Anthony Ippolito Plays Stallone in I Play Rocky — SkimNews
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- Anthony Ippolito pursued the role of Sylvester Stallone in I Play Rocky for years by sending unsolicited audition tapes, despite being overlooked in favor of bigger-name actors like David Corenswet and Jacob Elordi.
- Anthony Ippolito underwent a physical transformation to play Stallone, adopting a bulked-up physique through intense diet and training, and mimicking Stallone’s distinctive voice and posture with precision.
- Peter Farrelly cast Ippolito as Stallone without auditioning others after viewing his self-taped performances, trusting him to portray the actor’s early struggles and breakthrough with authenticity.
- Sylvester Stallone approved of Ippolito’s portrayal, calling it a positive reflection on his journey, which included working as a fishmonger and appearing in an adult film to survive before creating Rocky.
- I Play Rocky dramatizes Stallone’s defiance in refusing $300,000 (nearly $2 million today) to give up the lead role in Rocky, insisting on starring in the film despite financial hardship and a pregnant wife.
- Anthony Ippolito previously played Al Pacino in the TV series The Offer and had minor roles in Grand Army, Pixels, and The English Teacher, building toward his breakout performance as Stallone.
Why it matters: Ippolito’s casting and performance shift attention from Stallone’s on-screen legacy to the overlooked struggles behind *Rocky*’s creation, turning a biopic about an underdog into a real-life underdog story with Oscar-season implications for a relatively unknown actor.
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