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Sylvester Stallone is known for starring in plenty of films. HisExpendablesandRambofranchises are beloved. But it won’t be dismissive to say that theRockyseries of films cemented him as a verified action star in the eyes of the public. There have been a total of 9 films in theRockyfranchise, counting in theCreedmovies as well.
They have amassed $1.7 billion at the worldwide box office till now. Multiple characters have woven in and out of the franchise over the years, but there was one character whose departure affected Rocky Balboa the most. Even though Stallone knew that it was the right decision, he still had a tough time breaking the news to that co-star.
Sylvester Stallone Fired His Co-Star To Give His Character More Emotional Depth
In an interview with USA Today,Sylvester Stallonerevealed that initially, Talia Shire’s Adrian was going to be inRocky Balboa, the sixth film in the franchise. But he changed that to give his character emotional pain. The actor said:
“In the original script for [Rocky Balboa], she was alive. But it just didn’t have the same dramatic punch. I thought, ‘What if she’s gone?’ That would cut Rocky’s heart out and drop him down to ground zero.”
Read More:“Never spar with Spartacus”: Sylvester Stallone Instantly Regretted Flaunting His Machismo, Hollywood Legend Hit Him So Hard He Saw Stars in $35M Movie
Shire’s Adrian has been a part of theRockyseries from the very beginning. She has been one of the major pillars of the franchise, and even Stallone once said duringThe Making of Rocky Vs. Dragodocumentary that Shire should have been given more credit for her role. TheEscape Planstar said:
“I don’t think that she was ever given the full credit for the success of the whole Rocky series because without her there is no him. He just wanted to redeem himself, that he wasn’t a bum from the neighborhood and that, in his eyes, he could look in the mirror. ‘Wow I amounted to something,’ and that was due to her.”
However, it wasn’t easy to tell the actress that her character was going to get killed off in the sixth film.
Read More:“Who is that guy with a crooked mouth, he looks like a heavybag”: Sylvester Stallone Was a “Terrible Choice” to Lead $1.7 Billion ‘Rocky’ Franchise
How Sylvester Stallone Reassured His UpsetRocky BalboaCo-Star After Firing Her
In an interview, Sylvester Stallone revealed that Talia Shire was upset when she got to know that her character was being killed off in theRockyfranchise. But the actor reassured her by saying that her character would remain the heart of the sixth film. He said:
“I told her, ‘Talia, you’re the heart and soul of this movie, but you’re just here in spirit, and that’s what’s going to drive the film. Your heart drove the first film.’ It’s what I call ‘The Adrian Factor.”
Read More:“My wife begged me not to do it”: Sylvester Stallone Did Not Listen to His Wife Before Committing to $156 Million Movie
In the end, Stallone said that she understood where he was coming from and was even supportive of the decision to do so.
Rocky Balboais available on Amazon Prime Video.
Source:USA Today
Ishita Chatterjee
Content Writer
Articles Published :752
Ishita is an Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows, with over 700 articles published. She has been working in the entertainment and pop-culture niche for more than 4 years. With a English Literature degree, Ishita generally covers news and analyses on Foundation, Ted Lasso, Severance, and more.A lifelong DC fan, Ishita spends her time watching and re-watching everything in the DC universe (yes, even including the Arrowverse shows).
