Sylvester Stallone says the secret upside of a career rival is that they keep you moving forward

Sylvester Stallone has revealed that his rivalry with Arnold Schwarzenegger played a crucial role in shaping the era of over-the-top action films. The two action stars, who dominated the 1980s, had a competitive relationship that pushed them to constantly raise the bar. Stallone, who is 80 years old, reflected on their past antagonism during an episode of The Interview, noting that their creative competition led to the birth of a unique action genre.

Despite some regret over past comments, Stallone emphasized that their rivalry was not rooted in hatred, but rather in a mutual desire to excel and create larger-than-life movies. The two eventually worked together on The Expendables and have since reconciled, acknowledging each other as motivating forces in their respective careers.