What Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone Have in Common (And It’s Not Just the Action Roles)!

Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone have shared a long and fruitful career of collaboration, from the Expendables series to the upcoming 2025 film A Working Man. As two of Hollywood’s most iconic action stars, their partnership has allowed them to work together on six feature films, with Statham often stepping up to lead in their projects. However, despite their distinct careers, there’s one thing they both share that’s undeniably personal—an ego that has, at times, led them to take on dangerous stunts that have left them nursing a trail of physical injuries.

Shared Ego and Machismo

In a recent interview, Statham, now 57, reflected on the shared traits that connect him with Stallone, particularly the egos that led both actors to do their own stunts. Known for his tough-guy roles, Statham has become synonymous with intense physicality, often performing his own stunts in films like Crank, The Transporter, and The Mechanic. But as he got older, Statham admitted that his constant pursuit of authenticity and machismo—wanting to prove that he was just as tough as the characters he portrayed—had come with a heavy cost.

“You know, I’m nursing a lot of bad injuries. Stallone in himself. He’s got a roadmap of injuries over the course of his career,” Statham said, acknowledging that both he and Stallone have pushed themselves physically for the sake of authenticity in their roles. “A lot of the things we do, it’s because our ego gets in front of us, and we want it to be authentic. We want people to see that that’s us doing it.”

Statham wasn’t shy about acknowledging how much this ego-driven approach to stunts had impacted his body over the years. He recalled some of the most dangerous moments from his career, such as performing a real helicopter stunt for Crank and jumping from a moving jetski onto the back of a speeding bus in Transporter 2—without any safety harness. These moments of daring, fueled by a need to show his toughness, have left him with “niggles,” as he described them—lingering pains that he feels every day.

A Costly Path to Authenticity

The cost of this approach to acting has been significant for Statham. Over the years, he has suffered multiple injuries while filming, including a torn bicep and a neck injury he sustained while jumping from a high platform onto a dinghy in The Mechanic (2011). In the Collider interview, he admitted that his ego played a key role in his decision to tackle these stunts himself. It was his desire to prove that he was as capable and cool as his action-hero characters that drove him to take risks on set.

This admission is telling, as Statham also pointed out that Stallone, too, shares a similar mindset. “A lot of the decisions… I think I’m getting a bit smarter now,” Statham reflected, acknowledging that as his body ages, he’s starting to recognize the need to balance his ego with practicality. “I think I’ll try and be smart because of the necessity to be smart as my body is wearing out a little bit. Some of the niggles,” he added, recognizing that at 57, his body can’t keep up with the demands of his earlier, more reckless years.

The Road to Self-Awareness

As Statham grows older, his perspective on these stunts has shifted. While he’s still known for his intense action sequences and commitment to authenticity, the actor is becoming more mindful of his physical limits. It seems that, like Stallone, Statham is learning that the desire to prove one’s toughness and authenticity on screen may not be worth the long-term pain it causes in real life.

It’s clear that Statham’s reflections on his career and his shared experiences with Stallone reveal a significant shift in how he views his role as an action star. Both actors, famous for their tough-guy personas and impressive stunts, now face the inevitable reality that physical durability doesn’t last forever. Statham’s next project, Mutiny (2026), will no doubt feature the same level of intensity his fans expect, but it will be interesting to see how he continues to evolve his approach to action in his later years.

In the meantime, Statham and Stallone will continue to share a unique bond, not just through their professional collaborations but through the common experience of pushing their bodies to the limit in the name of authenticity and action.