Sylvester Stallone says an eating disorder and steroid use became part of an obsessive focus on his physique while making Rocky films in the 1980s.
In an interview with The New York Times published Saturday, the 80-year-old actor discussed how his approach to playing Rocky and Rambo changed his relationship with his body.
“It became an obsession, really bad,” Stallone said. He said the fixation reached its worst point during Rocky III. Stallone recalled becoming bulimic and said his body fat fell to 2.6% while making the film.
Stallone also acknowledged using steroids during the Rocky years. He described maintaining his physique at that level as physically damaging and said he continues to deal with the effects decades later.
The actor listed nine back operations, two shoulder operations and three neck fusions. Stallone said he still tries to remain fit but now takes multiple medications to keep going.
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Looking back, he said he would have avoided performing his own stunts and placed less pressure on his body. His comments form part of a wider interview about the physical demands and personal struggles behind his career.
The interview was conducted before the release of I Play Rocky, a film about the making of the original 1976 movie. Anthony Ippolito plays Stallone, with a nationwide theatrical release scheduled for November 20.
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Sylvester Stallone says his fixation on maintaining an extreme physique during his Rocky-era fame developed into bulimia alongside steroid use.
