Sylvester Stallone and Dolly Parton were not a pairing I had on my Bingo card, but this may be the most wholesome story I’ve heard this week. The Rocky star takes us back to the ‘80s and adds to the many Parton tributes with a walk down memory lane. I just learned that the actor was told his movie with Parton, Rhinestone, would be a “career killer,” but this didn’t stop him from going for it. I totally understand why he still loved it.
The story came up when Stallone was discussing his new memoir, The Steps, with Entertainment Tonight. His book “recounts how he pursued his own dreams,” and it turns out one of those dreams was the chance to work with the country icon. However, his choice to do the musical comedy with Parton gave his agents whiplash, but that didn’t stop him. The actor explains why it’s still his favorite movie:
Oh, [my agents] went nuts. They said, ‘Jesus, what a career killer.’ I go, ‘So be it.’ I said [to myself], ‘You’re never gonna have this chance again.’ It’s more than working with an actress. It’s working with a philosophy and a talent that is beyond really — you can’t categorize her.
The ‘career killer’ was Bob Clark’s Rhinestone, which was based on the Larry Weiss-penned song “Rhinestone Cowboy," but made most famous by Glen Campbell. The 1984 movie found Stallone out of the ring and onto a stage as a tone-deaf New York cab driver who gets lessons from a country singer on how to be a successful country music star.
This was following the success of three Rockys and First Blood, the first movie in the Rambo franchise, so it makes sense that pivoting away from action would make his agents nervous. Though I, for one, love that Stallone was willing to bet his career just to have a chance to work with Dolly Parton. Really, do we blame him? I mean, just look:
The Entertainment Tonight interview also featured a sweet BTS clip from Rhinestone where Stallone and Parton discussed the fun they had working together. The throwback moment had the actor instantly emotional, and he called the movie his favorite even if it’s hard to find anywhere. Just when I thought the Tulsa King star recalling his time with Parton couldn’t be sweeter, he doubles down on what a joy she was to work with:
I remember that she never stopped laughing. She also would go around and know the name of every crew member. When she took me to her hometown to meet Uncle Lugnut or whatever his name was, she would laugh about that…. When I say humble beginnings, wow.
This doesn’t surprise me at all. Given the sweet gestures we know she did, this sounds like such a classic Dolly thing to do. While Stallone hasn't ventured into another musical since, he has found success with his series Tulsa King. Season 4 hit the 2026 schedule earlier in October and has already been renewed for Season 5. The new episodes are available to watch with a Paramount+ subscription.
Additionally, Stallone isn't unfamiliar with humble beginnings as he has spoken often about his difficult childhood and sleeping rough in New York City's Port Authority. His memoir takes you back to this time in his life on a journey from his childhood to his Rocky triumph and more. Personally, I’d love to see more about him doing Rhinestone. Their pairing was unique even for the ‘80s, and it’d be fun to read more about that experience.
