Sylvester Stallone Opens Up About Being Rejected By Hollywood

Sylvester Stallone The film opens up about how he returned to the Hollywood spotlight after going through a slump in his career that lasted nearly a decade without work.

According to the actor, the slump came after the release of the movie “Cop Land,” but by a stroke of luck, years later, he met a film producer while on vacation.

The meeting led to the release of the fifth part of the “Rocky” film series, directed by Sylvester Stallone, and paved the way for more cameo roles and major film roles.

Talk to AARPStallone spoke about how he was out of Hollywood “for nearly a decade” after starring in the 1997 American crime drama “Cop Land.”

“No one wanted me after Cop Land.” Even my agents,” the actor shared. “I got fired from CAA. My personal manager at the time let me go. He said, ‘I can’t do anything for you. No one really wants you anymore.'”

The rejection left Stallone immediately wondering why he had fallen so far, and he recalls being told that the studios felt “as if you’re not who you are.”

Desperate to get back in the game, Stallone tried to reconnect with his former agent, who at the time held a senior position at Universal Studios.

However, despite Stallone’s insistence that he would “take anything”, the agent reportedly told the actor that reviving his career was beyond his control.

After facing constant rejection, Stallone decided it was best to create a new installment in his prized “Rocky” film series.

The first four installments were a massive hit, leading the actor to see the franchise as his “safe place.”

Unfortunately, the most recent release at the time, “Rocky V,” was a disappointment at the box office, leaving most studios uninterested in producing another sequel.

To make matters worse, his wife, noticing how poorly the last film was doing, advised him not to pursue another “Rocky” film.

“Here I was, 60 years old, and the previous movie, Rocky V, was a huge failure,” Stallone recalls. “So the original producers didn’t want to make the sixth movie, Rocky Balboa.” “They said, basically, over our dead bodies.” Even my wife said, ‘I don’t know if this is a good idea.’

Just when Stallone abandoned the idea of ​​another Rocky movie, a silver lining appeared in the most unexpected place.

While having dinner with his wife, Jennifer Flavin, on vacation in Mexico, film producer Joe Roth, who happened to be at the same restaurant, approached their table to talk to Flavin about a potential project.

During their conversation, Stallone mentioned that he had written a new script for Rocky and handed Roth a copy to review.

Surprisingly, Roth liked it but decided to take it home to get his wife’s opinion before making any decisions.

A week later, Joe called and said, “My wife read it and cried. I’ll do it.” All’s well that ends well. I wish the original Rocky producers well. I mean, if Al Pacino said to me, ‘I’m 82 years old, and I want to play Michael Corleone,’ I would say no… No. I had no other choice,” Stallone recalls.

After returning to Hollywood, Stallone continued to write and star in two more “Rambo” films, as well as “The Expendables” films. He also reprized his iconic role as Rocky Balboa in the “Creed” series.

Now, the actor plays the titular role in Taylor Sheridan’s “Tulsa King,” which has received rave reviews since its 2022 debut.