Stallone Says He Learned of Hollywood Ambassador Role from TV

Sylvester Stallone has revealed that he never formally accepted President Donald Trump's offer to name him a special ambassador to Hollywood, stating he learned of the appointment while watching television news. In an interview published in The Times of London, Stallone said he told Trump the role was "impossible" and would not work before the announcement was made. Trump announced in January 2025 on his Truth Social platform that Stallone, along with actors Mel Gibson and Jon Voight, would serve as Special Ambassadors to Hollywood. The announcement stated they would be his "eyes and ears" to help bring back business lost to foreign countries, but it did not detail specific responsibilities. Stallone recounted that he expressed his reservations to Trump directly. "I said, Thank you and ciao, because it's impossible," he said, explaining that Hollywood operates like "feudal states" with studios that would not welcome outside input on finance. He added that if asked initially, he would have declined. The appointment also surprised Mel Gibson, who said in a statement after Trump's announcement that he learned of it from the tweet and was "just as surprised.