Anthony Ippolito Says Meeting Sylvester Stallone Before ‘I Play Rocky’ Was “Overwhelming”
Anthony Ippolito had already spent more than a year studying Sylvester Stallone when he finally sat down with the actor he was preparing to portray.
The conversation happened before filming I Play Rocky, Peter Farrelly’s film about the difficult journey behind the making of the 1976 classic Rocky. Ippolito described the meeting as “very overwhelming and daunting” during an appearance at The Hollywood Reporter’s TIFF studio.
I Play Rocky at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Film | I Play Rocky |
| Director | Peter Farrelly |
| Star | Anthony Ippolito |
| Ippolito plays | Young Sylvester Stallone |
| Story | The making of Rocky |
| Festival | Toronto International Film Festival 2026 |
| TIFF premiere | September 12, 2026 |
| U.S. distributor | Amazon MGM Studios |
| Limited release | November 13, 2026 |
| Nationwide release | November 20, 2026 |
Ippolito Had Spent More Than a Year Studying Stallone
Ippolito said he had been studying Stallone for more than a year before the two spoke.
That preparation made the meeting even more intimidating. Rather than trying to dominate the conversation, Ippolito said he focused on listening to Stallone and understanding his perspective.
The discussion covered Stallone’s early life, his career and the difficult road that eventually led to Rocky.
Stallone’s Childhood Was Part of the Preparation
One of the subjects they discussed was Stallone’s childhood and the physical difficulties he faced from birth.
Stallone developed paralysis on the lower left side of his face after a nerve was accidentally severed during childbirth. The condition affected his speech and facial appearance and later became part of the distinctive screen presence audiences associated with him.
For Ippolito, hearing Stallone describe those experiences firsthand gave him a different understanding of the man behind Rocky Balboa.
He said Stallone had endured a great deal before Rocky ever became a possibility.
The Real Rocky Story Is Stallone’s Story
That idea is central to Farrelly’s film.
I Play Rocky focuses on Stallone before he became an international star and on his determination to get Rocky made on his terms.
The original 1976 film was written by Stallone, who also insisted on playing Rocky Balboa. Studios wanted the option of casting another actor, but Stallone refused to give up the lead role.
Farrelly has described that struggle as the real-life version of the underdog story that Rocky later made famous.
Stallone Had the Final Say on the Movie
For Farrelly, one of the biggest questions surrounding I Play Rocky was how Stallone himself would react.
The 80-year-old actor watched the finished film alone. Farrelly said that made him nervous because the movie was designed to work strongly with an audience, and some of its early scenes show Stallone at his lowest point.
But the reaction was exactly what the filmmakers hoped for.
Stallone loved the movie and gave it his approval.
Anthony Ippolito Takes on an Iconic Role
Ippolito plays the young Stallone during the period when the actor was struggling to establish himself and fighting to bring his screenplay to the screen.
The role required him to reproduce more than Stallone’s appearance. He also had to capture his voice, physical mannerisms and the determination that became central to the Rocky story.
Ippolito has previously appeared in Netflix’s Grand Army, Purple Hearts and Paramount+’s The Offer, where he played a young Al Pacino. I Play Rocky gives him another role based on a real Hollywood figure.
The Film Recreates the Making of Rocky
Rather than being a straightforward biography of Stallone’s entire life, I Play Rocky concentrates on the period surrounding the creation and production of Rocky.
The original film became a cultural phenomenon after its 1976 release. It received 10 Academy Award nominations and won three Oscars, including Best Picture.
The story therefore follows a young actor trying to turn a screenplay into a movie while facing pressure from the studios to compromise on who should play Rocky.
The TIFF Premiere Put Ippolito in the Spotlight
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12.
Ippolito’s performance has emerged as one of the main talking points around the film, with TIFF itself describing his work as a career-making performance.
The premiere also gives Farrelly another connection to Toronto. His 2018 film Green Book won the TIFF People’s Choice Award before going on to win Best Picture at the Oscars. I Play Rocky is now entering the festival conversation with similar awards-season attention.
Stallone’s Story Still Comes Back to One Idea
Farrelly sees the central message of Stallone’s life as the same message that made Rocky Balboa an enduring character: refusing to give up.
Stallone was an obscure actor when he wrote Rocky. He had little conventional star power, but he refused to sell the screenplay unless he could play its central character.
That decision helped turn a modest boxing story into one of Hollywood’s most recognizable film franchises.
When Does I Play Rocky Come Out?
I Play Rocky is scheduled for a limited U.S. theatrical release on November 13, 2026, followed by a wider release on November 20 through Amazon MGM Studios. The film will also be released in Canada by Elevation Pictures.
By the time the film reaches theaters, the biggest question surrounding Ippolito’s performance will be whether audiences see more than an imitation of Stallone — and instead recognize the struggling young actor whose determination eventually created Rocky Balboa.
