NEW YORK: Hollywood icon Sylvester Stallone has revealed that his biggest financial windfalls have come from his art collection rather than his blockbuster film roles.
The Rocky star explained that he reinvested his acting paycheques into fine art back in the 1980s, buying pieces that later skyrocketed in value.
Today, several masterworks hanging in his home are worth over US$40 million (about RM168 million) each.
Speaking on The Overlap podcast, the veteran actor confessed that collecting art remains his main passion.
He highlighted his investments in legendary masters alongside modern talents.
"That's my weakness. Art. I do own a lot more contemporary artists who are becoming the new greats. George Condo, Rashid Johnson, they're this generation's Picassos," Stallone said.
When asked about the value of his prized Picasso and Warhol pieces, he noted: "About US$40 million for just one."
Reflecting on his entry into the art market during the mid-1980s, Stallone recalled buying works by Impressionist and modern masters at a fraction of today's prices.
This included Monets for US$130,000 (around RM546,000) and Francis Bacon paintings for US$75,000 (about RM315,000).
While he made substantial profits by selling pieces for millions at the time, he regretted parting with them too soon.
"Ten years later, 12 years later, guys come back and try to sell it to me for US$75 million (around RM315 million). I'm not joking," he said.
He offered a piece of advice for fellow collectors: "So the point is, if you've got art, don't sell it unless you've got to pay the mortgage because it's appreciating. It doesn't cost you anything; you don't have to feed it."
Stallone cited one notable example involving a piece from Claude Monet's Haystacks series.
He originally bought the painting for around US$110,000 (around RM462,000), only for a dealer to offer it back to him years later for an eye-watering US$130 million (approximately RM546 million).
With his historical art holdings virtually irreplaceable at current market values, Stallone has now turned his focus to collecting rare vintage timepieces, particularly rare hand-painted Rolex models.
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