Sylvester Stallone has finally explained what ended his long rivalry with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the answer is simple. Politics ended it. Stallone said on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast on November 5, 2026 that the feud lasted about 20 years, and it only cooled down when Schwarzenegger stepped away from movie competition to run for governor of California. Stallone put it plainly when he said, “I said, enough of this. We are not in competition.” Once Schwarzenegger was no longer chasing the same roles and the same box office weekends, the fight lost its reason to exist, and friendship took its place.
Quick Facts
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Who | Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger |
| What happened | Stallone revealed what finally ended their rivalry |
| When he spoke | November 5, 2026 |
| Where he spoke | The Rest Is Entertainment podcast |
| Podcast hosts | Marina Hyde and Richard Osman |
| How long the rivalry lasted | About 20 years |
| Turning point | Schwarzenegger left movie competition for politics |
| Governor run | Schwarzenegger ran in 2003, won, and served until 2011 |
| Later work together | The Expendables in 2010 and more films after that |
| Stallone now | Tulsa King season 4 on Paramount Plus, I Play Rocky opens in select theaters November 6, 2026 |
What Stallone Said on the Podcast
Stallone appeared on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast on November 5, 2026, hosted by Marina Hyde and Richard Osman, and he spoke about the rivalry in a calm and open way. He did not try to dress it up as a small joke or a friendly contest. He said the two men could not get on the same stage together for a presentation or a speech, and the tension was not put to bed for about 20 years. That is a long time for two stars to carry a grudge in public, and it shows how real the competition felt to both of them at the time.
Then Stallone explained the moment that changed everything. Schwarzenegger decided to leave Hollywood competition behind and enter politics. He ran for governor of California in 2003, won the race, and served until 2011. For Stallone, that move removed the core problem. They were no longer fighting for the same parts, the same opening weekends, or the same place at the top of the action movie world. Stallone said, “I said, enough of this. We are not in competition.” It was a clear line, and it marked the end of the feud in his mind.
Stallone also gave credit to Schwarzenegger for pushing him to work harder during those years. He said, “He was not doing movies anymore. All right. Thank you very much for waking me up, lighting a fire under me. And he felt the same way.” That last line matters, because it shows the feeling was shared. Both men had used the rivalry as fuel, and both men were ready to let it go once the race was over. The podcast moment gave fans a clean answer to a question they had asked for years, and it came from Stallone himself, in his own words.
How the Rivalry Started and Why It Lasted So Long
Stallone and Schwarzenegger rose to fame in the same era, and they rose in the same lane. Both men built their names on big action films, tough heroes, and huge box office numbers. When two stars share a lane that narrow, every new film becomes a test. Fans compared their muscles, their one liners, their opening weekends, and their places on the poster. Studios compared them too, and the press loved to frame every release as a head to head battle.
That kind of comparison can turn a normal career rivalry into something personal. Each man wanted to be seen as the biggest action star in the world, and there was only one top spot. The rivalry played out in interviews, in casting stories, and in the way fans picked sides. Some fans backed Stallone for Rocky and Rambo, while others backed Schwarzenegger for Terminator and Predator. The debate kept both names in the news, and it kept the pressure high for both men to top the last hit.
The feud also lasted because neither man slowed down for a long time. Through the 1980s and 1990s, both kept making big films, and both kept drawing large crowds. There was no natural break in the race, so there was no natural moment to call it off. Stallone said it took about 20 years to put the tension to bed, and that length makes sense when you look at how long both careers stayed at full speed. A rivalry that feeds on box office results only ends when one of the rivals steps out of the race, and for many years neither man did.
The Governor Moment That Changed Everything
Schwarzenegger made a bold move when he entered politics. He ran for governor of California in 2003 and won, then served until 2011. That decision took him out of the movie race in a way that no flop or hit could have done. He was no longer an actor chasing the next action role. He was a governor dealing with budgets, laws, and public policy. The job changed his daily life, his public image, and his priorities, and it changed how Stallone saw him too.
For Stallone, the move removed the direct competition. He was still making movies, but his main rival was now in a different world. There was no reason to compare opening weekends or poster billing anymore, because Schwarzenegger was not in that contest. Stallone said it plainly, and his words carry a sense of relief. The fight had been tiring, and the end of it felt like a release. He could thank Schwarzenegger for the push without feeling that he was still in a race against him.
From Rivals to Friends and Co-Stars
Once the rivalry ended, the two men found a way to work together. They appeared together in The Expendables in 2010, and they went on to share the screen in more films after that. Those team ups would have been hard to picture during the worst years of the feud, when they could not even share a stage for a speech. Seeing them side by side on screen became a sign that the old days were over, and fans loved it.
The Expendables films were built on action star nostalgia, and Stallone and Schwarzenegger were a natural pair for that idea. Their shared history gave their scenes extra meaning, because viewers knew the backstory. They were not just two actors in an action film. They were two former rivals who had found a way to stand together. That history made their team ups feel warm and fun, instead of forced or awkward.
Off screen, the friendship has grown over the years. Both men have spoken kindly about each other in interviews, and both have praised the work the other did. They have appeared at events together, shared photos together, and talked about their long careers with a sense of shared experience. Few people can understand what it was like to carry the action genre through the 1980s and 1990s, but these two can. That shared past is now a bond, not a battle.
Readers who enjoy big screen star stories may also like our look at the Madden world premiere with Nicolas Cage and Christian Bale on November 4, which covers another major Hollywood event from the same week. It shows how busy this season has been for film premieres and star appearances.
Where Stallone Is Now
Stallone is still working at a strong pace. Tulsa King season 4 premiered on Paramount Plus on October 16, 2026, and he has said he would like the show to end with season 6. The series has given him a leading role on television late in his career, and it has brought him a new audience along with longtime fans. His work on the show is a reminder that he is still a major star, even as he looks back on the rivalries that shaped his early years.
He is also in the news for the biopic I Play Rocky, which opens in select theaters on November 6, 2026 and nationwide on November 20. The film tells the story behind Rocky, the role that made Stallone famous, and it arrives at a time when fans are thinking about his full career. The timing of the podcast interview, the new season of Tulsa King, and the biopic release has put Stallone at the center of the entertainment news cycle this week.
For fans who want more background on other action and drama stars, our Keanu Reeves biography looks at a different kind of long career in Hollywood, built on quiet work and steady fan support. Our Glen Powell biography looks at a newer star who is rising fast in the same action and drama space that Stallone and Schwarzenegger once ruled.
Did Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger really feud for 20 years?
Yes, Stallone said on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast on November 5, 2026 that the tension was not put to bed for about 20 years. He said they could not get on the same stage together for a presentation or a speech during that period, which shows how deep the rivalry ran.
What ended the Stallone and Schwarzenegger feud?
Schwarzenegger leaving movie competition for politics ended it. He ran for governor of California in 2003, won, and served until 2011. Stallone said, “I said, enough of this. We are not in competition,” and he thanked Schwarzenegger for lighting a fire under him during their rivalry.
Did Stallone and Schwarzenegger work together after the feud?
Yes, they appeared together in The Expendables in 2010 and in more films after that. Their work together on screen became a clear sign that friendship had replaced hostility, and fans welcomed seeing the two former rivals as co-stars.
What is Stallone working on now?
Tulsa King season 4 premiered on Paramount Plus on October 16, 2026, and Stallone has said he would like it to end with season 6. The biopic I Play Rocky opens in select theaters on November 6, 2026 and nationwide on November 20, 2026.
Sources
- Parade – Stallone reveals what finally ended his decades-long feud with Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Primetimer – Stallone reveals what finally ended his 20-year feud with Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Entertainment Weekly
Final Thoughts
Stallone has given fans a clear answer about one of Hollywood’s most famous rivalries. The feud lasted about 20 years, and it ended when Schwarzenegger left the movie race for politics. That move took away the competition and left room for respect and friendship. Stallone thanked his old rival for pushing him, and their later work together showed the change on screen.
