Sylvester Stallone is not dead: Actor forced to respond on social media after rumour sweeps Facebook

Sylvester Stallone has a message for you: he's not dead.

After a hoax that he had passed away began to circulate on social media, the 71-year-old actor shared an Instagram saying he was "alive and well and happy and healthy... Still punching! Please ignore this stupidity."

Stallone screenshotted a Facebook post claiming he died from prostate cancer early on Sunday, 18 February.

The post, which has been shared 2.2 million times, included pictures of the actor looking haggard and hairless - however Snopes report he was merely in character for new film Creed 2, where he plays Rocky Balboa fighting cancer. Released in 2015, Creed - a spinoff sequel to the Rocky franchise - was directed by Ryan Coogler who worked on Black Panther. Stallone will direct Creed 2.

In a follow up Instagram video with his daughter, the actor added: "It’s so great to be back from the Dead!!!"

It's not the first time the internet has killed Stallone. In September 2016, he also took to social media after rumours of his death began to circulate on a celebrity site notorious for falsely reporting stars' deaths.

What a time to be alive.

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