Sylvester Stallone is preparing to release his memoir, The Steps,on September 29 through HarperCollins . During a promotional interview with The New York Times, the 80-year-old actor detailed harrowing teenage experiences in a Pennsylvania psychiatric ward and his later battle with an eating disorder.
The "Snake Pit" and the Devereux Manor trauma
Stallone’s childhood at Devereux Manor High School in Pennsylvania involved a disciplinary system he described as brutal. According to the report, students who violated rules were sent to a location known as "Park Lodge" or the "Snake Pit." Stallone characterized this environment as a place of filth and chaos, featuuring naked and disoriented individuals, designed to intimidate students into compliance.
The actor also recounted a violent encounter in a psychiatric ward where a man known as "Jay Bird" attacked him . The New York Times reported that the assailant, described as a naked and hairless man with rotten teeth, targeted Stallone in a bathroom. While guards intervened using razor straps, the experience ultimately left Stallone with a sense of being "unbreakable" rather than broken. He recalled standing before the school principal, who asked if he had learned his lesson; Stallone replied that he had learned he was unbreakable.
A 2.6 percent body fat obsession during Rocky III
The physical perfection seen in the Rocky franchise masked a period of intense physiological struggle for Sylvester Stallone. He revealed that during the filming of Rocky III, he suffered from bulimia as he attempted to achieve a "feral" and athletic physique. He explained that while he admired the massive bulk of stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger, he wanted a more aggressive, predator-like look.
Stallone’s pursuit of this specific body type led him to a dangerous body fat percentage. The report notes that he reached a level of just 2.6 percent body fat, a state where he struggled to keep food down. He described this period as an "obsessive body-worship" driven by the desire to maintain an extreme level of fitness.
The admission of steroid use in Hollywood's golden era
Maintaining the hyper-masculine aesthetic of the 1980s often required more than just discipline. stallone admitted in his interview that he used steroids and other "additives" to sustain his frame. He argued that the extreme demands of his career made chemical assistance almost inevitable for actors in his position.
He emphasized that staying in peak shape for months while consuming only yogurt and pudding was an impossible task without such help. Stallone stated that he does not care about the stigma,noting that "nobody does it without additives and drugs" when trying to maintain such a rigorous physique. He noted that the physical demands of maintaining a "smooth and normal" look for the Rocky character eventually gave way to this obsession with being more athletic and limber.
What remains unsaid about his political views?
While the memoir promises a deep dive into his life, certain aspects of his recent public life remain vague. The source mentions that Stallone has recently commented on Donald Trump, yet it is unclear how extensively his political leanings will be explored in The Steps. Additionally, while he discussed his physical health , the memoir's specific stance on the long-term health consequences of his steroid use remains an open question.
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