Sylvester Stallone Says He Suffered Hollywood Rejection For Almost A Decade: 'Nobody Wanted Me'

Sylvester Stallone is opening up about how he fought his way back into the Hollywood spotlight after hitting a career slump that lasted nearly a decade without work.

According to the actor, the slump came after the release of "Cop Land," but by a stroke of luck, years later, he crossed paths with a film producer while on vacation.

The meeting led to the fifth installment of Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky" franchise and paved the way for more spin-offs and major film roles.

Speaking with AARP, Stallone reflected on how he was once out of the Hollywood game "for almost a decade" after starring in the 1997 American crime drama "Cop Land."

"Nobody wanted me after 'Cop Land.' Even my agents," the actor shared. "I was fired from CAA. My personal manager at the time let me go. He said, 'I can't do anything for you. Nobody really wants you anymore.'"

The rejection immediately left Stallone wondering how he had fallen so far, and he recalled being told that studios felt "as though you're not what you were."

Desperate to get back into the game, Stallone tried reconnecting with his former agent, who at the time held a top 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 out of his hands.

After facing continued rejection, Stallone decided it was best to create a new installment of his prized franchise, "Rocky."

The first four installments brought him tremendous success, which led the actor to see the franchise as his "safe place."

Unfortunately, the most recent installment at the time, "Rocky V," had been a box-office disappointment, leaving most studios uninterested in producing another sequel.

To make matters worse, his wife, noting how poorly the last film had performed, advised him against pursuing another "Rocky" movie.

"There I am, 60 years old, and the previous one, 'Rocky V,' was an abject failure. So, the original producers didn't want to do the sixth film, 'Rocky Balboa,'" Stallone recalled. "They said, basically, 'Over our dead bodies.' Even my wife was going, 'I don't know if it's such a good idea.'"

Just when Stallone had given up on the idea of another Rocky film, a silver lining appeared in the most unlikely place.

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

During their conversation, Stallone mentioned that he had written a new Rocky script 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 calls. 'My wife read it, and she 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, and I want to play Michael Corleone," I'd go … no. But I had no other choice," Stallone recalled.

After making his Hollywood comeback, Stallone went on to write and star in two more "Rambo" films, as well as the "The Expendables" franchise. He also reprised his iconic role as Rocky Balboa in the sequel franchise "Creed."

Now, the actor is playing the titular role in Taylor Sheridan's "Tulsa King," which has received rave reviews since its 2022 debut.

"A streaming series was untilled soil for me. It's much faster than film, and you have to learn much more dialogue, at least my character," Stallone said about the series where he plays an exiled New York mob capo.

Stallone revealed that during the first two seasons of "Tulsa King," he closely oversaw every aspect of the series' production.

However, the movie star has since stepped back to spend more time with his wife and daughters.

Stallone also hinted at a possible end for his character, suggesting that the story would not conclude with his death, despite his being a gangster.