Post by Massimo Veccia

Happy 80th Birthday Rock!🥂 🇮🇹❤️🇺🇸 Great Italian-American man and actor, Sylvester Stallone turning 80 today!⭐️🇮🇹❤️🇫🇷 Humility, courage and resilience! Thanks for all you’ve given to the #Italian-#American #community worldwide — embodying humility, courage, and unbreakable resilience. From Hell’s Kitchen to Hollywood, your journey continues to inspire millions. Auguri, #Sly! 🇮🇹🇺🇸 Born Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone in the gritty streets of Hell’s Kitchen, #Manhattan, New York City, #Stallone is the son of an Italian immigrant father, Francesco “Frank” Stallone Sr., from Gioia del Colle in #Puglia, Italy (with family roots also tied to areas like Castellammare del Golfo). His mother, Jackie Stallone (née Labofish), was an American with Breton French and Ukrainian #Jewish ancestry. The difficult birth (complicated by forceps) left him with partial facial paralysis, giving him that signature snarling expression and slurred speech that later defined his on-screen persona. After a tough childhood in New York—marked by family struggles, foster care, and bullying—Stallone moved as a teenager to #Philadelphia, the city that truly adopted him and shaped his underdog spirit. There, he drew inspiration for his breakout role as Rocky Balboa, the ultimate symbol of resilience. Stallone made movie history with unforgettable characters like Rocky and Rambo, becoming a global action legend while staying deeply connected to his Italian-American roots. Ambasciata degli Stati Uniti d'America in Italia Embassy of Italy in the US New York Film Academy Cinecittà Alberto Milani ITA Airways Comune di Gioia del Colle City of Philadelphia LITTLE ITALY FESTIVAL Simona Scarsella Columbus Citizens Foundation NIAF Federico Galter LaPresse SpA