Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone is known for portraying tough, unbreakable characters on the big screen — but behind the muscle and grit is a man who endured years of emotional pain growing up. The 78-year-old actor recently shared a deeply personal story about his difficult childhood during a candid conversation on the Unwaxed Podcast, hosted by his daughters Sophia and Sistine.
In the episode, Stallone revealed that one of the most powerful scenes in Rocky II — where Rocky has a heated confrontation with his trainer, Mickey — was actually rooted in his own unresolved anger toward his father.
“I was terrified of him,” Stallone said. “I didn’t have the bravery or the words to stand up to my father when I was young. So when I wrote that screenplay, it became a way to express the frustration I had bottled up for years.”
The emotional scene from Rocky II shows the boxer lashing out at Mickey, declaring, “I got pain, I got experience too!” before ultimately reconciling with his trainer. For Stallone, that moment was more than just a dramatic beat — it was personal.