Premiere Of Warner Bros. Pictures' "Creed" - Red Carpet© GettyImages

Arnold Schwarzenegger opens up about how he resolved rivalry with Sylvester Stallone

Schwarzenegger and Stallone were rivals in the 80s, solving their issues thanks to a mutual friend.


Senior Writer
OCTOBER 25, 2023 7:54 PM EDT

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone dominated action films for a long period of time. The two were often pitted against each other, with their films tackling similar topics. It was a rivalry that trascended the screen, with the two hating being in each other’s presence.

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Stallone and Schwarzenegger

In a Page Six report, Schwarzenegger stopped by the funeral of Hollywood attorney Jake Bloom, who was pivotal in solving the relationship between Schwarzenegger and Stallone. He said he was furious to learn that Bloom had also signed Stallone, and that he was bringing him in a trip alongside himself, and Bruce Willis to celebrate the opening of the restaurant Planet Hollywood. That trip was incredibly helpful for their relationship, turning them into lifelong friends.

“In the end, Arnie and Stallone spent so much time flying around the world to promote the burger joint that their animosity finally wore away and they became close friends,” wrote Page Six. 

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Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Willis at the opening of Planet Hollywood

Stallone’s comments on Schwarzenegger’s docuseries

Stallone was featured in an episode of “Arnold,” Schwarzenegger’s docuseries. "You actually relied upon your body to tell the story. Dialogue was not necessary," he said of the action films of the time. "I saw that there was an opportunity, 'cause no one else was doing this… except some other guy from Austria, who doesn't need to say much."

Stallone said that the two became incredibly competitive with each other, even if they had different acting techniques. "He was superior. He just had all the answers," he concludes. "He had the body. He had the strength. That was his character."