Broke Sylvester Stallone was forced to sell his dog, he came back with his first paycheck

In the 1976 blockbuster Rocky, Rocky Balboa’s love interest, Adrian, gifts him a bull mastiff named Butkus to keep him company while he trains for the championship. What many don’t know is that the dog who played Butkus was actually Sylvester Stallone’s real-life companion. Before his rise to fame, Stallone was struggling so badly that he had to sell his beloved dog for $40 because he couldn’t afford to feed him.

As soon as he had money, Stallone tracked down his dog and paid $15,000 to bring him back. The Rambo star shared this emotional story on The Graham Norton Show in 2019, moving fans to tears. Stallone explained that it was one of the hardest moments of his life—unable to feed his family, he had no choice but to let go of Butkus. In the mid-1970s, Stallone was a struggling actor, landing only uncredited roles like a wedding guest or subway thug. With just $100 left and a pregnant wife, he was forced to sell his dog, a decision that broke his heart but drove his ambition.

For three days, he sat on a desk in a cheap hotel room and finished off a script that he titled “Rocky.” He submitted the script to several studios, who rejected it right away. Those who agreed to buy it put a condition that Stallone wouldn’t play the protagonist Rocky in the film. Stallone didn’t agree to it, because deep within, he knew that Rocky “was him” and nobody could play this character better.

A few days later, he sold the script to United Artists for $1 million and the first thing he did was to get his dog back. When he reached out to the new owner, the person dismissed his request. Eventually, after persistent begging, he was able to get the bulky pooch back for almost $15,000. At this time, "Rocky’s" filming was still in progress, and hence he requested his director to make space for the canine in the film.

Stallone's dialogue in "Rocky" aptly reflects his dream run from "being broke" to being a star, whose heart carries love for both humans and animals. The character says, “Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!”