Sylvester Stallone revealed that his signature crooked smile and slurred speech were the result of a traumatic birth experience, in his new Netflix documentary, “Sly.”
The legendary action hero is known for his unique features and has created an entire career based on his image as a tough guy. Decades after his success in Hollywood, the famous actor revealed the very thing that made him famous was due to a tragic incident that transpired when his mother nearly gave birth to him on a transit bus, according to People.
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Stallone recalled that his mother Jackie, who passed away in 2011, experienced a challenging delivery when she unexpectedly went into labor.
“Even though she was nine months pregnant, she kept riding around on the bus. And she [went] into labor,” Stallone said in his film, according to People.
“Somebody was smart enough to get her off the bus, they carried her into a charity ward,” he said, as he described the tale.
“And that’s where I was brought into the world via this accident which kind of paralyzed all the nerves on the side of my mouth,” he said.
Discussing the partial paralysis, the actor said, “So I was born with this snarl,” according to People.
The nerve damage he developed as a result of the stressful birthing process didn’t get in the way of his success. Instead, it became an integral part of who he was as a person, and that’s what defined him as an actor in the roles he decided to take on. (RELATED: ‘A Tragic Mistake’: Sylvester Stallone Opens Up About Nearly Getting Divorced)
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Within the documentary, Stallone indicated his parent were both physically violent toward him, but it was not clear if his mother experienced any violence during her pregnancy with Stallone.
“Sly” was made available for streaming on Netflix, October 27.