Sylvester Stallone has opened up about an uncomfortable encounter from his early Hollywood career, recalling a confrontation with fellow actor Richard Gere that nearly turned physical. Long before Rocky made him a household name, Stallone was working on the 1974 movie The Lords of Flatbush, where both actors became involved in a disagreement behind the scenes. In his memoir, The Steps, released September 29, Stallone describes how an ordinary audition gradually developed into a tense situation. The actor remembers initially getting along with Robert De Niro, who was also involved in the casting process. However, his experience working with Gere soon became far less comfortable.
According to Stallone’s account, the tension began during improvisational scenes. While acting out a scene, Gere allegedly grabbed Stallone’s T-shirt so forcefully that his fingernails dug into the actor’s skin. Stallone said he asked Gere to ease up, but the same thing happened again during another take. What might have been dismissed as an overly intense performance instead became the beginning of a serious disagreement between the two actors.
Stallone recalled discussing the situation with co-director Stephen Verona, asking whether he could respond as he naturally would if someone treated him that way in real life. The situation became even more heated during a lunch break, when the actors were sitting inside a parked car. According to Stallone, Gere was eating chicken when grease spilled onto his leg. Already frustrated by their earlier encounters, Stallone said he elbowed Gere in the chest, got out of the car, and pulled him out.
The confrontation nearly turned into a physical fight. Stallone recalled that Gere indicated he did not want things to become physical, but Stallone was already angry. Co-director Verona intervened before the situation escalated further. The incident left the production facing a difficult decision: one of the actors would have to leave the film.
Ultimately, Gere was dismissed from The Lords of Flatbush and replaced by Perry King. Robert De Niro also departed the project, with his role eventually going to Paul Mace. Henry Winkler joined the film as well, helping complete the cast of the 1974 production.
The disagreement did not simply disappear when filming ended. Stallone later said that Gere continued to dislike him and had even suspected him of being responsible for an embarrassing rumor about his private life. Stallone denied having anything to do with it. The two actors went on to build successful careers, with Stallone becoming internationally famous for Rocky and Rambo, while Gere earned recognition for films including American Gigolo and Pretty Woman.
Years later, their alleged rivalry reportedly resurfaced at a dinner party hosted by musician Elton John in the 1990s. In his memoir Me, John described a tense encounter involving Stallone, Gere, and Princess Diana. According to John’s account, Stallone had hoped to spend time with Diana but became irritated when she appeared interested in talking with Gere. John later recalled that the two actors were found facing off against each other, apparently on the verge of a fight, before the situation could go any further.
Stallone’s latest account offers a glimpse into the pressures and personalities that can shape Hollywood relationships long before actors become household names. What began as a disagreement between two young performers eventually became a story remembered for decades, demonstrating how a brief clash on a film set can leave a lasting impression.
Although neither actor’s career was defined by the incident, the story has renewed interest in their early years in Hollywood. Stallone’s memoir, The Steps, provides his personal perspective on the confrontation, while the details of the encounter remain his account of events. Richard Gere’s response to the latest revelations was not included in the reports cited here.
