The Real Reason Sylvester Stallone Was Walking With A Cane At Kennedy Center Honors
When President Donald Trump presented the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees with their medals in the Oval Office on Saturday, December 6, several notable stars were there, including singers Gloria Gaynor, George Strait, and the surviving members of the band KISS — Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss. Also in attendance were actor-singer Michael Crawford and the actor Sylvester Stallone (per CBS News).
While the celebrities were all decked out in their fashionable best, keen observers noted that Stallone had an added accessory that he had not been seen with before: a cane. Stallone has previously revealed that he "never recovered" from injuries sustained during filmmaking. During a 2024 interview for his reality TV show, "The Family Stallone," the actor confessed to doing "stupid stuff" that had led to him having permanent disability. "I was directing Expendables and, like an idiot, I'm doing take 10, take whatever, and I remember one slam, and I could actually feel one bang. ... After that film, it was never physically the same," he said (via Y!entertainment).
Stallone has expressed regrets about doing his own stunts
During the same episode, Stallone issued words of caution for those who might be considering a similar career: "Don't do your own stunts," he urged (via Y!entertainment).
The show also revealed that the actor had had a metal plate inserted into his neck in order to repair the damage that occurred. He additionally had spinal fusion surgery, which limits movement in his spine. (Learn more about the signs you should see a spine specialist.)
Speaking about the surgery as a "scary time," Stallone's wife, Jennifer Flavin, said that he doesn't like for people to know he's had so many surgeries. "It's very scary for our family every time Sly has to go through surgery, because you never know. ... No one knows," she said. "I hope this is the one to help him live a more comfortable life."
According to the Daily Mail, Stallone's 2010 injuries were only the latest in his career. He also experienced a torn pectoral muscle while making "Rocky II," a hairline spinal fracture from subsequent sequels, and hospitalization after taking a punch to the heart from Dolph Lundgren during "Rocky IV."