Sylvester Stallone: Analogue Actor / Digital Celebrity

Though iconic, outside of Stallone’s signature characters of Rocky and Rambo, Stallone’s films are rarely considered successful domestically. Nevertheless, the star has remained visible; active as television producer, performer, and public speaker, and can increasingly be seen harnessing the power of social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to publicize new projects and to capitalize on earlier screen successes. However, what might on the surface appear to be the futile attempts of an ageing star to retain relevance in a global marketplace, is revealed to be more complex when we consider Stallone’s recent economic successes in the Asian film markets. In China’s highly profitable, but usually impenetrable marketplace, Stallone’s films are consistently among the 34 selected from the global film industry. This paper will consider Stallone’s continued economic capital and the ways in which he manages and extends his celebrity global image.