Sylvester Stallone admits steroid abuse and bulimia for Rocky III role

Sylvester Stallone revealed that preparing for his role in the 1982 film Rocky III led to an eating disorder, extreme weight loss, and steroid abuse that took a severe toll on his body. Speaking with Lulu García-Navarro in the New York Times Magazine and later during an appearance at New York’s 92nd Street Y with CBS’s Tracy Smith, the actor opened up about the physical cost of maintaining his iconic cinematic physique.

The 2.6 Percent Body Fat Regime Behind Rocky III

Stallone stated that he dropped to 2.6 percent body fat while filming Rocky III, a grueling physical state where he “couldn’t hold anything down.” He explained that the intense physical transformation began as character design. “I looked at Rocky like a very smooth, normal-looking guy,” Stallone told the New York Times, noting that he wanted the character to appear more vain before facing Clubber Lang, played by Mr. T.

Stallone Admits Using Steroids for Action Roles

Alongside the severe dietary restriction that led to bulimia, Stallone admitted to abusing steroids during the 1980s. He described the body as his “armor” while preparing for action roles such as Rocky Balboa and Rambo. When asked about other actors achieving similar physiques, Stallone told the 92nd Street Y audience, “Guys… you really think these guys are natural?” He added during his interview that nobody achieves extreme muscularity for films without additives, stating, “Nobody does it without additives and drugs, period. I don’t care what they say.” He detailed a structured regimen of “six weeks on, six weeks off” to manage the intake required to maintain film fitness for months at a time.

Decades of Physical Ramifications and Regrets

The toll of these extreme physical demands has persisted decades later. Stallone reported undergoing nine back operations, two shoulder operations, and three neck fusions, noting that he is “held together with baling wire.” He also expressed regret over performing his own stunts, stating that if he could repeat his career, he would let someone else handle the high-risk action sequences. The physical strain eventually influenced his career choices, leading him to take on roles like the partially deaf, overweight cop in the 1997 film Cop Land, which required a vastly different physical presentation from his action-hero peak.

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