Last Blood. He also directed Rambo, which was released in 2008, and co-wrote and starred in Rambo: Last Blood in 2019.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Stallone starred in action films such as Cobra, Over the Top, Tango & Cash, Cliffhanger, Demolition Man, The Specialist, and Judge Dredd. He also took on less typical roles, including an overweight sheriff in the 1997 crime drama Cop Land, which earned him the Stockholm International Film Festival Award for Best Actor.

Stallone wrote, directed, and starred in The Expendables in 2010. The ensemble film featured Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, and other action performers, with Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger appearing in cameos. Stallone returned for three sequels and also worked with Schwarzenegger in Escape Plan.

Stallone's later screen work included the superhero film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, in which he played Stakar Ogord, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. He voiced King Shark in The Suicide Squad and made his television starring debut as a Mafia boss in the Paramount+ series Tulsa King in 2022. He also appeared with his wife and daughters in the reality series The Family Stallone and was the subject of the documentary Sly.

Beyond acting, Stallone has directed films including Paradise Alley, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, Rocky Balboa, Rambo, and The Expendables. He is also a painter and art collector. His honors include a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, a Golden Globe Award, an Honorary César, and a 2025 Kennedy Center Honor.