Sylvester Stallone Admits Steroid Use and Bulimia During Rocky III Filming
Sylvester Stallone has confessed to using steroids and developing bulimia while getting in shape for his iconic boxing films. In a new podcast interview, the 80-year-old actor detailed the extreme physical toll of his career.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Stallone said his focus on his body "became an obsession" while filming Rocky III. He revealed he got his body fat down to a mere 2.6 percent, which led to bulimia. He stated that achieving such a physique is impossible without performance-enhancing drugs.
TheWrap reports Stallone confirmed he used steroids, describing a cycle of six weeks on and six weeks off. He now says that process "took a terrible toll" on his health.
Stallone told the outlet his numerous injuries are a direct result. He has undergone nine back operations, two shoulder surgeries, and three neck fusions. He remarked that everything is now "held together with baling wire."
The actor said he felt liberated when he played an out-of-shape cop in 1997's Cop Land, a departure from his muscular action-hero roles. Looking back, he expressed regret, saying he wishes he had let others handle the dangerous physical work.
