How Sylvester Stallone Officially Ends a 20-Year Rivalry With Arnold Schwarzenegger

A rivalry shaped by ambition

Stallone and Schwarzenegger’s feud reportedly spanned two decades, during a period when both actors were prominent action stars. Their reported attempts to outdo one another became part of their careers in the 1980s and 1990s.

The rivalry was said to have lasted until Schwarzenegger ran for governor of California. Looking back, the competition may have helped both actors produce better work and shape their careers.

Stallone recalls the conflict

On The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, Stallone said the rivalry “wasn’t put to bed until 20 years later.” He described the two actors as confrontational, with each wanting control of a genre that was taking shape around them. Stallone said he had not set out to become an action star. Making First Blood changed his view, leading him to see well-made action films as “modern mythology,” comparable to stories such as The Iliad and The Odyssey.

A rival emerges after First Blood

Stallone recalled seeing Schwarzenegger and quickly deciding he would be a problem. His comments suggest that the rivalry grew from competing ambitions as both actors established themselves in action cinema.

The story also comes amid attention on Stallone’s career and family. His daughter Scarlet Rose Stallone was promoted to series regular for Tulsa King Season 5, prompting online claims of nepotism, which he dismissed by defending parents who help their children.