In Conversation with Sylvester Stallone | CBS Sunday Morning at 92Y

We love you! Wow. Thank you, again, thank you so much. [APPLAUSE] Wow. So-- What? They're just going to keep yelling. This--

AUDIENCE:

00:06:15

We love you, Rock! I love you too. [CHEERING] All right, let us talk a little bit so you can hear what Sylvester has to say. So 2026, this is quite a year, big milestones. Rocky turned 50. [CHEERING] And you turned 80. [CHEERING] So, was this-- That's true. Yeah? Was this just a time of introspection when you thought, I should write a book? Yeah, the time was now. You would think earlier on, but I felt as though there was a few more things happening. I've had a very interesting life. And it just seems that this particular year, it all came to fruition. And I thought, I want to write something that is instructive, not so much that it's self-aggrandizing and this, and oh, woe is me. But it's the journey that hopefully, other people understand that life is fighting gravity non-stop. It just is. And you can't stop or you go back downhill again. So it's that kind of a thing of perseverance. And it's not like a how-to book. But it's how-it-happened book. Good way to put it.

SYLVESTER STALLONE:

00:07:37

Yeah. What do you think it is? Why do you think Rocky the movie and Rocky the character has endured? Well, it wasn't as though it was, like, planned, it was mechanically orchestrated. I just wrote about how I felt as a man. And then I tried to put the other side of me, like in Adrian, like, all these people were ostracized and basically forgotten. And every time I pass somebody in the street, they go, this person expected a lot more from life than doing what he's doing, or she's doing what she's doing. So I just wrote about that, this quiet suffering kind of a thing and basically, just existing until you don't exist, and no one even notices you were here. So that was primarily the basis of it-- until you found a kindred spirit. He found love. He found the reason. Mickey found it. In other words, they all realized that no man is an island. People need people, period. And it was that connection that people connect with. Yeah, it's very-- I mean, isolation, it's brutal. And I know what that is because-- I don't think I-- I was here for years and years. I never went out. I never had a drink. I never went to a restaurant. You know what I mean? I just felt-- and I don't recommend this. But I felt like in my business, believe it or not, it's very finite. If you haven't made it in theatrics by the time you're 29, 30, that's like being 150-year-old pole dancer. It's like, you've kind of missed your prime. There's no going back for it. So I could feel the footsteps beating on me. I said, I have to dedicate this four or five years with absolutely no obstruction. No distractions. No, no distraction whatsoever. And then I could look at myself in the mirror and say, you did everything you could, and take away all excuses. And I wanted to do that. I didn't want to be like, oh, you self-pitying fool. You didn't have it. You went. You tried. You came. You didn't conquer, end of story. The thing is, you started out-- and you talk about this a lot in the book. You started out with a lot of obstacles. I mean, your parents, we talked about that. There was no signs of affection, no hugs. But I think when you don't have it, you don't miss it. You start to adapt. That's the one thing about the human psyche, it's like, maybe, OK, that's the way it is. It isn't as though, oh, if you had had love, then you're deprived of it. Then you have a reaction. But if you don't know what it is, isn't as though, ah. I never knew it, like, money-wise, like, I never feel like, god, you're poor.

TRACY SMITH:

00:10:41

You didn't know anything else. That's right. That's a normal situation. But maybe it was a driving factor that you didn't have the love of your parents because you talk about-- you write in the book. Here's a quote. All I wanted, more than money, was to feel my mother's hand, holding my face, saying, I love you.

SYLVESTER STALLONE:

00:11:01

You're right. I mean, did you ever get that? No, no. And so I look for it in my daughters. I look for it in my wife. And I think in one way, guys, it's maybe they did me a favor because when you go into the breach of hot gunfire, you have to have a certain resilience. I never fit in in Hollywood, ever. I was always like, you know the old vowels, A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y? I was the missing vowel. Really? Yeah, really, right. I really was. Because a lot of people, a lot of really wonderful actors, they gradually moved up in a very timely fashion, this thing, off-Broadway, Broadway, things, movies, independents, and there. It was like, what is that? Where did he come from? And it's always sort of been that. And I didn't help it really, because I wasn't as user friendly. I just liked to be alone and write and do and paint and things like that. And I think that's just from habit because I love people. I love being around. And I obviously kind of overly talkative at times. But it just felt like I'd put it into the work and wait till later. But it just all worked out. So I feel like, oh, yes. Did I miss out on some really basic nurturing? Yes. But did I get the love of people? Even more valuable. Thank you very much. [CHEERING] So you were talking about when you came to New York. You put your nose to the grindstone and went out and tried to get jobs. But there were a lot of doors slammed in your face. Do you remember one rejection that still sticks with you to this day? Oh, yeah, well, it's always the minimal rejection. You go there. It's just, put your picture under the door. You put it under the door. And it goes back all wrinkled and it's like, so you never see. So I kept coming to that door, like, weekly, until, oh, yeah. Until finally, it's like it's cracked. And you're still here? Yes, I'm still-- I got nowhere to go. So I'm like, oh, yeah. I'm going to Vegas. No. But that says it all. You kept going back to that same closed door until it opened. I think it's all about repetition, repetition, repetition. And then eventually, they let you in just to get rid of you. No, really. You're such an irritant. [LAUGHTER]

TRACY SMITH:

00:13:53

It worked. Where am I going? You auditioned for The Godfather? Yeah, I did. And what happened? No, no, no, don't say that, because I auditioned for an extra in The Godfather,and a guy that would stand behind the cake. And they'd go, I don't know. I don't know if you're Italian enough. So I-- so the irony is, so maybe, 30 years later, that casting person I hired as an agent 30 years later. Wow. I love that full circle. And did you bring it up? It's a small world. Yeah, it's a small world, exactly. We talked about how you wrote these screenplays. You got Rockyto these people. They wanted Rocky. But they didn't want you.

SYLVESTER STALLONE:

00:14:54

Which is understandable, seriously. If someone came in, some neophyte, and goes, I can do this. They go, well, can I see your resume? There is none. There is none. I don't know anything. But you insisted on playing Rocky. Right. It got up to $360,000. Just a show of hands out here. How many of you would have taken the 360? Oh, they all would have fought. They would have stuck it out. Come on, guys. No, you just have-- I felt like, seriously, I was raised Catholic. And then I fell out. And then I fall in. And then when I really need it, I said, man, I'm doing everything. And I literally almost broke my hand, the backyard, it was just dirt and clay like in California. And I smashed my face. I said, I'm begging you, man. Give me one sign. Give me something. And that's when I went, and I just started to write. I didn't stopped writing for 3 and 1/2 days. And so I-- It was literally saying to God, give me something. And it came out. Yeah, because I've never been able to do it since, not even close, not even close. So there's just something that goes beyond mortal comprehension. I really do believe it. And it could be spiritual or something else. Or maybe you trigger something so deep in your subconscious that it just erupts in that creative volcanic mood and then settles down like magma. And it's gone. It's gone. You just had that thing. Wow. And obviously, Rockywent on to be nominated for 10 Oscars, won three, including Best Picture. [APPLAUSE] Thank you. And you write about that moment. I want you to talk about that moment, when Jack Nicholson is the one who was announcing Best Picture, said those little words, and the winner is-- Is Rocky. Well, it was a tough, tough competition. It was a crowd. There were Taxi Driverand Networkand All the President's Menand Bound for Glory. These were some seriously serious statement movies. And I wasn't sure what the statement of Rockywas. It was actually counter. Like, it made no statement. It was just a man trying to find some sort of humanity and love. That was it. It's a love story. It wasn't a boxing story. He never meant to win. Because I think there's different categories of winning. If you come in seventh place, and you go, I want to come in seventh place, you one. See what I mean? You don't have these absurd expectations. So I wanted to get that across to people that there's different interpretations of victory. And you have to gear it to what you consider satisfying. And I consider it always coming-- I didn't need to be first. I never, ever, ever needed to be first. I just needed to finish where I could go, well, I did it. That was my maximum. So when I'm sitting there, I go, there's no way we're going to win. I even had people-- believe it or not-- other competitive writers. They'd come up to me and go, you're not going to win.

TRACY SMITH:

00:18:12

Flat out tell you, yeah, the guy from out network said, you're not going to win. I go, how do you know that, person? And he goes, because I'm head of the Writers Guild. That's why. And he was right. But here's the thing. When you say, when he said those five little words, and the winner is, Rocky. Yeah, and the winner is-- I almost-- I said, come on. This is a joke. I'm hearing things. No, I'm going, damn, what's that buzzing sound? And then the applause went. And I wanted to sink into the seat. I really did, because it wasn't as though I felt elation. I actually felt sad a little bit.

TRACY SMITH:

00:18:56

Sad? Yeah, in a way, because I wanted to be a festive thing for family thing, everything, like, OK, we arrived. And it was like, nah. And then I caught on. And then I realized that I really am-- the only love I'm ever going to really feel at that point in my life is the love of people that are in the dark. You know what I mean?

TRACY SMITH:

00:19:19

It wasn't going to come from mom and dad. No, no, no, no, no. And actually, it wasn't necessary. Yeah, it's a habit. Learning to love is a really wonderful habit. And with my wife, Jennifer, it's finally come to fruition. It took about 60 years. But it got there. So you never give up on love. [APPLAUSE] I want to talk about Jennifer a little bit. Oh, that's sweet. You actually said that she saved your life. Many, many times. I've had a lot of physical, very dangerous situations. I've had heart problems. I've had this. I've had this gallbladder removed because of the things you put yourself through sometimes to achieve a certain look and a certain goal. Because when you're in the desert, for example, doing Rambo 3 for 144 days. And there's no gym. There's nothing. So how do you maintain that and keep going and have the strength when you're just 125 degree heat, isolated, no one's around you? So it takes a toll. And I really didn't want to pursue that. It's like I fell into action films. I have no regrets because I look at action films when they're done properly, guys, as modern mythology. It's like the Iliadand the Odysseyand so on and so forth, which they don't do anymore, obviously, because we developed cinema and the written word. But when it's done right, or Schwarzenegger does it right, it is mythology, modern mythology. And yet, it's frowned upon and considered subservient to drama. It's really not when it's done properly, because it's pure escapism. I get what you're saying. But you are also saying that you beat yourself up, being that action hero. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm bad. I've had nine back operations, three neck fusions. Both shoulders have been replaced, bionic. Don't get near me. [LAUGHTER] Must be fun going through the airport scanner. Yeah, that's true. Yeah. It's true. You also recently talked about how you had bulimia and you took steroids. That just slipped out. Yeah, it was true. Yeah. That's a strange one. Yeah, how did that manifest itself? Well, because I wanted to do something-- I felt as though by the time I did Rocky 3, you've lost the element of surprise. Everyone sort of knows what this guy is all about. And I wanted him to develop serious narcissism. I wanted him to get his scars removed. I wanted him to be a totally different guy, which would be a story point. He became protected and shielded and vain. And when he finally met Mr. T, or Clubber Lang, that's when reality hit him. But to do that, I had to do a total body metamorphosis. So I went from 50% body fat to 2.6. Wow. And how did you do it? I did it literally eating tuna fish and maybe 30 cups of coffee a day, and of course, some steroids. There were steroids involved in that? Oh, sure, guys. I know you think these guys are natural, but-- Not true. But in their defense, in their defense, if you're trying to play a sort of superhero or a person that is above and beyond the normal guy, a hero, this and that, you can't-- There's no way to do it without steroids? It's almost like putting on part of a costume. It's six, eight weeks. You manifest that look, and then you shed it. Shedding is not easy. You know what I mean? It's like, wow, that felt good. And then you go, oh, I'm shrinking. When did you realize that you couldn't continue with steroids? Oh, I think probably when I had a heart valve replacement.

TRACY SMITH:

00:23:30

Oh, my goodness. That was the wake up call. Yeah, that was a wake up call. Yeah I guess so. It was like, yeah, I know. And I thought I was OK. You know what I mean? It was lucky that, again, my wife says, you don't like the way you're looking? I thought, oh, come on. I'm just getting uglier. Relax. It's just that's the way it is. She literally saved your life. Absolutely. Made you go and get it checked out. Women have an extra sense. They really do. I mean, you can't-- it's a fact. It's like cats with the whiskers. They sense things. I like that. They sense things. I like that. I like that. Along with being a writer-- a lot of you probably know this-- Sly is also a painter.

SYLVESTER STALLONE:

00:24:16

I love painting. [APPLAUSE] Yeah. And there's a quote in the book where you say, art is never finished. It's constantly evolving. And you say, I hope I'm evolving too. So how have you evolved? Well, you're just not the person that went to bed last night. It's not the same one who wakes up. It's just a little different. It's another step. So it's like, what are you going to put in this day that you didn't put into last day? And the whole thing is, just be grateful, and more, just be tolerant. The hard part as you get older, you get really intolerant. Are you intolerant? Oh, yeah. Of what? What bugs you? Everything. It's like, I believe impatience is a virtue. [LAUGHTER] I really do. You know what I mean? It's go, go, that kind of a thing. And now it's, OK. You're letting things go? Yeah, yeah. Sit there with a bunch of pretzels in front of a TV and go, I'm happier. [LAUGHTER] I also want to talk about what you're doing now. Anybody out there watch Tulsa King? [CHEERING] I asked for that. So Tulsa Kingseason 4 is October 16, very good. [CHEERING] Talk about-- Thank you so much. Has that given you-- has that given you another second lease on life? That is basically, walking around, there's a certain point where it fades out. It's like, Chao. You're the father. You're the grandfather. You're the great great grandfather. You're the mummy, that kind of thing. So I said, wow. So all of a sudden, so Taylor Sherridan goes, hey, you want to play a gangster? I go, yeah, finally.

TRACY SMITH:

00:26:15

Right? I've been trying for years. I used to follow Scorsese around. You're finally Italian enough. I said finally, after being rejected. See, guys? That guy that couldn't stand behind the cake and The Godfather,finally. Took 50 years, but got there. But the thing about that is-- I don't know how many people are familiar with Kafka's Metamorphosis. It's the strangest story ever. A guy goes to bed, he wakes up. He's a cockroach. But inside, he's still him. He has all the mentality and sensitivity. But he goes, yikes. What are you going to do with antenna? He's like, you're a cockroach. So right away, everyone hates him. And I thought, what if I had a metamorphosis? What if Sylvester Stallone, bang, woke up, you're now a gangster. That's your life. But you still have the same personality you went to bed with, which is different. Because gangsters have been played brilliantly throughout the years. And I thought, but not this kind of guy. He's just more free flowing. He can be incredibly violent. And he can be incredibly funny too, and things like that, which I think that's the bouillabaisse of life. You just want to throw everything in there, as opposed to being monosyllabic and dead eyed and that kind of thing. That's been done. So do you actually get a chance to play moi as a gangster, what a gift. Wow. I'm starting to dress like a gangster. [LAUGHTER] Do you feel like, at this point in your life, there's something you still want to prove? Yeah, the word "prove," no. I went through the proving era when I was about 30, 35. And it became a very volatile, angry, I told you so, vindictive, petulant time. I wasn't enjoying my success. I was all like, poof. And it was all wrong. It was just terrible. And when I reflect on that, instead of being grateful, like, you made it to the mountain, built another mountain, it was that kind of a thing. I didn't know how to turn it off. So now it's not about proving. There are different facets of every aspect of humanity. Some people like to exercise. Some people are thinkers. So my thing is I just keep moving.

TRACY SMITH:

00:28:49

That's the key? Yes, like hyperactive. [APPLAUSE] Not as fast, but-- [LAUGHTER] When we talked earlier, I asked you about regret. And you said, oh, instead of a field of dreams, I have a field of regrets. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Is there one do-over you'd like? Oh, wow. That's a really tough question. She's going to love this. I'm going to get a birthday cake tonight. I wish I'd married my wife about eight years earlier.

TRACY SMITH:

00:29:34

Really? Yeah, I do. [APPLAUSE] Jesus I was like, such an idiot. I procrastinated. I don't know why. Because I was still actually learning about relationships. Was that bad? So I regret that. And I'm sorry, baby. [LAUGHTER] You hear a door slam. Don't you think that goes back to mom and dad a little bit? Oh, yeah. That you didn't have-- how can you have a model of love if you're not loved as a child? There is that. There is that. So a lot of people that have the issues, it's not your fault. It's just the way you were molded. And I said it before. I just look at a child like an infant, like a pile of wet clay. And it's how you-- and if you drop it a few times, you put permanent dents in there. And they don't come out very easy. So you have to go through life with these problems. And they don't go away. That's why with psychiatry, I go, hmm, I don't know why the psychiatrist isn't nuts.

TRACY SMITH:

00:30:46

Hearing all the problems? Every day, oh, honey, OK, I'm going to have breakfast and talk to people that are about to jump out a window. And there's one right there. And he wants to blow his brains out. And that's my day. And then you come home. See what I mean? So I go, it's never going to go away. It's just a matter of making peace with this horrible situation. Go, stay down there. Stay down. I know you're going to bubble up eventually. But it's OK. Did you ever make peace with your mom and dad? Were you able to make peace with them before they died? I don't know if you call it peace, not my mother. It was just, no. But my father, my father, he was Rambo. He's really scary tough guy, really. I mean, I remember once, we were sitting at the table. And it was like, in the country. I don't know if I should tell this. I don't know if I should tell this. But I told you how tough this guy was. So he sees this, like, pheasant bird, something, like scrawny thing, literally puts his fork down, picks up a shotgun, goes boom, kills it, brings it into the house, in the kitchen. I'm still at the table with a fork, watching this, pulls it open and eats the entrails. Oh, how old were you? On my life, I'm telling you. Ask my brother. Oh, my goodness. That guy, but I'm telling you, he's a different breed. But when I eventually saw him at 93, and he was being eaten by cancer and all that, and he's now, I'm picking him off the sheets kind of a thing, it was quite a horrible revelation, because now I was the father. And he was the helpless child. You know what I mean? And then he said something. So I said, boy, you got a lot of nerve. He goes, I want you to be nice to people. I want you to forgive. I go, really? I mean, I'm serious. And I think there's something that happens. It's probably going to happen to me, that when you feel like you're on your way out, there's some sort of enlightenment. Like, boy, I really was a stupid person. I did this. I did that. And I wasted all-- I could have had my son, my love. Something postponed that. And I think his parents were pretty rough. They didn't talk to each other. My grandmother, they sat there at the table maybe 35 years. I never heard him say one word. Oh, my goodness. Never, never never, never. No. Wow. So that's the model of the relationship. Yeah. That was it. But it sounds like at least you had some sort of-- Yeah, no question, actually, and I filmed it. It's very interesting. It's wow. I go, I'm his father now. He depends on me, kind of a thing. And you forgive him? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I do. And it sounds-- It's a thing like-- yeah, thank you. [APPLAUSE] It doesn't do you any good. And I think it makes you a better person when you just bite the bullet. And it kind of frees you up. You know what I mean? Just because this thing is a volatile situation to carry around in you. It's like having a hot brick in your heart. Get lost. I forgive. OK. It was terrible. You weren't good person. But I'm not going to let you continue to dwell in my brain as a horrible guy. I'm just saying, you were a victim of your past and so on and so forth, because that's usually what it is. It's continued repetition carried on through traditions. Makes sense.

SYLVESTER STALLONE:

00:34:37

Yeah. Is there a life lesson that you've had to learn maybe more than once? Oh, man, you're getting tough now. Is there a life lesson that I've had to learn more and more? Well, you mean, besides stretching.

SYLVESTER STALLONE:

00:34:56

Stretching, is that key? It's very, very important.

TRACY SMITH:

00:34:59

You still stretch every morning? Absolutely.

TRACY SMITH:

00:35:02

What's the key Sly stretch? The key is hanging. You hang? You hang a little bit. Like from a pull-up bar? You don't have to actually lift your feet up, but just start to put weight, because literally, you're compressing. You're fighting gravity. We're shrinking and getting tighter. We're back to fighting gravity. Literally, you get unbelievable, your hands get stronger. Your body stretches. You think I'm joking. No, I don't think you're joking. I've had to learn how to change my whole workout routine. And I realize there's other ways to actually rekindle a lot of youth and energy. And the key is hanging. Let gravity do the work. I'm serious. Interesting, and that keeps you going. You feel like you're this much taller, I mean, everything. It pulls the ribs apart, the shoulders, the muscles, the hands. I mean, it's great. The hangman said so. [APPLAUSE] You touched on this a little bit. But what is the lesson in your life story? You talked about wanting to write this book and have these things out there so that people could-- it's not a how-to. But it's maybe how you did it. So what is the lesson in there if you could boil it down? Well, it's important, especially if you're going after something, to be absolutely almost impervious to any other person's opinion because you're going in uncharted waters. And most people go, oh, it's not smart. No, it's not smart. But don't discourage me. So I really believe that you have to almost be kind of self-imposed deaf, dumb, and blind and keep going forward until you realize, maybe what I'm going after isn't worth it. But at least you've made the pursuit. And that's what I wanted people to read in the book. It's not for everybody. I purposely-- I believe I genuinely-- and I painted a picture of this. I had no reverse. I had nothing to go back to. In other words, I painted this picture of a guy in a suitcase, walking in this road in all these flaming buildings. It was like New York City in inferno. You couldn't go back. It isn't in the book I've seen it on your social media, right? Is it really? OK. I haven't read it yet. And no, I'm kidding. But it's a picture in there. And that's the whole thing. So I always felt that a lot of people are in one way. They're like, if Elon Musk never made it, what do you think he would be, an airline pilot? No, he'd be nuts. That would be it. He'd be sitting there, feeding squirrels, going, listen to me. I can make a rocket go backwards. [LAUGHTER] Get out of here. I'm serious. Half these inventors would literally be on a park bench. Well, and are you saying you're the same spirit? Definitely. Yeah? Yeah. What do you think would have happened to you if Rockydidn't happen? I think I would have been in a cell somewhere, like a padded cell. No, I would have probably end up in husbandry, like with horses or animals, because. I was about the same intelligence as a horse. So we got along really well. You know what I mean? No, I was going to be a horse person. I really related to the kind of animals. And then when I was at school. Someone talked me into it. They said, either you want to go to gym class or go to a dual play? I go play, what is that? It was Death of a Salesman. And I went, this is my life, with Loman, Willi Loman. And you played Biff. I played Biff. And someone back then told you did a good job. Yeah, it was a college professor who was kind of like a dramaturge and a real fan. He goes, this comes very naturally to you. Like, go for it. I go, really? Everyone says I slur or I'm this, I'm that. He goes, I'm telling you. And literally, that moment completely capsized my life. Changed your life. Yeah because of that idiot, I had to suffer for 10 years. [LAUGHTER] And we should talk because you all are New Yorkers, largely. Your first apartment was 30 something blocks south of here at the Sutton Hotel. And that was 7 by 8, your room. Actually, it was smaller than a cell in The Tombs. So you were in a cell. I was in The Tombs. Yes. And your mattress was made out of pizza boxes. Yeah, it's not as bad as you think. No? I'm serious, especially if there's some leftovers. [LAUGHTER] And you were so single minded that writing Rocky, you blacked out the windows? You had to. I felt as though you were just blacked it out, no phone, nothing, just locked the door and no-- literally. It was so interesting because when I got the Lords of Flatbush, which I didn't expect to get, someone had seen-- oh, thank you. This is why you should always grab every opportunity you can because you never know how it's going to branch off and come back to you. I've got stories forever about this, like with Mr. T and everything years later. So I'm helping a guy audition to be in Herbert Berghof acting class. I have given up acting. I'm done. And they're doing-- I was playing George. And it was like, what is it? Mice and Men, Of Mice And Men. And right away the guy goes, yeah, someone in the audience, it was just nothing. It was just helping the guy audition. And then the someone in the audience decided he's going to write Lords of Flatbush. He goes, I remember that guy that helped. So he tried to track me down. And I had no phone. I had no address, no nothing. And my friend, who we weren't speaking. We were like at enemies at the time. He's the only one who knew where I was in New York, period. And if he didn't walk up the steps-- because he wanted the part too-- knock on the door and say, they want you for this movie, I wouldn't be here today. That's so random. And that's how you got Lords of Flatbush. Keep seeking. Keep seeking. I love that. Do you think that you could journey to the top in Hollywood today, in today's Hollywood, like you did with Rockyback then? Oh, no.

TRACY SMITH:

00:42:17

Why not? It's a different-- it's a whole different ideology out there. It really-- uh oh.

TRACY SMITH:

00:42:24

These are the audience questions. A message from the front lines. So no, no, I don't think so. It's a whole different mindset. The actors look different. They act different, not the mentality, but the subject matter isn't something that I could relate to. Like, action right now is kind of anachronistic. It's like, bye bye. I think it will come around. But at the present moment, no. I would be in trouble. I really do. But like, for example, if you were going to make The Godfather today, try casting it. Try casting it. Impossible, you know what I mean? The whole premise, it's just came at a certain time. And that's what makes it so unique. So quite often, when they do remakes, they're fundamentally forgetting that film was based on the social climate, the thing, the look, the ethnicity, everything that was going on. Like Al Pacino was like bang, at that time. You can't do better at that time. Today, you couldn't cast the film. You couldn't. Good point. Would you like to hear some questions from the audience? Oh, yeah. Yeah? OK, let's do it. Yeah, yeah. [APPLAUSE] How was working with your daughter in Tulsa King? And what advice did you give her? Wow, you don't give my daughter advice. She gives me advice, actually. She's very daddy's girl. It was-- you feel so protective, obviously, right? And you are constantly going, trying to move to the left. She goes, oh, just stop. OK, OK, I got it. So now I don't suggest anything. And I just sit back and watch like, hey, that's my daughter. But no, no, no, no. But she's really grown up-- all my daughters have grown up in this world. So they know more than I do, seriously. They are so-- it's unbelievable how much media they've absorbed. So I go to them. I'm kind of like this old cranky guy that kind of-- And they're right there. So she's-- I can't even tell you how excited she is, indifferent, she-- is all of them. But they all have a very cinematic upbringing. That's very cool. Thank you. That was, by the way, from Myra in North Carolina. Myra, thank you. This is from C. Reyes. Of all the lessons Rockyrepresented, perseverance, discipline, believing in yourself, which one has mattered most in your own life? I purposely made Rocky-- his record was like 52 and 41. In other words, he understood that there's going to be setbacks. And he just rolled with it. It didn't destroy him. Some people have one cataclysmic setback, and whoa, they're shook. I know it's going to happen. I say, bring it on. I'm going to learn from it. But I don't get intimidated by it. I expect it. You know what Murphy's Law is, right? I live by Murphy's Law. If it's going to happen, it will. So be prepared, which is my favorite all time credo.

TRACY SMITH:

00:46:02

Be prepared. 100%. Literally, I am so neurotic. I shouldn't tell you this. No, you should tell us. No, no, when I go to a hotel with my wife, go in, and check in. The second thing is, look out in the hall. I see where the fire escape is. I walk it off. You walk it off? Walk it off. How many steps it is to the fire escape? Yes, so if the lights go out, I know. I go here, touch the wall, 11 steps, there's the door. Isn't that weird? But that from the way I came up in New York. It was always a very volatile situation. So I always said, where's the exit? Where's this? And it goes on to this day. So when you go to a restaurant, do you need to know where-- Yeah, it's right there. I'm telling you. It's like, OK. Another audience question, there's a movie coming out later this year, I Play Rocky. Yeah. [APPLAUSE] Thank you. How did it feel seeing someone play you? It was kind of mixed because I'm going. I'm not dead yet. Aren't we jumping the gun a little bit? And then I saw this video of this kid. And I went-- I actually thought it was me, first moment. There was a couple of angles. I'd go to my daughter, that's unbelievable. And I have to say, I had nothing to do with it. The director, Peter Farley, he saw something. He goes, fine. Rocky isgood, nice story. But it's fantasy. This story is real. And it's really an interesting story of whatever you want to put onto it. But yeah, so I said, I'll just sit back and watch. I talked to the kid. I said, if you want any questions, here I am. And that was it. But they did it all on their own. Yeah. It's got to be kind of surreal to see somebody else, that's your story. That's the story you talk about in Steps. Do I talk like that? No. I said, really? Now I get it. Now I get it. Yeah. This one, the writing is so small? I don't know if you're like me. Do you do this now? Let me check it out. Can you see this? OK, in some of your interviews, you asked about talking about going to MoMA and exposing yourself to other creative works. You spent a lot of time in MoMA. Yeah, yeah, what works. OK, fine. I would usually be on the main floor. And I'd go impressionism. And then I saw Klaus Olden. I'm going, guy just made a 12-foot phone out of plastic. Wow. And I had no money. I had nothing. But somehow in there, it was like a battery. It just charged me. Do you keep these artworks as-- no. I can't afford them. But thanks anyway. They are masterpieces. Here's a question about do-overs for Rocky. Is there anything that you would change about Rockythe movie? Oh, yeah. It's so odd because it's like you look at a photo of yourself. Everyone else likes it. But you are that kind of-- it's just human nature to want to tamper with something that is very acceptable when people like it. But it's just insecurity. You just keep tampering and tampering. And that's the biggest problem, especially with painting, knowing when to stop.

TRACY SMITH:

00:49:52

When you're finished. Oh, I'm telling you, I go crazy with over painting. So if you could have Rocky in your hands again today, would you tweak it? If I could have Rocky in my hands today-- [AUDIENCE SHOUTS] Oh, yeah, right. [CHEERING] I would have-- god, you know?

AUDIENCE:

00:50:16

It's perfect! Yeah.

AUDIENCE:

00:50:19

It's perfect!

AUDIENCE:

00:50:19

You're going to find and claw me in the ring. Yeah, there it is. Yeah, I thought you were talking about Rocky1. Actually, I'm trying to get Amazon to let me recut Rocky Vbecause it's a thorn in my side. It's a thorn in my side. I can't stop-- even though it's like, what is it, 25 years? But that stayed with you. Bothers me to death because I know, I took my foot off the gas. And it was a great director. I mean, John Avildsen did the first one. But I should have done it. I should have done it. And I should have been more aware of not trying to be cool to the audience. I was using hip-hop music. I was doing-- it was just leaving the Rocky ethos. And I wanted to bring that back. And there's some great performances by Burt Young and Talia Shire and my son. So I wouldn't mind giving that another shot. So recutting Rocky Vand rereleasing it? Yeah. So there you go, folks. Could happen. [APPLAUSE] It's not going to be great. It'll be acceptable. I'm serious. It's like it's not going to be great. Is there a movie you watched where you thought, oh, I would have loved to play that role? This is Frank from Montreal is asking this. Yeah, yeah, yeah, there's a lot of them. I was offered Coming Homewith Jon Voight. He won the Oscar. I was offered Witness,didn't do it. Harrison Ford did it.

TRACY SMITH:

00:51:44

When you see that happening, are you like, oh? Yeah, I am. I hate this guy. But it's my fault. It really is my fault. And there's a few more of those around that I don't know if I was ready for it or I was into the action genre. I don't know. I really wanted to do a film with myself and Arnold in our prime and just beat the shit out of him. [LAUGHTER] That's the film. You don't want to hear the last part of that. Yes? That's the whole film, us going at it. No, I'm kidding. Please, we get along great. OK, this is a super philosophical one. I might leave that one for the last one. After everything you've lived through, the failures, comebacks, losses and success, what's the one thing you wish you could tell the younger version of yourself? Oh, wow, god, I was so plugged in to myself and just because that's all I had in the world, that I really didn't enjoy my life. I didn't go out and explore and meet people and share it. It was just this a soldier in some march, death march. And I felt as though I missed a lot of that also. It carried into my adult life. I never understood Christmas. I never understood Easter. I never-- no. You couldn't celebrate those holidays? And it was a big problem? So what would you do on those holidays? I would participate. But I didn't get it. You didn't have the joy. How about now? Now, I love it. I love it. But it's like my wife had to decompress my brain and say, what's wrong with you? You have children. And then I went, oh, yeah, because I never did it. You see what I mean? Wow. No, never, never. So how many Christmases did you miss? A lot. Well, a lot, a lot. And now I'm like, oh, gosh, like she'd buy all these Christmas ornaments and things. I go, OK, it's over. And like, gone. It's coming around again. It isn't one and done. And I went, oh, right. Wait, so you would throw her Christmas ornaments away? Yeah, yeah, and I still hear about it, because there's all these little things and elves and oh, been collecting for 20 years. I was so stupid. It was unbelievable. So now I don't touch anything. Wise move. I mean, zero. All right. I think this is going to be the last one because I like it. I'm not even sure really what it means. This is from Atori Rossetti. And it just says, what is the most important step? And I kind of like that because of The Steps. The most important step, hmm. It really is that first step when you go, I'm all in. And I'm going to keep going up these steps until my legs give out. It's the journey of life. It's the first one. [APPLAUSE] Beautifully put. That is wonderful. Well, thank you. Thank you, everyone. [CHEERING] All right, so a little housekeeping stuff, we are out of time. But if you'd like to watch this event, it'll be available starting this week on Paramount, YouTube, CBS News Streaming, and across social media. The book, The Steps, comes out tomorrow. Thank you. Oh, really, does it? Wow. Buy it as a gift. I know you all have one. But you can buy an extra one for friends and family. Tulsa Kingreturns October 16 on Paramount+. And also, please watch for announcements on the next CBS Sunday Morning at 92NY. They'll be coming soon. And if you don't mind, I want to do one more thing. I think everybody should get in our picture. We should do a selfie, right? The whole audience? Yeah, we'll go this way so we can see everybody. It'll work. Yeah. Stay where you are, folks. You're good. OK I'm the worst at this, Sly. But I think we can do it. Oh, I get it. Ready? Hold on. OK, there we go. Here we go. All right, everybody. Smile. Yay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Sylvester Stallone, ladies and gentlemen. [CHEERING] Rocky! Rocky! Rocky! Keep punching. [CHEERING] Rocky! Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!