Schwarzenegger and Stallone: From Hollywood Feud to Planet Hollywood Pals

In the glitzy, testosterone-fueled world of 1980s Hollywood, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone were not just action stars but fierce rivals, trading barbs and "nasty things" like punches in a Rocky montage. Their feud was the stuff of legend, with each trying to outmuscle the other in the box office and beyond.

"We were at war," Schwarzenegger confessed on Sirius XM's Radio Andy, admitting to a mutual hatred that fueled their early careers. From snide remarks to outright sabotage, the duo's rivalry was as intense as their on-screen battles. In a deliciously devious move, Schwarzenegger even tricked Stallone into starring in the 1992 flop Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot. By planting whispers through agents and hyping the project via a hotshot director, Schwarzenegger ensured Stallone took the bait, landing a blemish on his rival’s résumé.

Yet, amid the chaos, a surprising truce emerged. The turning point? A business venture called Planet Hollywood. Schwarzenegger, warming to the idea of collaboration, invited Stallone to join the restaurant chain venture in the early 1990s. "It was a good idea because it could bring us together," Schwarzenegger recalled, signaling the end of his "craziness." Backed by stars like Bruce Willis and Whoopi Goldberg, the New York launch in 1991 marked a new chapter for the former foes.

Stallone, reflecting in the 2024 special TMZ Presents: Arnold & Sly: Rivals, Friends, admitted Schwarzenegger’s emergence in Hollywood sparked a fire. "Finally, something to motivate me," he said, describing their clash as "two alphas hitting." Schwarzenegger echoed the sentiment, crediting Stallone’s competition for pushing his own career to new heights.

By the time they co-starred in 2013’s Escape Plan, the hatchet was buried. Today, they’re pals, though Stallone jokingly laments the lingering stain of that ill-fated 1992 film. From bitter enemies to business partners, their journey proves even the toughest rivals can find common ground—preferably over a burger at Planet Hollywood.