Schwarzenegger vs. Stallone: From Bitter Rivals to Brothers in Arms

Arnold Schwarzenegger Reflects on His Decades-Long Rivalry with Sylvester Stallone and How They Became Friends Through Business and Film

Arnold Schwarzenegger is opening up about the once-intense rivalry that turned into a genuine friendship with fellow action icon Sylvester Stallone. Speaking to Andy Cohen on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy, the 77-year-old actor, bodybuilder, and former California Governor candidly admitted, “We hated each other.”

The feud between Schwarzenegger and Stallone, now 78, dominated the 1980s as both men competed fiercely to become the biggest action movie star on the planet. The animosity spilled over into personal digs and professional one-upmanship, but in time, the two found common ground.

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“We Were Kind of Attacking Each Other”

“We were kind of attacking each other and doing nasty things and saying nasty things about each other and all these stupid things,” recalled Schwarzenegger, currently starring in the Netflix action-comedy Fubar. Their reconciliation, he said, began with something unexpected — a business deal.

“All of a sudden, I started working with Robert Earl and Keith Parish to create the Planet Hollywood franchise, those restaurants,” Schwarzenegger explained. “The next thing I know is I get a phone call from my lawyer, who was also Sly’s lawyer, he said, ‘Arnold, is there any kind of room for Sly in Planet Hollywood?’ ”

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Planet Hollywood: A Turning Point

Schwarzenegger remembered thinking, “That’s actually a good idea, because it could bring us together. And I wanted that. At that point, I had grown out of my craziness.”

The Planet Hollywood restaurant chain launched in 1991 in New York City, backed by Schwarzenegger, Stallone, and other Hollywood heavyweights. It became an international pop culture phenomenon.

“Sure enough, we made it work,” said Schwarzenegger. “And Bruce Willis became part of Planet Hollywood, Whoopi Goldberg became part of Planet Hollywood, Chuck Norris… It really was kind of an international cast.”

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From Enemies to Icons

In recent years, both Schwarzenegger and Stallone have looked back on their rivalry with newfound perspective and appreciation. In their joint interview for TMZ Presents: Arnold & Sly: Rivals, Friends, Icons, which aired in April 2024, Stallone reflected on how Schwarzenegger’s emergence as a major star lit a fire under him.

“Finally, something to motivate me. Because he is, dare I say it, competition, a threat, whatever word you wanna use,” Stallone admitted. “As soon as I saw him, it was like bang, two alphas hitting.”

Schwarzenegger agreed, saying, “There’s no two ways about that: He was very helpful in my career because I had something that I could chase.”

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A New Era for Schwarzenegger

Now in their late 70s, the two legends have not only co-starred in movies like Escape Plan and The Expendables franchise but have also forged a bond built on mutual respect. Season 2 of Schwarzenegger’s Netflix show Fubar premiered on June 12, and among his upcoming projects is The Man with the Bag, a holiday film where he will play Santa Claus.

Their story is no longer one of conflict, but of camaraderie and collaboration — a fitting chapter in the evolving legacy of Arnold Schwarzenegger.