Sylvester Stallone on the fight to make "Rocky"

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Hollywood icon Sylvester Stallone opened up about his struggles with bulimia, steroid use, and the toll they took on his body as he prepared for his iconic role as Rocky Balboa. The 44-year-old actor revealed that his obsession with attaining an impossibly lean physique became unhealthy, leading him to engage in bulimia and steroid use.

Stallone explained that during the production of Rocky III, he reached a body fat percentage of 2.6 percent, but maintaining it became an all-consuming obsession. He admitted to using steroids, claiming that it was necessary to achieve his fitness goals, though he admitted that it took a "terrible toll" on his body.

Stallone also shared intimate details about his humble beginnings, recounting how he once slept on the floor of pizza boxes in New York City to make ends meet. He described living in poverty, cleaning lion cages at the Central Park Zoo, and even having little affection from his parents during his childhood. Despite these hardships, Stallone claimed that divine guidance guided him in finishing his famous script for Rocky.

He famously sold his dog to afford the project, which eventually became a cultural phenomenon and won three Oscars. Stallone has since reflected on the "terrible price" he paid for his relentless pursuit of physical perfection, regretting that he would not engage in such extreme measures if he had the chance to start over again.