There are many actors that have been a part of the movie industry for a long time and have defined generations of cinematography and how people view Hollywood. Sylvester Stallone is one of such actors, as he was able to attain success and respect of viewers all over the world.
Sylvester Stallone was born in 1946, July 6th, in New York (Sylvester Stallone Biography, 2013). Even though it is largely unknown, he has had a very shaky childhood, trying hard to establish his personality and confidence in his character. At the time of his birth, the delivering staff had used forceps and damaged some nerves in his face. As this fact led to him speaking with some difficulty, he was being treated differently and unkindly by his peers at school.
When he was nine years old, his parents divorced and this was another rough episode in his life. His grades were low and he had trouble fitting in. He changed many schools and was often labeled as a troubled child. As he got older, he developed an interest in athletics and started building his strength. This added much confidence to his personality. His acting career started in 1970 and later, became widely known for his “Rocky” and “Rambo” films.
One of the major ways in which Stallone got known to the world is his muscle tone and ability to get involved in demanding roles. The preparation that had to be done for “Rocky” was rather extensive and intense, but “Rocky II” required even more effort and he was prepared to give it all he had (Ervo, 2003).
This shows that he was not afraid of challenges and was devoted to his work. There has been much criticism about the type of roles he plays and how his body has been instrumental in the characters he portrays. Some critics have gone as far, as to attack his speech abilities, which is clearly unethical and distasteful (Ervo, 2003). The most important quality of any actor is the belief in their role and the connection that is being made with the audience, and Sylvester Stallone has accomplished that over and over.
Stallone’s career is continuing with new movies that are rather recent. “In 2002 Stallone was honored by the Video Dealers Software Association when he was presented with the “Action Star of the Millennium Award” (Sylvester Stallone Bio, 2013). “The Expendables I, II” have shown that he is still very much involved in the industry and takes active part in directing and screenwriting.
His personal life has had a fair amount of unexpected turns. Stallone’s first wife was Sasha Czack, they married in 1974 (Sylvester Stallone Biography, 2013). They had two children, a son and a daughter. Unfortunately, his son, Sage, was diagnosed with autism and died of heart complications in 2012. In 1985, he got divorced and married Brigitte Nielsen. This marriage has lasted for two years and the divorce was extensively covered by media.
In 1997, Sylvester Stallone married Jennifer Flavin and they have 3 daughters (Sylvester Stallone Biography, 2013). It is obvious that Stallone experienced much difficulty in his life, both in his childhood and later years. Nonetheless, he was able to persevere and continue his life and career as an internationally known actor. The numerous references to his movies and the image that he portrays are the proof that he has instilled himself in the hearts and minds of many people.
References
Ervo, S. (2003). Moulding Masculinities. Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
Sylvester Stallone Bio. (2013). Retrieved from https://sylvesterstallone.com/bio/
Sylvester Stallone Biography. (2013). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wbJHqmQ5yw