Sylvester Stallone believes Taylor Sheridan found an audience Hollywood had largely overlooked: people looking for stories about life in the middle of the country.
Speaking on “The Rest Is Entertainment,” Stallone said that audience had seemingly been ignored for generations, dating back to the days of John Wayne. Hollywood, he argued, has tended to focus on California and New York, while Sheridan recognized a different appetite elsewhere.
“Middle America, it’s a different vibe,” Stallone said. Viewers, he added, were hungry for something that felt simpler and more confrontational.
Even with Sheridan’s success, Stallone isn’t convinced the film industry has fully grasped what those viewers want from movies. Streaming services, he noted, can move quickly and get a show on the air in a matter of weeks.
Stallone’s comments come as his own early career is being revisited in “I Play Rocky,” a biographical drama directed by Peter Farrelly and scheduled for 2026. The film tells the story of how Stallone pushed to write and star in “Rocky,” despite resistance from Hollywood executives who were reluctant to cast an unknown actor in the lead.
Stallone did not take part in the film’s production. He said his involvement might have made it seem like an exercise in flattering his ego. When he saw Anthony Ippolito, the actor playing him, Stallone said he initially thought he was looking at himself. Ippolito had gained weight for the role and, Stallone felt, looked convincing.
“Rocky,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, made Stallone a household name. His best-known films also include “First Blood,” “Rocky IV,” “Cliffhanger” and “Creed.” His roles as boxer Rocky Balboa and Vietnam veteran John Rambo helped make him one of Hollywood’s most enduring action stars.
More recently, Stallone has reached a television audience with “Tulsa King.” He plays Dwight “The General” Manfredi, a New York Mafia capo released after 25 years in prison. Instead of being welcomed back by his old organization, Dwight is sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he starts building a criminal empire with an unlikely group of allies.
