When it came to the action genre of films, especially during the golden age of cinema when pictures like these were at their peak, the stars who were known for them were revered like no other. Among them, Sylvester Stallone’s name stood towards the top, with a few others coming close in comparison. While he was undoubtedly at the pinnacle of his career, Arnold Schwarzenegger was just as big a name in action as he was, which naturally pitted them against one other, whether on screen or in real life. But when it comes to displaying support for one another, they have nothing but love for one another, as Stallone demonstrated when he learned of Schwarzenegger’s seemingly ridiculous demand. Rivalries between two huge Hollywood stars may not be prominent enough, or even exist at all, in today’s day and age, but in the past, they were what piqued the public’s interest. One of the most heated rivalry at the time was between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, two of the biggest stars in the action film genre.
While everyone recalls their furious back-and-forth in blockbuster after blockbuster, few may recall their mutual admiration and the occasion when Stallone publicly displayed it. When the Rocky star was promoting his then-upcoming picture The Expendables, he also announced that the Terminator star would be joining the roster, which caused quite a stir. In a previous interview, the actor was discussing the picture when the host brought up a comment in which Schwarzenegger declared his willingness to run for president. While many laughed at this notion, Stallone was convinced that if it happened, his opponent would easily win the election. On Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, he stated: “Arnold’s a genius. I mean, seriously…he’s had three incredible careers. He may not be able to sit there and split atoms, but he knows how to get things done.
He knows how to move people, and if they would allow him because our constitution doesn’t allow foreigners…considering the entire country’s made up of foreigners, they can’t run for president” While he did not become President of the United States, Schwarzenegger did serve as Governor of California. While they are now excellent friends, Schwarzenegger and Stallone formerly had such an intense competition that they would go to any length to beat each other at the game. It all began on the night of the 1977 Golden Globe Awards, when the Rambo actor reported the bodybuilding legend laughing at him for losing the Best Actor prize. Since then, they’ve been nearly at each other’s throats, trying to outdo each other on every imaginable front. Stallone apparently once revealed that he knew Schwarzenegger supported Nazi ideology and offered it to a writer in order for it to be published and destroy his reputation.
