Actor Sylvester Stallone has detailed a physical fight with Richard Gere on the set of the 1974 movie The Lords of Flatbush in Brooklyn.
Writing in his newly published memoirs, the 80-year-old actor revealed that ongoing friction between the two performers escalated into a physical confrontation over chicken grease during a lunch break.
Stallone shared the incident in his book titled The Steps, which was published on September 29. According to Stallone, the underlying tension between himself and Gere began during early auditions for the drama, which initially included actor Robert De Niro in its cast.
Stallone recalled that initial interactions between himself and De Niro went smoothly during the casting process. He noted that the two actors attempted to talk over one another while rehearsing scenes, adding that he personally enjoyed improvising and spontaneously introducing new elements into his performances.
Rehearsal tensions and director intervention
The dynamic changed significantly when Stallone began rehearsing alongside Gere. Stallone explained that improvisational exercises with Gere quickly deteriorated after Gere grabbed his shirt, causing his fingernails to dig into Stallone's skin.
Although Stallone asked Gere to step back, Gere repeated the action during a second take. Stallone acknowledged that while Gere could not have known the effect of his actions, the gesture had begun to provoke intense emotional reactions in him.
Following the second take, Stallone turned to director Stephen Verona to ask whether he could improvise by reacting in the same manner he would in real life if someone treated him that way. When Verona inquired what Stallone would do in that situation, Stallone answered that he would knock Gere's teeth out. Verona pleaded with him not to take such action.
The chicken grease incident in the car
The tension reached a breaking point later that day during a lunch break, when both actors were sitting inside a car. Stallone stated that he had previously asked Gere to exercise caution and avoid making a mess while eating.
Grease from the chicken Gere was eating subsequently spilled from its aluminum foil wrapping onto Stallone's leg. Stallone recalled elbowing Gere in the chest before exiting the vehicle, walking around to Gere's side, and pulling him out of the back seat.
Gere pleaded with Stallone that he did not want their dispute to get physical, to which Stallone responded that it was already too late. Verona stepped between the two actors to separate them before the altercation could proceed further.
Recasting the film and long-term departure
Stallone wrote that it became clear to everyone on set that the working relationship was unsustainable and that one of the actors would have to leave the production.
Gere ultimately exited the film, and De Niro also departed the production shortly thereafter. Following their departures, the production recast the roles with actors Perry King and Henry Winkler.
Winkler went on to achieve widespread fame as Arthur Fonzie Fonzarelli on the hit sitcom Happy Days, while King established a long career in television and film, including a starring role in the series Riptide. Stallone later became a global superstar through the Rocky and Rambo film series, while Gere went on to lead major Hollywood features such as American Gigolo and Pretty Woman.
