Sylvester Stallone was so desperately broke before making Rocky that he actually had to sell his beloved dog for fifty dollars just to buy food.

A closer look

Sylvester Stallone was so desperately broke before making Rocky that he actually had to sell his beloved dog for fifty dollars just to buy food. After miraculously selling the script under the strict condition that he get to play the lead role, he took his first paycheck, tracked down the man who bought his dog, and paid him three thousand dollars to get his faithful companion back. It is a wildly inspirational tale of perseverance that Hollywood absolutely loves to constantly remind us of, conveniently ignoring the bleak reality of an economic system that forces a struggling artist to literally pawn their best friend just to avoid starving to death in a cold apartment