Sylvester Stallone Recalls Almost Missing Out On 'Rocky II'

Hollywood icon Sylvester Stallone recently walked down memory lane and shared bombshell revelations about one of his most famous movies in The "Rocky" Franchise.

The veteran actor, best known for embodying beloved action characters, nearly lost the opportunity to star in the second installment of the "Rocky" series. However, like his famous role, "Rocky Balboa," he didn't quit without a fight.

During a joint interview with fellow Hollywood legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, Stallone opened up about what happened behind the scenes for "Rocky II." He explained that things went south for him while training to embody the fictional boxer.

Stallone was honored to work with the late bodybuilding icon Franco Columbu, Schwarzenegger's trainer and pal. However, he pushed himself too far in a bench press competition against the former boxer.

The 77-year-old actor ripped his pec off the bone, a gruesome injury that occurred a month-and-a-half before the production for "Rocky II" began. While this incident could have forced others to sit out on the role or delay the filming schedule, it wasn't enough to stop Stallone.

Instead of missing out on the "Rocky" sequel, the Hollywood sensation, per TMZ, made a surprising twist to his fictional character. Fans of the boxing franchise may recall that Rocky Balboa was left-handed; however, he learned to fight with his right hand in the movie.

The decision to fight right-handed in "Rocky II" wasn't a plot twist, but the only way Stallone could film the movie with his injury. That wasn't all; he did so while battling immense pain but powered through to complete the anticipated sequel.

According to the 77-year-old, pushing through the pain is just what dedicated entertainers like himself and Schwarzenegger did to make it to the top. He previously reflected on his hardcore commitment to his career in June 2023.

Taking to his Instagram followers, Stallone shared a slideshow of throwback images that detailed his incredible training for a movie. The first shot captured him, Schwarzenegger, and the late Columbu in all their muscular glory.

Meanwhile, the remaining pictures showed Columbu training Stallone at the gym, and from the veins popping out the actor's muscles, it was clear those weights weren't for the weak. He captioned the photos:

"Since everyone liked the photo of me training for Rambo 3 with the legendary Franco Columbu! Here's a few more!!!"

Despite his injury, Stallone brought his A-game to "Rocky II" as an actor, director, and screenwriter. While the production team was happy to let him write the screenplay, they had their reservations regarding his skills as a director.

United Artists was reluctant to let Stallone take charge after the director of the first film, John G. Avildsen, could not return. However, their hands were tied when the actor refused to let the film be made without him in the director's chair.

Stallone's skills, alongside the fantastic performances from castmates like Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith, Burt Young, and Talia Shire, made the sequel a box-office hit. "Rocky II" was the third highest-grossing film in 1979, grossing $200 million worldwide and $85 million in North America.

The Blast reported that Stallone's bravado in movies was similar to his real personality following the terrifying recollection of a shooting experience — a story his family had never heard of.

He revealed the shocking news last November while appearing on his daughters Sophia and Sistine Stallone's "Unwaxed" podcast. Naturally, the hosts and their mother, Jennifer Flavin, who sat in the background, were shocked by the revelation.

According to Stallone, he sustained the gunshot wound following a wild encounter with bullies at a church dance — a party he crashed out of curiosity and received immediate karma for by getting punched in the face by one of the bullies.

Following the beating, the TV personality noted that he left the venue before willing himself to go back and confront the bully, who happened to be twice his size. In a voice filled with emotion, he recalled:

"I said: 'I can't live with it. I cannot live the rest of my life knowing that some stranger came up and hit me hard for nothing. So you gotta do something. You know what? Go back in. Go back in!'"

Stallone recalled going party to the party and punching the bully in the face before getting chased by the gang through the Kensington area. Fortunately, he escaped, but this led the bullies to his doorstep.

For days, they watched his home, waiting for the perfect moment to attack, and that happened when Stallone finally left his house to visit a bowling alley at night. Once he saw them, he took off, but it was too late.

"I started running, and then pow! They shot me in the tricep," the entertainer recalled, showing his children where the bullet hit before adding: "I kept going and going and going, and finally, after the shot, the police came."