Sylvester Stallone has described a childhood shaped by abandonment, physical abuse and a lack of affection, while stressing that he does not want sympathy. He said these experiences made him tough, but also deprived him of a sense of genuine love until later in life.

After his parents divorced, Stallone lived with his volatile father, who allegedly beat him over minor incidents, and spent part of his early childhood in a boarding house where his parents visited monthly. He recalled his mother never hugging him, although he remembered one rare tender moment with his father. Stallone linked his upbringing to the ferocity of characters such as Rocky and Rambo, before becoming a major Hollywood star and father of five.