Sylvester Stallone Makes a Bold Appearance With a Cane at 2025 Kennedy Center Honors

Sylvester Stallone, the iconic star of the Rocky franchise, made headlines as he was spotted using a cane while attending the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, December 7.

The 79-year-old actor walked the red carpet with his wife, Jennifer Flavin Stallone, 57. As he leaned on his walking aid, Stallone posed for photos with his wife and other attendees at the glamorous event.

Inside the Kennedy Center Opera House, the actor was honored as one of the event's distinguished honorees, celebrating his legendary contributions to film and entertainment.

Sylvester’s illustrious career spans decades, with notable franchises including Rocky and Rambo. The New York native nearly stepped away from acting before his breakthrough role in 1974’s The Lords of Flatbush. The release of the first Rocky film in 1976 catapulted his career to new heights.

Just months prior to the event, Sylvester candidly discussed the toll that his action-packed career has taken on his body.

In an interview for his reality show, The Family Stallone, he shared, “I never recovered” from injuries obtained during action films.

In a February episode, he recounted, “I did stupid stuff. I was directing Expendables, and like an idiot, I’m doing take 10, take whatever, and I remember one slam and I could actually feel one bang… I never recovered from [Expendables]. After that film, it was never physically the same.”

He urged others, “Don’t do your own stunts.”

Sylvester revealed that a metal plate was inserted into his neck to repair the damage from the films, and he underwent spinal fusion surgery to limit movements between his vertebrae.

Jennifer also reflected on her husband’s health challenges, recounting their family’s anxieties during his surgeries.

“It’s very scary for our family every time Sly has to go through surgery, because you never know… no one knows,” she explained. “I hope this is the one to help him live a more comfortable life.”

In a heartfelt moment, Sylvester opened up about his late friend and fellow action hero, Hulk Hogan, who passed away at 71 after a heart attack. Speaking to TMZ on July 25, he called Hulk a “force to be reckoned with.”

Sylvester shared fond memories of their friendship, stating, “I remember he was immense. He was probably about 315 pounds, but very smart. He had this deep, calming voice, and he was willing to do anything that would make this show better.”

He reminisced about their time filming Rocky III, saying, “The thing was, we started to roll around and he would literally pick me up and drop me to the ground, and I thought, ‘I’m going to be literally pulp by the time I land.’ He would always break the fall. He would do things you wouldn’t see, like a magician. And I’ll say, I’ve had a lot of punches thrown at me. No one was more accurate and precise than him.”

Amid his journey through pain, the star's daughter Scarlet opened up during the February episode of The Family Stallone about witnessing her father’s struggles.

“It’s really hard to see my father go through yet another painful operation,” she said. “My whole childhood, he was in pain. He did everything he could to push through the pain and be present, but I couldn’t imagine every waking moment you are just hurting.”