LOS ANGELES — Social media posts mourning Sylvester Stallone were quickly disputed Monday morning by the actor who is alive and “still punching.”
Fans shared “rest in peace” graphics mourning the Rocky actor even after he spoke out on Twitter and Instagram about the hoax.
“Please ignore this stupidity,” Stallone, 71, tweeted. “Alive and well and happy and healthy… Still punching!”
The rumor appears to have started with a post on Facebook.
His younger brother Frank Stallone also disputed the story on Twitter.
“Rumors that my brother is dead are false,” he said. “What kind of sick demented cruel mind thinks of things like this to post? People like this are mentally deranged and don’t deserve a place in society.”
He said the rumors had upset both him and his 96-year-old mother.
“I’m very protective of my older brother and I don’t find any humor in this fake post today on my brothers demise,” he tweeted. “It upset my 96 yr old mother so I’m doubly upset.”
Some of the posts claimed Stallone died after fighting prostate cancer.