When bulked-up 1980s action stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone were among the biggest celebrities on the planet, they often liked to bad-mouth each other in the press.
“We hated each other,” Schwarzenegger said this week on Radio Andy, Andy Cohen’s SiriusXM show. “We were attacking each other, and saying nasty things about each other.”
But “The Terminator” star revealed that he and Stallone decided to bury the hatchet for a simple reason. Both entrepreneurial, they saw an opportunity to make a lot of money by working on a movie-related project together.
Remember Planet Hollywood? It was a themed restaurant chain filled with movie props and memorabilia. It was launched in New York City in 1991, soon boasted 60 locations worldwide and was known for its famous celebrity backers, who prominently included Schwarzenegger, Stallone and Bruce Willis.
231742 02: Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger pose with a "Planet Hollywood" poster in the background. (Photo by Liaison)In addition to his fame as “Conan the Barbarian” and the future governor of California, Schwarzenegger, 77, also has long been known as a savvy businessman. Schwarzenegger said he began working with restaurateur Robert Earl, known for expanding the Hard Rock Cafe franchise globally, and film producer Keith Barish to create a new entertainment-themed restaurant chain — one that celebrated Hollywood mythology and glamour.
“And the next thing I know, I get a call from my lawyer, who was also Sly’s lawyer, and he said, ‘Arnold, is there any kind of room for Sly on Planet Hollywood?'” Schwarzenegger recalled.
“I said, ‘That’s actually a good idea, because that could bring us together, and I wanted that,” Schwarzenegger said. “At that point I had grown out of my craziness.”
“So, sure enough, we made it work,” Schwarzenegger said. “Then Bruce Willis became part of Planet Hollywood, then Whoopi Goldberg became part of Planet Hollywood, then Chuck Norris.”
The rivalry between these two self-described “alpha males” began in January 1977, when both were seated at the same table during the Golden Globe Awards, Stallone told Variety in 2017. After Schwarzenegger received the award for best acting debut for his 1976 film “Stay Hungry,” he began “gloating.” Stallone then noticed Schwarzenegger laughing when he lost the best actor for his starring role in “Rocky.”
But Stallone said he got the last laugh when when “Rocky” won best picture. He also revealed that he picked up a big bowl of flowers and heaved it in Schwarzenegger’s direction.
“I went, ‘OK, the gauntlet is down,'” Stallone said. “This began a 10-year battle royale. I mean, we couldn’t stand to be in the same galaxy.” But ultimately the feud came to an end, after Stallone said they realized they’re both “the same person.”
Unfortunately, the Planet Hollywood glory didn’t last too long. Amid financial problems due partly to a reputation for lackluster food, the company filed for bankruptcy in October 1999, and the number of locations began to decline. As of May 2025, though, three Planet Hollywood restaurants and four hotels continue to operate.
But Schwarzenegger and Stallone eventually made several movies, including “The Expendables 2” in 2012, which also featured Willis and an ensemble of other aging male action stars such as Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme.
The two men also have long been known for their conservative politics, though Stallone said he’s never identified as a Republican. Meanwhile, Schwarzenegger has long been a registered Republican, though he also has been on the record since 2016 as vehemently opposing Donald Trump and endorsing Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
Stallone did not appear to publicly endorse Trump in the 2024 election. However, following Trump’s victory in November, Stallone attended an event at his Mar-a-Lago club, where he praised him as a “second George Washington” and compared him to his character Rocky Balboa, Variety reported. To thank Stallone for his support, Trump announced that the “Rocky” star would serve in a new role as “Special Ambassador to Hollywood,” sharing the title with pro-Trump actors Jon Voight and Mel Gibson.
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