Why Sylvester Stallone Once Kicked Richard Gere Out of a Car — And Never Looked Back

Hollywood’s 1980s action heroes—Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan, Harrison Ford, and Sylvester Stallone—shaped an era of blockbuster cinema. Among them, Stallone’s rise from a struggling New Yorker to a global icon, thanks to hits like Rocky and First Blood, embodies the quintessential American dream. But long before he was punching his way to superstardom, Stallone had a fiery clash with an unlikely figure: Richard Gere.

The Car Incident That Sparked a Feud

In 1973, during the filming of The Lords of Flatbush, Stallone and Gere were set to share the screen. On set, during a lunch break in the backseat of a car, Gere approached Stallone carrying half a chicken. When the food accidentally dripped onto Stallone’s thigh, tempers flared. Stallone reacted fiercely—he elbowed Gere in the head and pushed him out of the vehicle, igniting a lasting animosity.

Years later, Stallone recounted the episode: “The original part of Chico, which was played by Perry King, was originally supposed to be played by Richard Gere, but we never hit it off…I elbowed him in the side of the head and basically pushed him out of the car…The director had to make a choice: one of us had to go, one of us had to stay. Richard was given his walking papers and to this day seriously dislikes me.”

A Rivalry Beyond the Set

The feud didn’t end with the lost role. A bizarre rumor surfaced alleging Gere was hospitalized after a gerbil incident—an urban legend some speculated Stallone may have had a hand in starting.

The rivalry resurfaced publicly years later amid the drama of Princess Diana and Prince Charles’s divorce. At an Elton John party, Stallone opposed Gere’s closeness to Diana, leading to a physical confrontation. The scuffle had to be broken up by the host, after which Stallone abruptly left the event.

Separate Paths in Hollywood

Despite their rocky past, Stallone and Gere never crossed professional paths again. Their careers evolved along very different trajectories, with Stallone cementing his legacy as a gritty action star and Gere building his reputation through dramatic and romantic roles.

This legendary clash serves as a colorful footnote in Hollywood history—a reminder that even the biggest stars have moments of raw conflict. For Stallone, the decision to “kick Gere out of the car” was not just a spat but a defining moment, one that closed the door on a working relationship and ignited a feud that, thankfully, never escalated beyond occasional headlines.