Sylvester Stallone Says He Told Trump 'Ciao' After Surprise Hollywood Envoy Appointment
Sylvester Stallone revealed he was blindsided by President Donald Trump's announcement naming him a special Hollywood ambassador, telling the president the role was impossible because the industry operates like independent fiefdoms. Mel Gibson was also caught off guard, while Jon Voight has embraced the position and pushed for a federal production incentive.
Sylvester Stallone has revealed that he learned of his appointment as a special ambassador to Hollywood the same way much of the public did — by watching television — and that he ultimately told President Donald Trump the role could not work.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, the 80-year-old star of «Rocky» and «Tulsa King» recalled the moment he saw the announcement. «I was watching TV one night, and they go, 'So Stallone and Mel Gibson and Jon Voight will be …' And I went, 'What?' I said, 'Excuse me? Really?' Because if they had asked me in the beginning, I would have said, 'This is not possible,'» Stallone said.
Trump named Stallone, Gibson and Voight as «Special Envoys» in a post on his Truth Social platform on Jan. 16, 2025, days before his second inauguration. The president described the three actors as his «eyes and ears» in Hollywood and said their mission was to bring film and television production back to the United States, which he argued had lost business to foreign countries over the previous four years.
Stallone told the outlet he had reservations about accepting the role because he did not believe it was feasible. Asked whether he hesitated after the announcement, he said, «Yes. Yes, because Hollywood, I guess it's like feudal states.» He added, «They have their little kingdoms. You don't go in and tell six studios how to do things. And Mel Gibson and Jon Voight, we're kind of do-our-own-thing people. No, it won't work.»
The actor said he later explained his reasoning directly to Trump. «I said thank you and ciao, because it's impossible,» Stallone recalled. «Hollywood works, and it will evolve.» He also noted that the industry is corporate in nature and that executives would not welcome his input on financial matters.
Gibson, 70, was similarly caught off guard. In January 2025, he told Variety that he learned of the appointment at the same time as the public. «I got the tweet at the same time as all of you and was just as surprised,» Gibson said. «Nevertheless, I heed the call. My duty as a citizen is to give any help and insight I can.» He joked about whether the position came with an ambassador's residence.
Voight, a longtime Trump supporter, has taken a different approach. He has met with the White House and advocated for policies aimed at bringing film and television production back to the U.S., particularly a federal film tax incentive. Voight has worked on the effort with his manager Steven Paul and Paul's associate Scott Karol.
After meeting with the three men at the end of August, Trump threw his support behind a federal film and television production incentive and urged Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to «save» the American entertainment business. In a Truth Social post on Aug. 31, Trump wrote that «Hollywood is a Complete and Total Disaster» and said there was «no incentive» for productions to stay there. He said meetings were being arranged with leaders of both parties and called on Republicans and Democrats to «immediately craft Legislation to save the Movie, Television, and Entertainment Business in America.»
Senator Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, and U.S. Representative Laura Friedman, also a California Democrat, later issued statements voicing support for Trump's proposal.
Despite declining the ambassador role, Stallone has maintained a friendly relationship with Trump. Days after the November 2024 election, he introduced Trump at the America First Policy Institute Gala at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, calling the president-elect a «mythical character» and comparing him to George Washington. Stallone was later named a 2025 Kennedy Center honoree, with Trump personally selecting him alongside George Strait, KISS, Gloria Gaynor and Michael Crawford.
The actor has backed Republicans including John McCain and Trump, but his political history has not been strictly partisan. Over the years, he has made financial contributions to both parties, donating to Democratic candidates and committees, including former President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee, as well as to Republican campaigns.
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