Sylvester Stallone, the name conjures images of muscular action heroes like Rocky Balboa and John Rambo. Known for his powerful physique and commanding screen presence, the question of Sylvester Stallone’s height often arises. Is he as towering as his on-screen personas suggest? The answer, perhaps surprisingly, is more nuanced and debated than you might expect. Let’s delve into the various claims and perceptions surrounding how tall Sylvester Stallone actually is.
Stallone himself has offered different figures over the years. In a 1991 interview with Longevity magazine, he stated, “I’m 5’10” (5 feet 10 inches). Just two years later, in 1993, he refined this claim in the New York Times, adding a fraction and declaring, “I’m exactly 5 feet 10 1/2 inches.” However, going further back to a 1978 Playboy article, a more generous height of “Five feet ten and three quarters tall” was attributed to him. These self-reported heights place him around 5’10” to 5’10.75″, which is a respectable height, but not exceptionally tall in Hollywood terms.
But perceptions and eyewitness accounts often paint a slightly different picture. Cinema.com, upon meeting him, noted “Sly, shorter than you expect at 5-foot-eight”. Stallone himself has even alluded to this perception, acknowledging “I’m shorter and skinnier than you Expected”. This suggests that the public image of Stallone, perhaps amplified by his larger-than-life movie roles, might not align with his actual stature.
Adding another layer to the height mystery is the recurring discussion of Stallone’s footwear. A 1990 Chicago Times article mentioned, “The real-life Rambo is an official 5 foot 10 1/2 inches tall, but that is with the generous boost of what can only be described as elevator shoes”. The article implies that Stallone’s claimed height might include a significant lift from specialized shoes. An Italian shoemaker even claimed to have “made him 4.5 inches taller for 16 years!” These claims, while not definitively proven, fuel the speculation that Stallone’s perceived height is often enhanced.
Fellow actor Kevin Conway reportedly remarked in the 1970s that Stallone was only 5ft 9 and “wears lifts all the time”. Stallone himself seems to have a sense of humor about the height issue. When commenting on the height of his Rocky IV co-star Dolph Lundgren, who is considerably taller, Stallone joked, “I’m fighting with elevator shoes on, this is ridiculous.” Furthermore, Expendables 3 co-star Kelsey Grammar humorously recounted, Sly was a great guy, “Except when he changed the camera angle a little bit to make me look shorter.” These anecdotes suggest an awareness and even playful manipulation of his height in the public eye.
In William Goldman’s book ‘About Lies Stars Tell’, the screenwriter shared an intriguing account estimating Stallone’s height at “Sixty-seven inches,” which translates to 5 feet 7 inches. Goldman’s source was a jogger of similar stature to Stallone, and Goldman himself claimed to have made a direct comparison in a swimming pool, concluding “Sixty-seven inches. Dripping wet.” This estimation is echoed by wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, who casually referred to Sly as “Five Six/Five Seven”. An amateur boxer who worked on Rocky V also expressed surprise at Stallone’s shortness, stating, “I always pictured him as being a big guy. But I’m 5-foot-9 and I was two-three inches taller than him.”
Adding to the chorus of voices suggesting a shorter stature, Stallone’s ex-partner, supermodel Janice Dickenson, wrote in her book ‘Everything about me is fake’ about meeting Stallone, recalling “Who was this guy to go dissing me while he’s standing there in his custom-made elevator shoes.” and “I couldn’t believe how short he was”. Actress Melinda Dillon, who worked with Stallone in F.I.S.T, also commented in The Chicago Tribune, “I’m taller than Sly and that bothers him and we kid about it so I take off my shoes in some scenes. I can’t slouch or I wouldn’t be Anna. She’s very upright.”
Even fellow action stars have weighed in on the debate. Jean Claude Van Damme once remarked, “I’m 5-foot-10, a good size for movies. If you’re too big a guy, it’s hard to find good villains. That’s why Stallone always has good villains. He’s short.” Burt Lancaster’s quote, though perhaps delivered with a touch of sarcasm, succinctly summarizes the prevailing perception: “Sly Stallone is 5-foot-7, I believe. Shorter than you think – and not just short on talent.”
In conclusion, while Sylvester Stallone has claimed heights around 5’10” to 5’10.75″, numerous accounts from various sources, including industry insiders and even Stallone himself, suggest his actual height might be closer to 5’7″ or 5’8″. The use of elevator shoes and camera tricks to enhance his height seems to be an open secret in Hollywood. Ultimately, regardless of his precise height, Sylvester Stallone’s impact on cinema and his status as a legendary action star remain undiminished. His talent and charisma have undoubtedly loomed larger than his physical stature throughout his illustrious career.
