Sylvester Stallone has admitted his long-running feud with Arnold Schwarzenegger was far from a PR stunt. According to the actor, their rivalry lasted for about 20 years and sometimes resembled a real war. they were literally "at each other's throats". Today, 80-year-old Stallone and 79-year-old Schwarzenegger are close friends and co-stars in the popular "Insane" franchise. However, once upon a time, the two main actors of Hollywood action films had a fierce competition They were for roles, awards and status as the most sought-after action movie actor. "It wasn't a joke. It was a matter of life and death," Stallone said. "We should have been together in the Roman Coliseum," the actor added, recalling their rivalry. the scales. Stallone, however, admits that they both quickly realized that this rivalry could work to their advantage and help them rise higher in Hollywood. "It is like when one warrior injures another. they train harder to beat their opponent. We definitely needed each other," Stallone said in an interview with The Sunday Times Magazine. Their rivalry began back in January 1977, when Stallone and Schwarzenegger appeared at the same table at the Golden Globe Awards. Schwarzenegger won Best Actor for his 1976 film Stay Hungry, and according to Stallone, he openly bragged about it. Sly himself was nominated in several categories for "Rocky". Later, in a 2017 interview with Variety, Stallone recalled noticing Arnold laughing when Sly lost for Best Actor. However, Stallone soon found a reason for victory. "Rocky" was nominated for "Best Film". "Finally, they announced Rocky as the best movie." I was able to pick up this huge bowl of flowers, throw it in her direction and say, "That's it, the gauntlet is thrown," the actor recalls. "And thus began a ten-year struggle. I mean, we couldn't even be in the same galaxy," Stallone admitted. In a 2023 Netflix documentary on Stallone, Schwarzenegger smiled as he recalled how ridiculous their rivalry sometimes got. "We were like little children. Who has the biggest weapons and who can carry them with one hand? Who has the most muscle, who has the most definition, who has the least fat," Arnold said. According to him, appearance has also become an additional source of competition. "At one point he became incredibly muscular and everyone was talking about his body. Of course, it created competition," Schwarzenegger recalls. However, over time, the enmity between the two stars has stopped. Last year, Schwarzenegger told Radio Andy that their joint venture, the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain, had finally brought them closer. "At one point we were literally attacking each other, talking nonsense about each other and doing all kinds of stupid things," admitted the former governor of California. According to Schwarzenegger, everything changed when he started working with Robert Earle and Kate Barish on the Planet Hollywood franchise. "And all of a sudden my lawyer, who was also Sly's lawyer, called me and said, "Arnold, is there room for Sly at Planet Hollywood?" the actor recalled. "I said: "Actually, that's a good idea," because it can bring us closer together. That's what I wanted. At that moment I had already overcome my madness. So, of course, we were able to make it work," Schwarzenegger added. After two decades of bitter rivalry, the former rivals have finally become friends. Their reconciliation turned into a professional partnership. Stallone and Schwarzenegger starred together in several films in the "Insane" franchise, turning the once-legendary Hollywood feud into one of the most famous friendship stories in the world of action movies.