Sylvester Stallone Blames His Career Nosedive On "Movie Star Syndrome"

Sylvester Stallone

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The 63-year-old actor enjoyed a series of blockbusters and cult hits early in his career, including Rocky and Rambo.

He has since appeared in a number of critical and box office flops, something he blames on being too “pampered”.

“I think the thing that got into me was Movie Star Syndrome, which is being incredibly pampered,” he told Empire magazine. “Other actors may say, ‘How dare he say that?’ Well, I’ve been on both sides of the fence and the softer you are, the worse you are as an actor. It just gets you pampered. You sit on this fluffed-up cushion and you’re a*s gets soft.”

Stallone’s spiralling career made him slip deeper and deeper into depression. He was desperate for another hit, and was thrilled when he was offered the chance to make another Rocky film in 2006.

“It was really hard on my wife because I kept saying, ‘I know I’ve got one last thing to say.’ I went into Rocky Balboa as my final film,” he said. “The greatest privilege is to go out on your own terms, and that’s what I wanted with Rocky. Little did I know that afterwards it would be, ‘Hey, wanna make another Rambo?’ ”