Sylvester Stallone Kept the Two Turtles in ‘Rocky,’ and They’re Now 45

A stock photo of Sylvester Stallone Getty Images | Ian Gavan

Sylvester Stallone kept the two turtles in the first “Rocky” film in 1976, and he shared a photo of what the reptiles look like.

The turtles later appeared in “Creed II,” released in 2018.

The 72-year-old actor posted a photo of the two, named Cuff and Link, on Instagram.

“In CREED 2 with my original buddies from the first Rocky … CUFF and LINK, now about 44 years old!” Stallone wrote.

In the first “Rocky,” Stallone’s character introduced the turtles to his romantic interest, Adrian.

They were “the exotic animals I was telling you about. These are my friends, Cuff and Link,” he said in the film, forgetting that he purchased them from her.

Stallone also took home the bull mastiff, Butkus, in “Rocky” and “Rocky II.”

Stallone wrote: “I absolutely love pictures like this. When I was 26, totally broke, going nowhere VERY fast, owned two pair of pants that barely fit, shoes that had holes in them and dreams of being successful were as far away as the sun… But I had my dog, BUTKUS, my best friend, my confidant, Who always laughed at my jokes, and put up with my moods, and was the one living thing that loved me for who I was! #man’s best friend#BullMastiff #Loyalty.”

According to People magazine, the actor said he had to sell the dog to someone outside of a 7-Eleven “because I couldn’t afford food.”

“Then like a modern day miracle, the screenplay for Rocky sold, and I could buy him back, but the new owner knew I was desperate and charged me $15,000,” Stallone added. “He was worth every penny!”