On October 14, 2026, Sylvester Stallone revealed that decades of performing his own stunts left him with nine back surgeries, three neck fusions, and lasting injuries. In an interview with Fox News Digital, the Rocky actor said he has “millions” of regrets about treating his body like an action movie prop. Stallone connected much of the damage to The Expendables, the 2010 action film he starred in and directed. A stunt involving WWE legend Steve Austin went badly, leaving Stallone with dislocated shoulders and a fractured neck, followed by spinal procedures and a metal plate in his neck. Stallone Has a New Rule for Action Stars Sylvester Stallone now believes actors should leave dangerous sequences to trained professionals. Stallone said performers cannot defeat gravity, adding that landing hard always comes with consequences, no matter how fearless the actor looks on camera. Stallone also revisited the subject while promoting his memoir, The Steps, in a September 2026 interview with The New York Times. The actor said his physically punishing approach came at a terrible price and admitted he is not proud of breaking his body for the sake of a spectacle.