Oscar-nominee injured while filming first ‘Expendables’ movie
Sylvester Stallone explains why ‘Rocky’ resonates with audiences 50 years later
Sylvester Stallone told Fox News Digital the reasons why his iconic character, Rocky Balboa, still connects with fans as an underdog.
Sylvester Stallone has a warning for any would-be action stars: Do not do your own stunts.
In the fourth episode of his docuseries, "The Family Stallone," streaming now on Paramount+, Stallone was preparing for his seventh back surgery before moving to Florida.
He visited the boxing gym "where it all started" with his brother, Frank Stallone, and met with Frank Grillo, who starred in a film written by Stallone titled "Homefront" to do some sparring. Grillo asked about Stallone’s health, noting last time he saw him he was holding his back.
Stallone admitted, "I thought I was going to be OK, [but] I had my back operation, which is why you should never do your own stunts, and now I have to have another one this Thursday because my legs are numb."
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Sylvester Stallone said that while doing your own stunts is "romantic," it's very "unromantic" dealing with the aftermath. (Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)
In an interview, he continued, saying, "There’s something kind of romantic about doing your own stunts. There’s something very unromantic about after doing your own stunts. Here we go again, it’s back operation season."
The recent ongoing back issues stemmed from a stunt he did while directing and starring in the first "Expendables" film, saying he had done "stupid stuff."
"I was directing ‘Expendables,’ and like an idiot, I’m doing take 10, take whatever, and I remember I’m doing this one body slam, and I could actually feel, bang."
The scene featured wrestler "Stone Cold" Steve Austin throwing Stallone against a wall. As the actor put it, he "never recovered" from the injury.
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Stallone revealed he "never recovered" following an injury on the set of the first "Expendables" movie in a scene with Steve Austin, left, (Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Lionsgate)
"After that film, I was literally, physically, never the same. So, I warn people. Don’t do your own stunts."
According to his wife, Jennifer Flavin, the surgery was holding up the family’s move to Florida, but the biggest issue was, of course, his chronic pain.
"Sly going into surgery, I’ve never seen him not in good spirits, he has a great attitude," Flavin said. "It’s very scary for our family every time Sly has to go through surgery because you never know, no one knows."
His daughters, Sophia, Sistine and Scarlet, all worried about their father during the episode.
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Stallone's daughters, Scarlet, left, Sistine, second from left, and Sophia, far right, worried about their father. Sistine noted that he was in pain "my whole childhood." (Art Streiber/Paramount+)
"It’s really hard to watch my dad go through another painful operation," Sistine said in an interview. "My whole childhood, he was in pain. He did everything he could to push through the pain and be present, but I couldn’t imagine every waking moment you are just hurting."
Happily, Stallone recovered quickly from the surgery, and Flavin admitted, "I hope this is the one to help him live a more comfortable life."
Stallone’s doctor assured the couple he’d be "fine," maybe even "too good."
With the surgery completed, the episode concluded with Stallone, Flavin and youngest daughter Scarlet leaving their Los Angeles home behind for Florida.
Stallone recovered from his surgery and he and Flavin moved to Florida a short time later. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
In December, Flavin spoke with Fox News Digital at the inaugural "Rocky Day" celebration about the couple’s relocation, saying, "It’s an incredible move, I have to say I’m really happy with our move and our change."
"I was born and raised there, two of our kids were born there, but now everyone’s out, our daughters moved to the East Coast … so there wasn’t really anything left for me in California," she continued. "A few of our best friends also moved, so I think it’s [a] good change, just making new friends, living a totally different lifestyle, I love it, I’m really happy."
Stallone had similar feelings of wanting a fresh start, as seen in the opening scenes of his Netflix documentary, "Sly."
"I wasn’t moving because ‘Oh, wow, I wanted another beautiful view.’ Any time changing that paradigm, which you become used to, it’s literally to jump-start that process again," he explained.
All 10 episodes of "The Family Stallone" are currently streaming on Paramount+.
