'I Play Rocky' Surprises at London Film Festival — SkimNews
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- Peter Farrelly surprise-screened his biographical drama "I Play Rocky" at London Film Festival on Friday night, introducing newcomer Anthony Ippolito as a young Sylvester Stallone
- Anthony Ippolito, a 27-year-old newcomer, landed the role after sending a self-tape shot in his grandmother's basement on Long Island — three scenes from a script he tracked down himself before the film's planned worldwide casting search had even begun
- The film tells the true story of how Stallone, then a struggling small-time actor, overcame obstacles to both write and star in the 1976 classic "Rocky"
- Supporting cast includes AnnSophia Robb as Sasha Czack (Stallone's wife), Matt Dillon as Frank Stallone Sr., P.J. Byrne as producer Irwin Winkler, and Jay Duplass as director John G. Avildsen
- Stallone himself approved of the movie, which Farrelly called his proudest achievement — saying that critical or audience reception mattered less to him than the subject's blessing
- The film premiered at Toronto International Film Festival last month, where it competed for the People's Choice Award; Variety chief critic Owen Gleiberman called it a "cleverly-crafted crowd pleaser" and praised Ippolito for getting Stallone "just right"
- "I Play Rocky" opens in U.S. and U.K. theaters on Nov. 6
Why it matters: Stallone's personal sign-off on a biopic about himself — combined with the grassroots casting anecdote and Toronto's warm reception — gives "I Play Rocky" built-in marketing momentum heading into its Nov. 6 theatrical release and a potential awards-season foothold.
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