I Play Rocky revisits Stallone’s fight to star in Rocky

I Play Rocky brings the early struggle behind the original Rocky to the screen, focusing on Sylvester Stallone’s determination to play the lead character he had written. Stallone was an unknown actor at the time, and the movie explores how he sought to make the film on terms that included himself in the starring role.

Anthony Ippolito portrays Stallone, with AnnaSophia Robb also starring. Peter Farrelly directs the film, which looks back roughly 50 years to the making of Rocky. The original film’s title character has become closely associated with Philadelphia, where the new movie held a premiere at the Philadelphia Film Society Center on November 2.

Ippolito said Stallone spoke with him about that difficult period in his life and supported his portrayal. Ippolito also described taking the initiative to audition: after learning about the project, he made and sent in his own audition tape. Farrelly said that tape stood out, and that Ippolito captured Stallone without turning the performance into a caricature.

The film is scheduled to open in select theaters on November 6, followed by a nationwide release on November 20.