Sylvester Stallone is a Hollywood action staple. He has impressed two generations of action fans with his stints as Rocky, Rambo and various other no-nonsense powerhouses.
While Sylvester Stallone was out promoting his latest film, Creed, which centers around his relationship with the son of Apollo Creed, he took some time to sit down with Jimmy Fallon.
We are ever so glad he did.
Sylvester Stallone revealed that he made Michael B. Jordan, who plays Apollo Creed’s son, take a real hit as an initiation of sorts into the Rocky family. He calls the process Dead Man Walking.
He explained, “Otherwise, you’re kind of like a dead man walking, because unless you take the shot, you can’t be part of the family because we’ll bring it on.”
He added, “you have to get clobbered, usually by a man infinitely stronger and larger.”
To which Michael B. Jordan replied, “Bring it on.”
And bring it on, he did. Sylvester Stallone had Jordan’s fictional adversary, “Pretty” Ricky Conlan (British boxer Tony Bellew), deal Jordan a blow that knocked him out instantly.
And made all who saw it cringe.
Sylvester Stallone also talked about having to do the same thing when he was filming the Rocky movies.
When asked about the worst hit he ever took, he admitted it was from Dolph Lundgren.
He said, “It was unbelievable. He hit me so hard in the chest that the next thing I knew I was on a low-altitude flight to intensive care at St. John’s Hospital surrounded by four nuns.”
But, it seems those days are over for Sylvester Stallone. After he’d previously hinted at an encore for Rambo almost a year ago to the day, he revealed to Variety that he’s just not up for it.
He said, “The heart’s willing, but the body says, ‘Stay home!’ It’s like fighters that go back for one last round and get clobbered. Leave it to someone else.”
Sylvester Stallone is 69, after all. Maybe it’s time to slow down?
What do you think of Sylvester Stallone’s induction of Michael B. Jordan into the Rocky family?
