Sylvester Enzio Stallone (/stəˈloʊn/; born Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone, July 6, 1946) is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer.After his beginnings as a struggling actor for a number of years upon arriving to New York City in 1969 and later Hollywood in 1974, he won his first critical acclaim as an actor for his co-starring role as Stanley Rosiello in The Lords of Flatbush. starting in 1976 with his self-created role as the boxer Rocky Balboa, in the first film of the successful Rocky series (1976–2018). In the films, Rocky is portrayed as an underdog boxer that fights numerous brutal opponents, and wins the world heavyweight championship twice.