Sylvester Stallone is one of just six actors to achieve an astounding Oscar Award achievement

Sylvester Stallone turns 77 years old today, and the man most known for playing the parts of underdog boxer Rocky Balboa and PTSD-ridden soldier John Rambo has had plenty to celebrate career-wise during his long time under the spotlight.

It hasn’t always been plain sailing for him when it comes to being in the public eye, and like all men in Hollywood over a certain age (and most under that age, too) there are serious and very dark question marks around his past behavior, but from a critical and box office standpoint it’s been a knockout few decades for Stallone. And, to underline this is a brilliant bit of Oscar-related trivia that showcases just how iconic he was as Rocky.

The interesting Acadamey Award tidbit about Stallone is that he’s one of just six actors to be nominated for an Oscar twice for playing the same character in two separate films. The first nomination, for Best Actor, came in 1977 after he starred in the original Rocky (he also received a nomination for Best Screenplay, as he wrote the film himself). His second came for Best Supporting Actor in 2016, after he reprised the role of Balboa for the film Creed. Considering the runaway critical and commercial success of the franchise, is it any wonder Stallone keeps pumping them out?

The other five actors who’ve been nominated for two Oscars for playing the same role in separate films are also screen and stage legends, cementing Stallone’s legacy.

Al Pacino, Paul Newman, and Cate Blanchett round out the list of famous names.

So, not exactly the worst company in the world for old Sly. However, it gets even more special if you dig a little deeper because it turns out Stallone is just one of three actors who has received both a Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor nomination for the same character. Joining him is Pacino as Michael Corleone, and completing the list is the irrepressible Irish stage actor Barry Fitzgerald.

Funnily enough, Fitzgerald received both nominations for the same movie, one we’ve already mentioned in this article: Going My Way. In it, he played the grouchy, traditionalist Father Fitzgibbon, who clashes with Crosby’s O’Malley throughout the film. The Academy changed the rules about nominations after Fitzgerald was put up for both main male acting awards, making sure that in the future, someone couldn’t receive dual nominations for the same role in the same year.