Sylvester Stallone has detailed his early struggles and rise to fame in his new autobiography, "The Steps," released this week. The 80-year-old actor recounts a turning point from 1969, when a fortune teller in the Spanish Pyrenees predicted he would achieve success by 1976, warning him to avoid comedy and singing. Stallone says he places considerable importance on the clairvoyant’s predictions, which included living "two different kinds of lives."
At the time of the reading, Stallone was a university dropout backpacking through Europe. Upon returning to the United States, he moved to New York City with only $80 and faced harsh conditions, including sleeping in a bus terminal and working menial jobs such as shoveling animal waste at the Central Park Zoo. He describes enduring cold nights in a poorly heated apartment and solitary holidays, often sharing meals with pigeons outside his window.
Determined to pursue acting, Stallone found work at the Baronet and Coronet theaters, where he would deliver speeches before film screenings despite sometimes facing ridicule from audiences. He also encountered dangerous encounters, once describing an incident with a man carrying a large knife who nonetheless was permitted entry after Stallone’s calm response.
Despite repeated rejections from agents and negative feedback about his prospects, Stallone’s persistence led to a break in 1974 with a role in "Death Race 2000." He resisted pressure to perform a nude scene during filming, a decision that risked losing the part but ultimately led to a compromise. His breakthrough came soon after with "Rocky," a screenplay he wrote in just three and a half days while still struggling financially. The film, released in 1976, became a critical and commercial success, grossing over $225 million worldwide on a modest $1 million budget. It earned 10 Academy Award nominations, winning three, including Best Picture.
Stallone reflects on his difficult childhood, describing a loveless upbringing marked by a lack of parental affection. He says "Rocky" was not only a professional achievement but also a personal effort to gain approval from his parents, neither of whom attended the Oscars ceremony—a fact consistent with the fortune teller’s prediction. Reflecting on that night, Stallone recalls how the announcement of "Rocky" as Best Picture changed his life and that of the cast, teaching a broader lesson about endurance and perseverance.
The actor has been married three times, another prediction he says the fortune teller made. He and his current wife, Jennifer Flavin, have been together since 1997 and have three daughters. His first marriage to Sasha Czack was marked by financial hardship, with Czack making her own wedding dress and Stallone borrowing a suit from a costume department.
"The Steps" offers a candid look at Stallone’s journey from hardship to Hollywood stardom, emphasizing themes of resilience and self-belief throughout his career. The autobiography is available in hardback, eBook, and audiobook formats.