Stallone to expand his talent

Press, 24 August 1988, Page 24

Stallone to expand his talent

Now that Sylvester Stallone’s last two movies “Cobra” and “Over the Top,” have failed to match his success as Rocky or Rambo, he is returning to the old format. “Rambo III” is now showing at the Midcity, and the actor intends to try some new roles and expand his talent. For, as he admits, once he is entrenched in his 40s, he will not be able to hop out of helicopters and massacre armies single-handedly with the same ease. GEORGE HADLEY-GARCIA interviews Stallone

Q: First, your divorce from Danish actress Brigitte Nielsen. Was it just a case of lust at first sight? A: Yeah. I can’t deny it. Or, I could, but why bother. I met her because I liked her photograph. Then we worked together, and the chemistry was on-screen and off. But that just wasn’t enough. Q: What about claims that she was gold-digging? A: I think whenever you have two stars, and one’s a bigger star, and the bigger one’s the guy, there’s going to be the aspect of it. Or, so it’s gonna seem to other people. And the fact is, Brigitte will end up a very rich woman, from her alleged half of my earnings from during the time we were tdgether. Q: Is that fair? A: Not really, ‘cause she makes a good salary — I mean, she’s not exactly in the poor house. Q: But her career is largely over, isn’t it? She’s only done decorative roles. A: She’s a sex symbol, that’s

for sure! I don’t think Meryl Streep should lose any sleep ... Q: Does this experience make you wary of marriage for the future? A: Yeah. I think going it solo is the best policy. ’Cept, I like having somebody at home, somebody to play mommy to my offspring. But myself, I’m away so much, it’s not fair to some lady to be my partner, unless she’s working with me, and I don’t think I’d want to play with the same actress over and over — you know, like Spencer Tracy and Kate Hepburn did. Q: Will there by a fifth “Rocky” saga? A: If these old bones can hack it, why not? Q: Undoubtedly there’ll be a fourth “Rambo,” right? A: Maybe. Probably. Four “Rockies” and four “Rambos.” Something like that. Q: Why do you think “Cobra” and “Over the Top” didn’t do that well? A: The critics hated them. What else is new? But it’s all

relative. They were hits. But not like “Rambo” and all that. And that disappointed me, ’cause on one level, I like to top myself and set new records, and on another, I was getting an all-time record salary ($2O million for “Over the Top”). So I want to do the for-sure audience pleasers. And also strike out in new directions. Q: You directed one film in which you didn’t star — John Travol fa’s “Staying Alive.” Would you ever do that again? A: I don’t think so. Q: For a. while, you were saying you would do a remake of “A Street-car Named Desire.” What happened? A: I lost interest. Like, it’s really the woman in the project who gets the laurels. And you have to have somebody like Meryl Streep, and we weren’t able to even begin to come to terms. Then television did it (with Ann-Margret and Treat Williams), and so it’s on the shelf for another 15, 20 years. Q: You also wanted to do a

film biography of Edgar Allan Poe. A: I’d still like to do that. Q: What about Poe’s bisexuality, or would that be omitted? A: I could deal with that. I could, but audiences ... I dunno. I would depend on how good a writer you got, ’cause it’s a -movie about a great writer. And it’s not exactly action-packed, and it’s not a comedy ... Q: Your last comedy was with Dolly Parton. Do you like comedy? A: You called that (‘Rhinestone”) a comedy? (laughs) I called it a farce. I dunno. I’m better at action. Romantic comedy, for sure, I’m not about to tackle in the near future. I think when I’m 50, I’ll be better at that — more subtle and mellow and all that jazz. Q: Do you foresee a day when you’ve put “Rocky” and “Rambo” behind you? A: Yeah. sure. In five years or less. Q: You’re only 5’7” How do you get around that, in filming? A: It’s easy. I hire people shorter than me. Except for the big monster-villains, the goons. — Copyright DUO, 1987