Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, two of Hollywood’s biggest action stars, once shared a tense rivalry that began early in their careers. This rivalry, which centered on their competition for top roles, has now resurfaced as the actors reflect on what sparked their initial animosity.
Stallone, 79, described their first encounter as “two alphas hitting,” explaining how they would silently challenge each other at social events.
“If we walked into a party, we’d be staring at each other for a few seconds, and then, ‘I gotta get that guy. He didn’t do anything wrong, but he will,’”
he recalled during a joint interview with TMZ on November 5.
The rivalry originated as both men vied for prominence in the crowded landscape of action films. Stallone acknowledged that competition is inherent in their line of work, saying,
“There’s not that much room up [at the top]. Everyone wants to be on the point. I think it’s something you’re born with. I would go out for parts I knew I was wrong for, but I wanted them so bad.”
How Competition Fueled Their Careers
Stallone admitted that Schwarzenegger served as a motivating force behind his ambition.
“Dare I say it, he was a competition or threat, whatever word you want to use,”
Stallone said. Schwarzenegger, now 78, took responsibility for igniting the feud by speaking impulsively in the public eye after Stallone’s breakthrough with the film Rocky.
“Rocky came out, and I was blown away by his acting and the movie,”
Schwarzenegger recalled.
“Then, after we were at the Golden Globes and we both won.”
At the 1977 Golden Globe ceremony, the rivalry took a visible turn when Stallone threw a bouquet of flowers toward Schwarzenegger’s table.
“I’m going, ‘He won Best Newcomer?’ No offense, but Rocky was a pretty good debut, and he’s looking pretty proud of himself,”
Stallone explained.
“I didn’t think we were going to win Best Picture. We win, and I lost it. I literally went and picked up this entire bouquet of flowers and tossed them straight up in the air, sort of aiming toward his side of the table. He’s sitting there, like, ‘OK, he just threw down the gauntlet.’”
Escalation and Racing for Stardom
Schwarzenegger agreed that the flower toss marked the beginning of an ongoing battle between them.
“It just developed from then on,”
he said.
“Now, I had to chase him. He did Rocky 2 and the Rocky 3 and all these movies and it kept going up and up. My salary was 10 percent of his. When he got $2 million, I got $200,000. … I had to chase behind him, and I said, ‘This has to stop.’”
Although Schwarzenegger never boycotted Stallone’s projects, he viewed the rivalry as a source of motivation to elevate his own performances and earnings.
“I had to kind of catch up to that,”
Schwarzenegger admitted.
“It gave me motivation, and this is what the whole thing was about. It became very, very competitive.”
From Rivalry to Respect and Friendship
In time, the intense competition faded, allowing Stallone and Schwarzenegger to develop mutual admiration and friendship. Schwarzenegger expressed deep respect for Stallone’s commitment to his craft.
“[I admire] his dedication and his passion. I wish I could be as passionate as he is,”
Schwarzenegger said.
“He’s so passionate. When you talk about scripts or when you talk about your characters that you play in movies or when you talk about movies, there’s just so much passion there. It’s really unbelievable.”
Stallone similarly praised Schwarzenegger’s steadiness and focus.
“He’s rock steady. He’s like a season that doesn’t change,”
Stallone said.
“He’s, like, bang-on, very organized, very calculating and very thoughtful. I’m not. I’m very emotional, I tend to be swayed [which] can upset logic quite often, and that’s when you make mistakes. … I don’t know what’s going on, but he gets it done and really does have a big heart.”
The Enduring Impact of Their Rivalry
The Sylvester Stallone Arnold rivalry, rooted in ambition and competition, pushed both actors to heights that defined the action genre for decades. Their story demonstrates how professional rivalry, even when fraught with tension and frustration, can ultimately foster mutual respect and personal growth. As they continue to collaborate and support each other, the legacy of their early conflict remains a compelling chapter in Hollywood history.
