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The rivalry between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone was a cornerstone of 1980s action cinema, but the former-Terminator admits the two let their rivalry get out of hand before making amends.
Schwarzenegger opened up about the rivalry during his latest appearance on The Graham Norton Show and about the extremes the pair took it to during the height of their individual popularity. He admitted the pair attempted to “derail each other” at various points during that time, with each having to prove they were better than the other. This would translate to their films as they “each had to have the best body, kill more people,” and use the “biggest guns,” according to NME.
The former-California governor went on to say how, despite the rivalry, he and Stallone were able to move past it and are now “inseparable” friends. Their friendship translated to the big screen, as well, with the pair appearing in multiple Expendables films and Escape Plan together.
Stallone has also spoken about the rivalry in previous interviews, talking about the toll it took on him to try and keep up with Schwarzenegger's physical presence. He admitted that, ultimately, it was almost impossible to compete with Schwarzenegger in that arena, pointing to how the former-body builder could come out of his films looking mostly unscathed. Stallone's characters, by comparison, would be put through the proverbial ringer over the course of his films before coming out the other end as the victor.
The films reflect both actors' comments, with both dominating the movie screen as the must-see action stars of the 1980s. If one man had an impressive physique in one film, the other had to make his body look even better for their next film. The action in their film would also escalate to reflect the rivalry with, as Schwarzenegger said, bigger guns and bigger explosions to capture audiences' attention.
