Sylvester Stallone Says Hollywood Abandoned Middle America

Sylvester Stallone is calling out Hollywood for what he believes is one of its biggest mistakes: turning its back on Middle America while overlooking millions of viewers hungry for stories that reflect their lives.

The 80-year-old action legend says television powerhouse Taylor Sheridan recognized something Hollywood executives had seemingly forgotten for decades, building an entertainment empire around audiences outside the industry’s traditional New York and Los Angeles circles.

During an appearance on “The Rest Is Entertainment” podcast, Stallone credited the “Yellowstone” creator with bringing attention back to Americans who rarely see their communities represented on screen.

“It’s very, very important because that audience was ignored for centuries, it seems, since John Wayne,” Stallone said. “And he really mined a consciousness like, ‘Oh, we forgot about that guy in the middle of America.'”

The “Rocky” star argued that Hollywood has become so focused on stories centered around California and New York that it has neglected the rest of the country. Sheridan, he suggested, understood the appeal of traditional American storytelling, where loyalty, toughness and personal confrontations often drive the action.

“People were starving for it,” Stallone said, describing Middle America as having a different atmosphere and a more confrontational spirit.

His criticism comes with a revealing piece of Hollywood history. Sheridan previously claimed HBO executives rejected his original vision for “Yellowstone,” with one executive reportedly complaining that the project felt too focused on Middle America and represented a step backward for the network.

Sheridan refused to abandon the concept, eventually finding a home at Paramount. “Yellowstone” became a massive television success, launching multiple spinoffs and helping Sheridan build a sprawling collection of dramas, including “Landman” and “Tulsa King.” Fox News+2

Stallone knows that success firsthand. He stars in “Tulsa King” as Dwight Manfredi, a veteran New York mobster who is exiled to Oklahoma after spending 25 years behind bars. The series returned for its fourth season in October, with Paramount+ already renewing it for a fifth. Skydance

Despite Sheridan’s accomplishments, Stallone believes Hollywood’s traditional movie business still hasn’t fully recognized the opportunity. He praised streaming services for their ability to respond more quickly to what audiences want, suggesting that television has become a place where overlooked stories can flourish.

The comments arrive as Stallone’s own fight against Hollywood’s expectations returns to the spotlight.

His early career is the subject of “I Play Rocky,” a new biographical drama starring Anthony Ippolito and directed by Peter Farrelly. The film follows Stallone’s struggle to get his 1976 boxing classic made after refusing lucrative offers that would have required him to surrender the starring role to a more established actor.

Stallone did not participate in the film’s production, although he approved the script and casting and later praised the finished project. The movie begins its limited theatrical release on November 6. Reuters+1

Nearly 50 years after “Rocky” transformed him into a Hollywood superstar, Stallone’s latest remarks suggest he still believes in the same principle that made his career: audiences want compelling underdog stories, even when powerful studio executives doubt their appeal.

And in Stallone’s view, Sheridan has demonstrated just how costly it can be to underestimate the American heartland.