Sylvester Stallone broke his neck filming intense fight scenes in The Expendables requiring 7 surgeries

Sylvester Stallone turned 80 today, 6 July, and, despite being older than the average great-grandfather, many of us still picture him as an iconic action star who does all his own stunts.

Stallone became an instant worldwide celebrity with Rocky where he wrote, starred, and did the majority of his own stunts as boxing legend Rocky Balboa.

From then on he became a bona fide action film star with the Rambo series, Rocky sequels, and eventually The Expendables, which he also directed and co-wrote.

The series may have been both the most celebrity filled film series ever made, but was also probably the most ego-heavy cast ever put to film, with Stallone being joined by numerous action stars who were used to being number one on the call sheet.

This included Jason Staham, Jet Li, Dolph Lungren, Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke, and in the sequels Chuck Norris, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Harrison Ford.

Stallone did all of his own stunts in The Expendables however, arguably earning his place at the top of the call sheet. If you ask Stallone though, this was a massive mistake.

Stallone has had to have 7 surgeries because of neck injuries in The Expendables

Stallone alongside Steve Austin, Randy Couture, and Terry Crews (Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Lionsgate)

Stallone broke his neck filming a fight scene with Stone Cold Steve Austin, the ex-WWE superstar who played henchman Paine in the film.

Speaking in his TV show The Family Stallone, he said: “I did stupid stuff. I was directing The Expendables and, like an idiot, I’m doing take 10, take whatever, and I remember one slam and I could actually feel one bang… Steve knew.”

In an interview with FHM magazine, per The Guardian, he explained how it happened. Sly explained: “Man, it was seven guys, kicking each other's ass, one guy tougher than the next … no joke, our stunt guys were begging for mercy.

“Actually, my fight with Stone Cold Steve Austin was so vicious that I ended up getting a hairline fracture in my neck. I'm not joking. I haven't told anyone this, but I had to have a very serious operation afterwards. I now have a metal plate in my neck.”

Stallone said he ‘never recovered’ from the movie and warns people to not follow him

Stallone with his wife of nearly 30 years, Jennifer (Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)

Continuing to discuss his injuries on his reality show, Stalone said: “I never recovered from [The Expendables]. After that film, it was never physically the same, so I warn people, ‘Don’t do your own stunts.’”

This warning came ahead of his seventh surgery for his broken neck.

Speaking in his Netflix doc Sly, he said the same, adding: “Was it really worth it? Are you doing this for people’s approval?

“Really, that’s almost like a child needing a pat on their head by their father.”