For decades, Sylvester Stallone has been the action star of all action stars, so the release of Rocky IV‘s director’s cut will mark a tremendous moment in his career. The iconic action star couldn’t help but look back on an acting career that has spanned over six decades. With that in mind, Stallone decided to share an emotional video about his career as a Hollywood star.
The forthcoming release of Rocky IV‘s director’s cut, a.k.a. hasn’t just been an emotional journey for Sylvester Stallone, but his fans as well. The actor has been documenting the entire process on Instagram. The social media platform served as another reminder of Stallone’s legendary career. So the Creed II star decided to go in-depth about his career with his followers. While reflecting on his decades of work, the Expendables 4 star made a surprising revelation about his aspirations as an actor:
I never planned to be an action actor, and it just never entered my mind. I was always more into dramatics.
Sylvester Stallone drove the point home by calling the first two Rocky films more straightforward dramas rather than the beloved sports classics they are considered. He revealed some of his classical acting training by recalling his times performing works from Eugene O’Neill and Eugene Ionesco. Stallone looked back on when he was working on his now-famous voice, and the Oscar winner gave insight into his voice was received:
My voice is a product of a lot of things. I was born in a charity ward, and we didn’t have a lot of money, so they killed the nerve [on the right side of his face], and that’s why my mouth is crooked on one side, and my voice is very, very deep… It turned out to be a blessing, you know. It made [me] very, very unique… It’s perfect for the kind of characters I played. I remember my first reviews on Rocky – they said I sounded like an old mafioso pale bearer. Something like that doesn’t bother me. I realize it’s there; I can’t do anything about it. it’s different, it just sounds like me.
At least Sylvester Stallone had enough confidence to look past the critics. He’s been able to bank on that voice and tone for decades through multiple franchises and action films. While Stallone has maintained his relevancy, that didn’t stop him from thinking back to the first Rocky film. He summed up how the beloved character’s story and his aligned as follows:
So, when Rocky goes there [in the] first one, his goal is just to be not another bum from the neighborhood. I just wanted to be standing at the end of my life saying I did it, and everybody wants that. I just want to be able to stand at the end of my life, and say yeah, raise my kids, did this and pay my taxes. I lived a decent life, and I left something behind which is dignity, period.
Like any person, Rocky Balboa and Sylvester Stallone just wanted to be treated like human beings. Despite some similarities, Stallone seemed to not understand the character’s staying power. The Suicide Squad star said about viewers finding themselves in the boxing champ:
That just touches on a level that even I don’t understand. No one goes through life without a bunch of bruised knees and sore knuckles. It’s just one big battle, and I think they identify with that because quite often life makes us go beyond what we think we can go beyond.
To see Sylvester Stallone’s full interview celebrating Rocky IV’s director’s cut, check out his Instagram video below:
As usual, Sylvester Stallone dropped some gems as well as revealed some unexpected tidbits to his followers. Of course, moviegoers will get to see Rocky Balboa back in action when Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago hits theaters on November 11, with the on-demand release following the day after.