Sylvester Stallone has opened up about his decades-long feud with fellow action star Arnold Schwarzenegger, describing their intense rivalry as "like life and death." The animosity, which spanned approximately 20 years, stemmed from competition for acting roles, awards, and overall prominence in Hollywood.

"We were at each other's throats, big time. It wasn't a joke. It was like life and death," Stallone told The Sunday Times Magazine. He elaborated that their competition was so fierce, "We should have been together in the Roman Colosseum."

Stallone explained that he and Schwarzenegger, both now in their 70s, recognized early on that their rivalry could be leveraged to their advantage. "It's like when one fighter insults the other, he's going to train so much to put a beating on the other. We needed each other, absolutely," he said.

The origins of their feud can be traced back to the 1977 Golden Globe Awards. Both actors were nominated, with Schwarzenegger receiving Best Acting Debut for "Stay Hungry" while Stallone was recognized for "Rocky." Stallone recounted an incident where he perceived Schwarzenegger to be gloating after a win, leading to a heated exchange.

Arnold Schwarzenegger himself has previously spoken about their competitive dynamic. In a 2023 Netflix documentary, he recalled their rivalry as being akin to "little kids" vying for dominance in their physique and on-screen personas. "Who uses bigger knives? Who uses the biggest guns and holds them in one arm? Who has more muscles, who has more muscle definition, who has less body fat?" Schwarzenegger mused.

The two action stars eventually reconciled in the 1990s. Schwarzenegger revealed in a 2022 interview that their partnership in establishing the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain was a key factor in mending their relationship. "We were kind of like attacking each other, doing nasty things, saying nasty things about each other and all these stupid things," Schwarzenegger admitted. "And then all of a sudden, I started working with Robert Earl and Keith Barish to create the Planet Hollywood franchise... I wanted that. At that point I had grown out of my craziness."

Despite the past animosity, Stallone and Schwarzenegger are now close friends and have collaborated on the "Expendables" film franchise.