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Despite the enduring assumption that Sylvester Stallone epitomizes endless bravery and machismo, especially during the heyday of iconic characters like Rocky and Rambo, real life can starkly contrast cinematic portrayals. Stallone, harboring a fear of heights, found himself confronting this phobia in a harrowing movie stunt that left him dangling in the air, gripped by terror.
During the filming of a stunt for the movie Nighthawks, Stallone shared his visceral experience with Roger Ebert, admitting, “I’ve never been so scared in my life, as when I was dangling from that helicopter.” The fear of heights, bordering on mania, added an extra layer of intensity to the situation. Hanging 250 feet above the East River, Stallone grappled with the wind blowing him back and forth, acutely aware of the constant danger posed by the steel cable that could shear in two at any moment.
The precariousness of the stunt was not lost on Stallone, who recounted the presence of a fireboat below with two divers. In a moment of vulnerability, he humorously admitted to calling them “lifeguards,” only to be corrected that their role was not to save him but to retrieve his body if the worst were to happen. To add an extra layer of grim preparation, Stallone disclosed that in the scene, he is holding a knife.
Explaining his rationale behind having a knife, Stallone revealed, “My theory was that if I fell, the cable would make me sink unless I could cut the harness loose.” However, witnessing someone hit the water with a force resembling cement compelled him to rethink his strategy. The knife, initially intended for cutting the harness, took on a more somber purpose: “The knife was to plunge into my heart a second before I hit.”
This candid account sheds light on the vulnerability that even action stars like Stallone can experience when faced with the stark reality of a dangerous stunt, showcasing the stark contrast between cinematic bravado and the genuine fears that individuals grapple with in real-life scenarios.