Sylvester Stallone Details Decades-Long Hollywood Feud with Richard Gere

Sylvester Stallone’s new memoir has brought to light a decades-long Hollywood feud, detailing explosive behind-the-scenes clashes with fellow actor Richard Gere.

In his newly published book, The Steps, Stallone reveals that the animosity between the two actors dates back to 1974 during auditions for The Lords of Flatbush. According to Stallone, tensions flared when Gere allegedly became overly aggressive during a physical improvisation scene, digging his fingernails into Stallone's skin and ignoring requests to back off.

The Parking Lot Incident That Led to Casting Changes

The boiling point was reached during a lunch break when the actors were sitting in a parked car. After getting chicken grease on his pants, an enraged Stallone confronted Gere, elbowing him in the chest and dragging him out of the vehicle. Director Stephen Verona ultimately intervened, forcing a choice between the two rising stars.

I would have knocked his teeth out, but the director asked me not to, Stallone writes in his memoir.

Ultimately, Verona chose to keep Stallone and dropped Gere from the project. Robert De Niro, who was also attached to the auditions, subsequently left for another film, paving the way for Perry King and Henry Winkler to join the cast.

A Second Clash Involving Princess Diana

This early Hollywood rivalry apparently endured for decades. In Elton John's 2019 memoir, the British pop icon recounted a tense dinner party in the 1990s where Stallone and Gere nearly came to blows over Princess Diana. According to John, Stallone appeared visibly displeased by the growing rapport between Diana and Gere, leaving lingering questions about whether the legendary actors will ever truly bury the hatchet.