Sylvester Stallone Recalls the ‘Near-Fatal’ Stunts That Put His Life at Risk: ‘I Was in ICU for 4 Days’

Sylvester Stallone is opening up about the stunts that came closest to costing him his life on set. In a new video interview with GQ, the 79-year-old actor reflected on several of his most iconic roles, from Rocky to Rambo, and revealed that two near-fatal accidents happened while filming the 1993 sci-fi film “Demolition Man.”

“It was the two most dangerous stunts I’ve ever done,” Stallone said, explaining that the film’s practical sets made the risks very real.

A Malfunctioning Mechanical Claw Nearly Crushed Him

In “Demolition Man,” Stallone played John Spartan, a cop thawed from cryogenic prison to battle Wesley Snipes’ villainous Simon Phoenix. One harrowing sequence involved Spartan being caught in a massive mechanical claw during a fight.

“It was what we call a practical set,” Stallone said. He described the machinery as unpredictable. “Those things really worked. The hydraulics would go sideways, and the strength of those metal claws would tear you up.”

The clamps could shift without warning, and Stallone said he relied on luck and timing to avoid serious injury.

A Second Stunt Left Stallone Trapped Under Oil

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Another frightening moment came when Stallone was sealed inside a round plexiglass tank meant to simulate cryogenic freezing. He said the container was so strong, “you couldn’t break it with a sledgehammer.”

As warm oil filled the tank, Stallone realized how quickly the scene could turn deadly.

“There was danger of drowning if the amount reached past my nose,” he said. “And you can’t get out because the lid was bolted on.”

Stallone joked that he had a crew standing by with sledgehammers and hatchets. After filming, he asked them to try breaking the tank. “They hit it 20 times and couldn’t crack it,” he said. “So that was crazy.”

Stallone Has Cheated Death Before in His Action Career

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Stallone also noted that “Demolition Man” was not the only production where he came close to serious injury. He recalled filming “Rocky IV” in 1985, where a punch from costar Dolph Lundgren went terribly wrong.

“He hit me so hard he almost stopped my heart,” Stallone said in a 2019 interview. “Next thing I know, I’m on a low-altitude plane to the emergency room, and I’m in intensive care for four days.”

Today, Stallone continues his long-running career. He stars in the Paramount+ drama “Tulsa King,” now in its third season, and a biopic titled “I Play Rocky,” centered on the making of the 1976 classic “Rocky,” is currently underway.

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