Arnold Schwarzenegger is opening up about the once-intense rivalry he shared with fellow action legend Sylvester Stallone—and how it eventually turned into a lasting friendship.
Speaking with Andy Cohen on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy, the 77-year-old actor and former California governor admitted, “We hated each other.”
During the 1980s, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Stallone were at the top of Hollywood’s action movie game, with blockbuster franchises like Terminator and Rambo fueling a fierce competition between them. Arnold Schwarzenegger recalled that the rivalry wasn’t just professional—it got personal.
“We were kind of attacking each other and doing nasty things and saying nasty things about each other and all these things,” he said, reflecting on the tension that marked their early relationship.
However, the hostility eventually gave way to friendship—thanks in part to a surprising business opportunity. The turning point came when Arnold Schwarzenegger began working with Robert Earl and Keith Parish to launch the Planet Hollywood restaurant franchise.
His lawyer, who also represented Stallone, reached out with a question: “Is there any kind of room for Sly in Planet Hollywood?” Schwarzenegger said the idea struck him as a way to transform their rivalry into something more constructive.
“That’s actually a good idea, because it could bring us together. And I wanted that. At that point I had grown out of my craziness,” he explained.
The move paid off. Planet Hollywood officially launched in New York City in 1991, with Schwarzenegger, Stallone, and other A-list stars backing the venture. From there, the once-bitter rivals began to collaborate professionally, eventually co-starring in films like Escape Plan and The Expendables series.
Looking back, Arnold Schwarzenegger said, “Sure enough, we made it work,” emphasizing how maturity and shared interests helped mend their relationship. What started as a Hollywood feud ended in mutual respect and camaraderie, showing that even the fiercest rivalries can evolve into meaningful friendships.