Sylvester Stallone Recalls Iconic 'Rocky' Kiss as the 'Kiss From Hell'
The action star shared behind-the-scenes details about the memorable scene and his enduring rivalry with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Sylvester Stallone, known for his iconic role as Rocky Balboa, recently described the famous on-screen kiss between Rocky and Adrian as the "kiss from hell." The revelation came during Stallone's appearance at the Drink Las Vegas foodie festival held at the Bellagio hotel.
The scene, which has been recognized as one of the top 10 movie kisses of all time, involved Rocky Balboa, played by Stallone, kissing Adrian, portrayed by Talia Shire. Stallone recounted that during the filming of this pivotal moment, Shire had a severe cold, which led to a less-than-romantic experience.
"Then I go in to kiss her... and her nose is running. Badly. So we go in for the kiss and she goes [bad coughing noise]. And I go, ‘Oh my God!’ And I have to keep moving forward. There is no reverse," Stallone explained. He added that he contracted the flu shortly after the kiss, stating, "I’m in bed. Runny nose... I’m serious! [I’m] losing weight. [I’m] hot… That was the kiss from hell."
Despite the unpleasant experience during filming, Stallone acknowledged that the scene ultimately worked for the movie, enthusiastically adding, "But it worked! It worked!"
Stallone also touched upon his long-standing rivalry with fellow action star Arnold Schwarzenegger. He described their decades-long competition as a significant motivator. "That was no joke… for 20 years," Stallone said. "But I like that. Because that made me work harder, it made him dig harder. I kind of used to challenge [people], ‘Oh that guy did this? Bury him!’ That aggressiveness has gone to the side. I don’t need to prove that anymore."
The making of the original "Rocky" film, which earned an Oscar for Best Picture in 1977, is currently the subject of a new movie titled "I Play Rocky," directed by Peter Farrelly and starring Anthony Ippolito as a young Stallone.
During his appearance at the Bellagio event, Stallone engaged in a conversation with Ryan Abboushi, president of entertainment at MGM Resorts International and a former CAA agent.