The rivalry between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone started in the 1980s. Both actors starred in action genres and became icons in the fitness world thanks to their physiques. On multiple occasions, they tried to outdo each other by making better and more exciting action movies. This competition made them two of the biggest stars in the entertainment industry at the time.
Arnold Schwarzenegger once took their rivalry to another level after planning to break Sylvester Stallone’s on-screen kill count record in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted to break Sylvester Stallone’s on-screen kill count record
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently appeared for a public press conference at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, and during the interview, the actor explained that he hated the idea of a “good Terminator” that was pitched in by director James Cameron. The actor said,
“I said, ‘What do you mean a good Terminator?’ I say, ‘I was killing 68 people in the first one.’ I say, ‘In the second one I have to kill 150. We go up, I got to outdo Stallone,’ I say. ‘Remember, My whole mission is that I gotta be number one in killing the amount of people on the screen.’ So he says, ‘Arnold, stop it. You’re a very sick guy.’”
The actor suggested various ways to push up the number of casualties in the movie so he can break Sylvester Stallone‘s record.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone’s rivalry began in the 1980s
Schwarzenegger entered the industry when Stallone already established himself as an action genre icon with his first two Rocky movies, however, very soon Schwarzenegger began to catch up, and that’s how he described it. Schwarzenegger once talked about their rivalry, claiming that it felt like he was playing “catch up” with Stallone.
On the other hand, Stallone was afraid that Schwarzenegger was his counterpart that was a “superior action hero who had all the answers,” as well as strength and physique.
Their rivalry made them huge stars
There was healthy competition between the two. They worked hard each year trying to perform better and releasing even better action films. The audience benefitted from it, as they got action sequences that kept them on the edge of their seats.
As the years went by, the two stars became friends and even starred together in some movies. In the end, both Schwarzenegger and Stallone became Hollywood legends that people will always remember.