The Pudding King

Shortly before the 2006 Rocky film saved Stallone’s acting career, he created a line of fitness supplements.

His company, Instone, produced a pudding snack that was low-carb and high in protein. He was known for being fit, so it made sense for him to enter the fitness world.

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Stallone even went on Larry King to promote the product. However, a legal battle with a food scientist over the rights of the recipe dragged on for years. Unfortunately, his business venture folded, and he had to close Instone.

His Worst Injury Ever

Stallone has said that he grades his films on the intensity of his injuries. While filming Expendables III, he sustained the worst injury of his career. Stallone broke his neck and spine and dislocated his shoulder. He suffered a “back blast,” which required surgery.

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Even though his injuries were severe, the veteran action star played it off like it was minor surgery.

In a press conference, Stallone joked, “I ended up taking a fall on my back and had some metal put in there, so if you hear squeaking, it’s not my shoes but my back.”

A Writer at Heart

In addition to his screenwriting skills, Stallone also wrote a novel. After working on numerous screenplays, he wrote Paradise Alley, a story about siblings getting caught in the circus world for professional wrestling in Hell’s Kitchen. It sounds like a lovely children’s story.

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Stallone finished the novel and decided to turn it into a screenplay. Paradise Alley was eventually produced in 1978, and the book was published that same year.

Knowing Stallone, it was far from a cute children’s story even though the plot sounds family friendly.

The Study of “Rumpology”

When Stallone’s parents separated while he was still a child, his father was prone to corporal punishment.

Stallone was a tough kid and often acted out, so his father would handcuff him for bad behavior. He later went to live with his mom, who was more of a free spirit.

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He described his mother as “half-French, half-Martian.” She was quirky and interested in strange things like the study of “rumpology.”

Rumpology is the study of the buttocks to reveal personality traits and future events. It doesn’t seem like Stallone got his mom’s weirdness.

Caught in the Act

If you have seen any of Stallone’s early movies, you will know that he has trained hard to get his toned physique.

For Rocky III, he reduced his body fat percentage to just 2.8 percent. However, in 2007, it was revealed that he had a little extra help in the gym.

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While Stallone was going through an Australian airport, customs officials discovered 48 vials of synthetic human growth hormone in his luggage. In a court hearing in May 2007, Stallone pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing a controlled substance.

Bye, Bye Sly

Before his career started to pick up again, Stallone dabbled in the magazine business for a brief period. His magazine called Sly was released in 2005; it was geared towards a middle-aged market. It had everything from health tips to celebrity interviews. It only lasted for four issues.

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Stallone was having trouble getting any of his projects to work during the early 2000s. In 2002, he took a chance on producing Father Lefty, a TV series he created. CBS aired the pilot, but the show wasn’t picked up for more episodes. He started to feel even more defeated.

Ring of Honor

Although he only plays a boxer in movies, Stallone was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011 along with Mike Tyson.

Some boxing enthusiasts weren’t thrilled with the decision because he hasn’t fought in the ring outside of a movie set, but we think he deserves the spot.

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Despite the naysayers, he has some real-life experience as he managed a boxing match on his 36th birthday.

Stallone was also the first recipient of the lifetime cinematic achievement award in boxing at the Boxing Writers Association of America awards.

Turn Down for What

While Stallone has played many characters throughout his career, he has also turned down some significant parts. He was approached to play Superman but declined it, and the role went to Christopher Reeve. Sly also turned down the lead in Pretty Woman, which went to Richard Gere.

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However, there have also been parts that Stallone auditioned for that he didn’t get. He did a screen test for the role of Han Solo in 1977’s Star Wars film, but he didn’t make the cut.

When he stood in front of George Lucas, he wasn’t the right type. He knew he wouldn’t look good in spandex.

Keeping His Faith

Stallone describes himself as an on-again-off-again Catholic. As a child, he was baptized and raised as a strict Catholic, but he turned away from religion when his career started to prosper. In 1996, he rediscovered Catholicism when his first daughter was born.

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In more recent years, Stallone has described himself as spiritual. In a 2010 interview with GQ magazine, he admitted that he wasn’t part of an organized church.

His mom was of Jewish descent, but he never openly practiced Judaism because his father had strong Catholic beliefs.

Failure to Launch

Like many children, Stallone was a big fan of superheroes. Even though he turned down the role of Superman as an adult, he wore a superhero costume under his regular clothes like Clark Kent. He was so fascinated by their powers, including the ability to fly.

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At the height of his superhero obsession, Stallone tried jumping out a window to test his flight skills. He brought an umbrella to slow down his fall, but it didn’t work as many could have guessed. As a result, he broke his collar bone.

Tough Guy, Soft Heart

Stallone may not have been a superhero in a movie, but he was a hero to many people. In 2008, Stallone, Paula Abdul, Jon Voight, and a host of other celebrities came together to participate in a charity event for the town of Sderot, Israel.

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The event was called “Live for Sderot,” and it raise funds and awareness for the city that was bombarded by thousands of Qassam rockets. Teenagers from Sderot spoke at the star-studded event, saying they know they appreciated the support.

What’s Next for Sly?

At 75, with a net worth of $450 million, Sylvester “Sly” Stallone is still one of Hollywood’s biggest-ever box office draws.

No matter how many times he wanted to give up, Stallone persevered until his dreams came true. It’s been a bit of a “rocky” road, but he has many big projects coming up.

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Currently, Stallone is working on reprising his role as Stakar Ogord in Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 and as Barney Ross in The Expendables 4.

Stallone announced that he will be moving on from The Expendables franchise after this installment. He has said that about franchises in the past, so we will see if he means it this time.

Signs of a Failing Marriage

After 25 years of marriage, Flavin filed for divorce in August 2022, accusing Stallone of hiding marital assets. T

he two seemed to be in it for the long haul, but signs of trouble appeared over a year ago. About 16 months before filing for divorce, Flavin hinted at marriage woes.

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Flavin stopped wearing her wedding ring, and in an interview, she complained about Stallone’s messiness.

She said, “You are going to fight and have your differences.” Stallone also covered his tattoo of Flavin’s face with a portrait of his dog, Butkus.