The Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone couldn’t help but become emotional as he recalled a painful memory from his Oscar night when his classic movie Rocky won big at the 1977 Academy Awards.
Stallone’s Difficult Oscars Memory
Rocky won three Oscars, including Best Picture, at the 1977 Academy Awards. Stallone, 79, both wrote and starred in the film. He was also nominated for Best Actor, losing that award to Peter Finch posthumously for his work in Network.
The night was an extremely victorious one for Stallone. Despite this, looking back decades later, he describes it as “a volcanic moment, and then it was very sad.” This is because Stallone’s parents chose not to attend the ceremony, despite the success of his movie.
“You want people that you love that denied you – now you’re here, you’re at the Oscars, and they don’t want to go,” Stallone told Fox News as he became visibly emotional. “You realize that, at that moment, that you’re never ever going to come to terms with this. And it’s like, what more do you need? Really, what [expletive] more do you need to do to say, ‘I’m here. I did this.'”
Stallone’s History With His Father
Earlier in this interview, Stallone revealed that he went to live with his father when he was 11 years-old after his parents divorced. He then described his father as being “emotionally and physically abusive.”
Stallone admitted that living with his father “was hard to navigate,” especially for a “rebellious” kid like himself. Sadly, Stallone came to expect beatings from his dad.
“My father, when he used to whistle, I knew it was coming,” Stallone recalled.
“Parents should really wise up. Kids are the same as soft clay. They really are. You mold them, and you dent them, and you hurt them, or you drop them off the table, and they’re not the same shape anymore,” he continued. “I still walk around with it. And I wish I couldn’t. And I pray, and I do everything, but it’s always there.”
Stallone went on to confess that there’s “always some residual thing there” stemming from the hurt he felt from his parents. Indeed, he feels this even though he sees himself as “a tough guy.”
Stallone’s Kennedy Center Honor
Earlier this month, Stallone received a Kennedy Center honor. This was announced by President Donald Trump back in August. Stallone described this honor as being “a shock and revelation.” He added that it was never he expected, “and now I don’t know what to do.”
“When you get this Kennedy Center honor, it’s just something I still, at this age, can’t fathom that you actually get a prize for what you do that you would do for free,” Stallone explained. “You know what I mean? I’ve been so lucky. I’ve been blessed, everything. And on top of that, you’re gonna give me a chocolate sundae? Come on. Jesus.”
Stallone is a true living legend, and there will never be another one like him. Rocky will also always go down in history as one of the best movies of all time. While it’s tragic to see that Stallone still feels sadness from his big Oscars night decades ago, we’re also glad that he seems to be loving life these days.
God bless you, Sylvester Stallone!