There are downsides to being a longtime action-movie hero, as Sylvester Stallone has found out: He’s had four back operations, two shoulder surgeries and a spinal² fusion³, that one after he fractured his neck filming “The Expendables.” Over the years, expectations of his assumed athletic⁴ prowess grew so high that he stopped wanting to play golf or basketball with anyone. When opinions about his acting⁵ abilities hit their nadir⁶, around the time he won a Razzie for worst actor of the century in 2000, he half-agreed with his harshest detractors.

长期饰演动作电影中的英雄也有不利的一面，西尔维斯特·史泰龙(Sylvester Stallone)就深有体会：他做过四次背部手术、两次肩部手术和一次脊柱融合术——那是在他拍摄《敢死队》(The Expendables)把脖子弄折之后。这些年，人们对他运动才能的期望值变得越来越高，搞得他都不想跟别人打高尔夫球或篮球了。2000年，他获得金酸梅奖(Razzie)20世纪最差男演员奖，那段时间，人们对他表演能力的评价跌至谷底，那时他从一定程度上赞同那些最尖锐的批评者。

“When you become synonymous with blunt-force trauma,” Mr. Stallone, 69, said in an interview here, his basso profundo voice sounding like it was rising from the earth’s core, “you’re not really leaving anyone with thought-provoking aftershocks of your performance.”

“当你成为暴力创伤的代名词时，”69岁的史泰龙在接受采访时说。他低沉的嗓音像是从地球最深处发出来的。“你的表演真的不会发人深思。”

All of which made an unexpected upside of devoting a career to playing he-men especially sweet. Mr. Stallone’s Oscar nomination⁷, for his supporting performance in “Creed⁸” — the seventh film in the “Rocky” franchise⁹, which won him his last Oscar nominations¹⁰ four decades ago — has left him, by all outward showings, enormously grateful and glowingly proud, if slightly befuddled¹¹.

这一切在表现硬汉柔情时产生了意料不到的优势。史泰龙因在《奎迪》(Creed)中饰演配角而获得奥斯卡提名，这让他非常感激，特别自豪，也有点迷惑。《奎迪》是《洛奇》(Rocky)系列电影的第七部，四十年前他上次获得奥斯卡提名也是凭借这个系列。

“For somewhat of a borderline misanthrope¹², this is incredible,” Mr. Stallone said. “It’s the pinnacle¹³ of my life, professionally. It’s so miraculous¹⁴.”

“我有点不愿跟人交往，所以这简直不可思议，”史泰龙说，“从职业角度讲，它是我人生的巅峰。这简直是奇迹。”

Three and a half weeks earlier, he had collected a Golden Globe for his performance in “Creed,” a win that left him so dumbfounded that he failed to notice the standing¹⁵ ovation¹⁶ of the crowd. He had also failed, to his lasting¹⁷ dismay, to thank the film’s writer and director, Ryan Coogler, or his co-star Michael B. Jordan, which had prompted tut-tutting from Samuel L. Jackson, among many others, on Twitter.

三周半前，他凭借在《奎迪》中的表演获得金球奖(Golden Globe)。获奖让他惊呆了，他都没注意到观众长时间起立鼓掌。他也忘了感谢影片的编剧兼导演瑞恩·库格勒(Ryan Coogler)和联合主演迈克尔·B·乔丹(Michael B. Jordan)，这让他一直很沮丧。他的这一疏漏在Twitter上引发塞缪尔·L·杰克逊(Samuel L. Jackson)等人的不满。

“When Sam Jackson called me out on it, I totally agreed,” Mr. Stallone said. “Forgetting to thank the director? Believe me. That’s the last thing I would’ve done.”

史泰龙说：“当山姆·杰克逊（Sam Jackson，塞缪尔·L·杰克逊的昵称）因为这个责备我时，我完全赞同。忘记感谢导演？相信我，那是我最不想忘的事。”

If Mr. Coogler and Mr. Jordan were miffed, they hid it well. “I love the guy!” Mr. Jordan exclaimed at an after-party that night. Then he, Mr. Coogler and Mr. Coogler’s fiancée headed for the airport, and Mr. Stallone’s private plane, which spirited them across the Atlantic for the premiere of “Creed” in London. “Sly was cracking us up the whole flight man,” Mr. Coogler recalled. “It’ll go down in history, something to tell my grandkids.”

如果库格勒和乔丹真的生气了，那他们可一点儿也没表现出来。在当晚的余兴派对上，乔丹欢呼道：“我超爱那哥们！”然后，他和库格勒以及库格勒的未婚妻前往机场，搭乘史泰龙的私人飞机，飞过大西洋，参加《奎迪》在伦敦的首映式。库格勒回忆说：“斯莱（Sly，对史泰龙的昵称）在飞机上让所有的人开怀大笑。它将载入史册，将来我会讲给孙子辈们。”

By week’s end, the awards news shifted to the homogeneity of the Oscar acting nominations, which all went to white actors. That Mr. Stallone received the lone¹ nomination for “Creed,” a film written and directed by a black man and largely about black characters, only fueled the controversy¹⁹, making Mr. Stallone’s joy over the recognition bittersweet.

到了周末，关于奖项的新闻全部转向奥斯卡表演类奖项提名的同质性——获得提名的全是白人。史泰龙是《奎迪》获得的唯一提名。这部电影的编剧和导演是黑人，主要讲述的也是黑人角色，所以史泰龙获得提名更是让人们议论纷纷。本来，得到认可让史泰龙非常高兴，但是此事令他喜忧参半。

“This guy here deserved it before I deserved it — this is his baby, and I just hung on for dear life,” Mr. Stallone said, referring to Mr. Coogler. “When he brought ‘Creed’ to life, he brought me to life.”

史泰龙提到库格勒时说，“他比我更应该先获得认可。这是他的孩子，我只是苟延残喘。他孕育《奎迪》时，也让我重获生机。”

As talk of boycotting²⁰ the ceremony circulated, Mr. Stallone said that he asked Mr. Coogler whether he should not attend the ceremony. (He recounted this story again at the Oscar nominees²¹’ luncheon²² on Monday.) “I really wanted to get his opinion on what he thought my behavior should be,” Mr. Stallone said. “He said, ‘You should go, enjoy yourself and represent the film.’”

随着抵制奥斯卡的呼声越来越高，史泰龙说，他问过库格勒自己是否应该参加颁奖仪式（周一[2月8号]，他在奥斯卡提名午宴上讲述了这个故事）。史泰龙说，“我真的想知道他觉得我应该怎么做。他说，‘你应该去，尽情享受，代表这部电影。’”

In a phone interview, Mr. Coogler fell silent when questions about the protest, #OscarsSoWhite, were posed, but said he was thrilled for Mr. Stallone. “Any good thing that comes to Sly, I smile ear to ear,” Mr. Coogler said. “The movie was such a family affair. Whenever anything comes for it, it feels like a piece for all of us.”

在电话采访中，当被问及#OscarsSoWhite这一抗议活动时，库格勒陷入沉默，不过，他说他很为史泰龙高兴。库格勒说，“不管什么好事，只要是发生在斯莱身上的，我都特别开心。这个剧组就像一家人，不管它获得什么赞扬，感觉都是对我们所有人的赞扬。”

For this interview Mr. Stallone, sartorially²³ impeccable, his face looking as hewn from granite²⁴ as ever, went to the five-star Peninsula Hotel. The place was impeccable, and, after sitting down, Mr. Stallone, who comes across as self-aware, self-effacing and a little silly, slid a plate of macarons and petit fours across the coffee table. “I bought these for you,” he deadpanned. “Very sweet of me, I know.”

为了接受这次采访，史泰龙穿得无可挑剔，走进同样无可挑剔的五星级半岛酒店(Peninsula Hotel)。和往常一样，他的脸看起来像是用花岗岩雕刻出来的。他给人一种有自知之明、谦逊和憨憨的感觉。坐下来之后，他把一盘马卡龙和花式小蛋糕从咖啡桌那边推过来。他面无表情地说：“这是我给你买的。我很贴心，我知道。”

He had met Mr. Coogler, who he described as “a full-fledged genius, a savant,” three and a half years ago, before Mr. Coogler’s first feature, “Fruitvale Station,” came out.

三年半之前，在库格勒的第一部正片《弗鲁特韦尔车站》(Fruitvale Station)上映之前，史泰龙就见过库格勒。他觉得库格勒是“一个成熟的天才，一个专家”。

The younger director came up with the idea for “Creed” when his own father, a devout²⁵ “Rocky” fan, fell gravely ill (he has since recovered). Mr. Coogler wanted to tell the story of the illegitimate son of Rocky Balboa’s old boxing foe²⁶ and friend, Apollo Creed. Set in present-day Philadelphia, the film would explore the city’s vibrant²⁷ black culture through the eyes of Adonis Creed, who seeks out an aged and ailing²⁸ Rocky to train him.

这位年轻导演产生拍摄《奎迪》的想法是因为他父亲突然得了重病（后来又恢复了），而他父亲是《洛奇》的铁杆粉丝。库格勒想讲述洛奇·巴尔博厄(Rocky Balboa)的拳场对手兼朋友阿波罗·奎迪(Apollo Creed)的私生子的故事。这部影片以当代费城为背景，透过阿多尼斯·奎迪(Adonis Creed)的眼睛探索这座城市生机勃勃的黑人文化。阿多尼斯找到年迈体衰的洛奇指导自己。

Despite landing a meeting with Mr. Stallone, Mr. Coogler did not think for a moment that the storied actor would agree to the film. So, en route to Mr. Stallone’s office, Mr. Coogler stopped at a Best Buy to get a Blu-ray of “Rocky II” for Mr. Stallone to sign. The movie was his dad’s favorite, and Mr. Coogler figured he would never see the star again.

尽管库格勒得到了和史泰龙见面的机会，但他完全不敢奢望这位著名演员会同意拍摄这部电影。所以在去史泰龙办公室的路上，库格勒在百思买(Best Buy)买了一张《洛奇2》(Rocky II)蓝光光碟，想请史泰龙签名。他的父亲很喜欢那部电影，库格勒认为自己再也没机会见到这位明星了。

Indeed, Mr. Stallone was wholly unconvinced, at least at first, having been happy with the series’ apparent final installment²⁹, “Rocky Balboa” (2006), which he starred in and directed, receiving respectable reviews. “A recipe for premier¹⁸ disaster,” was how Mr. Stallone viewed yet another Rocky film. Yet there was a confidence and buoyancy in Mr. Coogler that he intrinsically recognized. “He’s unspoiled, he’s unfettered with material success, and he’s hungry,” Mr. Stallone said. “He reminded me of some other brash young guy in 1975.”

的确，史泰龙完全没有被说服，至少一开始没有。他对这个系列明显的最后一部《洛奇6：永远的拳王》(Rocky Balboa, 2006)很满意。那部电影是他主演和导演的，得到了不错的评价。史泰龙对再拍一部《洛奇》电影的看法是“它要是上映就是灾难”。但是库格勒身上有一种他从本质上认可的信心和向上的力量。史泰龙说：“他没有被宠坏，不受物质成功的束缚，充满热望。他让我想起了1975年的另一些敢闯敢干的年轻人。”

One plot point (spoiler alert) in the “Creed” script that gave Mr. Stallone extreme pause, though, was Rocky’s cancer diagnosis³⁰. Mr. Stallone didn’t like it and didn’t think his audience would either, but Mr. Coogler would not budge³¹. Mr. Stallone said he equivocated³² until his wife, Jennifer Flavin, called him out. “She said: ‘You’re afraid to do something you’ve never done before. That’s called being a coward,’” Mr. Stallone said, leaning back in his chair, and laughing. “She was right.”

不过，《奎迪》剧本中有一个情节（有剧透哦）让史泰龙沉默了很久，那就是洛奇得了癌症。史泰龙不喜欢这个情节，觉得观众也不会喜欢，但是库格勒不肯让步。史泰龙说他犹豫不决，直到妻子詹妮弗·弗莱文(Jennifer Flavin)点醒了他。“她说：‘你害怕去做从没做过的事。那就是懦弱，’”史泰龙靠到椅背上大笑着说道，“她说得对。”

To prepare for his role, Mr. Stallone hired a full-time³³ acting coach, Ivana Chubbuck; his skill set, he said, “had basically atrophied³⁴.” When production began, he was still paralyzed by the devastation³⁵ of losing his oldest son, Sage³⁶, who had a fatal heart attack in the summer of 2012 at 36. (Mr. Stallone has a second son, also from his first marriage, and three daughters with Ms. Flavin.)

为了给这个角色做准备，史泰龙请全职表演教练伊万娜·查伯克(Ivana Chubbuck)指导自己。他说，自己的那套技能“已经基本退化”。拍摄开始时，他仍为失去大儿子塞奇(Sage)而十分颓废。塞奇在2012年夏季36岁时突发心脏病去世（史泰龙还有个小儿子，也是在第一段婚姻中生的，还跟弗莱文生了三个女儿）。

He figured his grief would be off limits, but Ms. Chubbuck forced him to drill deep. “You just feel responsible,” he said, of Sage’s death. “That you weren’t there. Here you save all these fictitious³⁷ people, and you can’t even save your son.” Once that floodgate opened, he said, his emotions streamed out, shifting both his performance, and his mourning. “It helped,” Mr. Stallone said. “I can talk about it now. There’s some solace³⁸ in that.”

他认为自己的悲痛是禁忌话题，但是查伯克迫使他深入挖掘。他谈起塞奇去世的事时说，“你觉得自己没尽到责任。当时你不在他身边。你在这里拯救这些虚构的人物，却救不了自己的儿子。”他说，一旦闸门打开，他的感情洪流就奔涌而出，既改变了他的表演，还改变了他的哀痛。史泰龙说：“它有帮助。现在我能谈这事了。我从中得到了慰藉。”

He has also found deep solace in the acclaim³⁹ his performance drew from Hollywood’s establishment. Irwin Winkler, who has been producing films with Mr. Stallone from the first “Rocky” on, said seeing Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg leaping to their feet to applaud Mr. Stallone’s Golden Globe win was especially gratifying.

他的表演得到好莱坞权威人士称赞，这也给了他极大慰藉。欧文·温克勒(Irwin Winkler)从第一部《洛奇》起就和史泰龙一起拍电影。他说，史泰龙获得金球奖时，他看到汤姆·汉克斯(Tom Hanks)和史蒂文·斯皮尔伯格(Steven Spielberg)立刻站起来鼓掌，这特别令人欣慰。

“It would be a great moment for any actor, and certainly it was for Sly,” Mr. Winkler said. “I don’t think they gave him respect for the last 40 years.”

温克勒说：“对任何一位演员来说，这都是激动人心的时刻，对斯莱来说更是如此。我觉得在过去40年里他得到的尊重不够。”

Looking back, Mr. Stallone said he’s not sure how much respect he deserved anyway. Appearing in action films became, for him, almost like an adrenaline addiction⁴⁰, he said, “an endurance contest that doesn’t challenge your soul, at all.”

回顾过去，史泰龙说，他也不确定自己到底值得获得多少尊重。对他来说，出演动作电影几乎就像肾上腺素上瘾，“它是无法挑战灵魂的耐力赛”。

The kudos⁴¹ he is receiving now makes him wish that he had pursued roles that involved showing vulnerability, which he did to glowing reviews in “Cop Land,” in 1997, and of course, in “Creed.”

他现在获得的荣誉让他后悔以前没多演一些展现脆弱的角色，他在1997年影片《警察帝国》(Cop Land)和《奎迪》中演绎的这类角色获得了热烈赞美。

“Now I look at it in the cold light of day, and they’re right, quite honestly,” he said, of his critics of yore. “I think the world could have lived without ‘The Expendables’ without spinning out of orbit. I really do.”

谈起很久以前批评他的那些人，他说：“现在我能客观冷静地看待这些，坦率地说，他们是对的。我觉得，没有《敢死队》，这世界照常运转，不会脱轨。我真的这么认为。”