“Life constantly gives you punches,” says Sylvester Stallone, the 77-year-old screen icon. “You keep getting up. You have no choice. There are so many fights in life. My motto is: One more round.”
All of the rounds are fodder for the actor, writer and producer, whose documentary “Sly” debuts this week on Netflix. It covers his life from rocky beginnings to Hollywood superstardom.
Born Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone, he grew up in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York with his hairdresser father, Frank, and his mother, Jacqueline, an astrologer, dancer and women’s wrestling promoter.
As the story goes, complications during childbirth required doctors to use forceps, which accidentally severed a nerve and caused paralysis in part of Stallone’s face.
“You don’t think I talk like this on purpose?” he poses during an interview at the Toronto Film Festival.
Why did Stallone want to tell his story? “I wanted to watch my hairline recede from all the old clips,” he jokes. “Seriously, it was time. And it takes time to understand your life and how it has unfolded.”
Stallone lives in Los Angeles with wife Jennifer Flavin and their three grown daughters, Sophia, Sistine and Scarlet, who also join him on his reality series “The Family Stallone” on Paramount+.
His good life tips:
Find common ground
Even as a young boy, Stallone saw movies as a way out. “We need stories to escape from us and our reality, which is why I love going to a crowded movie theater to have a collective experience,” he says. “I also think of it this way: As humans, we know pretty much what our life is about, but it’s always nice to see that other lives being portrayed are actually quite similar to our personal dilemmas.”
Take your shot
When 1976’s “Rocky” was nominated for an Oscar, the trend in movies wasn’t personal stories. “It was the year of ‘All the President’s Men’ and ‘Taxi Driver.’ Great films with strong statements. I wrote about one challenged individual who had a lot of heart and carried no bitterness.
“I wanted to take my shot with something I knew. The idea was life has passed me by. He thinks, ‘I won’t burden anyone with my problems.’ And then he meets Adrian and he’s reborn.
“You don’t know where your shot comes from in life. But you know it’s your shot and it’s never past your prime.”
Being a hero
“I’ve always had the hero syndrome, but I think we all have it,” he says. “I think anyone, put under certain circumstances, would put their life on the line if someone they loved were in trouble. You just have to push the right buttons.”
Don’t go Rambo
Stallone once loved to do his own stunts. But now? “I’ve had seven back operations, three neck fusions, shoulder replaced, knees replaced and a ruptured gallbladder removed,” he says. “I recommend to use a stuntman. Don’t be a moron like me. If I had to do it again, I’d be in my motorhome.
“My wife has taken more stitches out of me than Betsy Ross put into the American flag.”
Go the distance
“I believe that no matter what job you have there is this quest to be incredibly successful. You think, ‘I’m better than that guy.’ Maybe you’re not. I’m not. But that thought inspires you to do your best,” Stallone says. “That’s Rocky, a man who felt he could have been someone if someone loved him. He finds that someone and then tries his best.
“Everyone deserves the chance to be their best. It breaks my heart that many people just don’t get the chance when we all deserve the opportunity to go the distance.”
Know your weaknesses
“It’s important to figure out what you’re good at in life … and to know your weaknesses. Maybe figuring out your weaknesses is the most important thing,” he says. “I did my first play in high school and learned right away that I was not destined to become a Shakespearian actor, which should not come as a big surprise. It’s important to know that others are more gifted in different areas. It helps you focus on what you can do.”
Deal with aging
“There are mornings when I feel like the Tin Man before he gets his can of oil. That’s the hard part about aging. You just feel very stiff, but you work it out. You keep trying,” Stallone says. “You don’t have to be crawling around or limping around at a certain age. You don’t have to be winding down just because you hit a certain number.”
Recognize progress
Stallone calls his early attempts at writing “atrocious.” Some 42 screenplays later, he knows one thing. “When you start something new, you can only get better, not worse,” he says. “You’re not going to become a worse writer if you keep at it. You will get better. It applies to most things.”
Find a creative outlet
“One day, I picked up a paint brush and it was so gratifying. I really do think anyone can try it,” Stallone says. “I think there are a lot of frustrated artists out there. Maybe you haven’t had the time, but it’s worth trying. Release that artist trapped within.”
Don’t count yourself out
“When I was writing ‘Rocky,’ if someone asked me if I would still be acting in my 70s, I would have said, ‘Are you crazy?’ When I started out, I thought I’d do ‘Rocky’ and that was it. And now? I still have a lot of fight in me.”