Anthony Ippolito shared his thoughts on Sylvester Stallone‘s approval of his casting in I Play Rocky. Ippolito revealed that it meant a lot to receive Stallone’s approval to portray a younger version of himself.
I Play Rocky is a biopic about Stallone’s journey writing Rocky. The film also follows the obstacles and struggles that Stallone overcame to play the lead role.
Rocky was released in theaters in 1976 and made Stallone a household name in Hollywood. The film received ten Academy Award nominations and completely revolutionized the boxing films that came after it.
Rocky was a box office success and led to five sequels and a successful spin-off series with Creed.
In recent interviews, Stallone spoke highly of Ippolito’s portrayal of him after revealing that he had seen the film. Stallone’s approval carries a lot of weight, particularly with the story being told in I Play Rocky.
Anthony Ippolito Reacts to Sylvester Stallone’s Approval of ‘I Play Rocky’ Casting
Anthony Ippolito admitted that he was happy to find out that Sylvester Stallone approved of his portrayal in I Play Rocky. This was not the first time Ippolito had portrayed a notable Hollywood star.
Ippolito, 27, previously played the role of Al Pacino in The Offer. That miniseries told the story of how The Godfather was made. Given his performance, as well as his latest portrayal of Stallone, Ippolito has definitely found a niche for himself.
“[Getting Stallone’s approval] means the world. I can’t tell you how much it means. I was a fan of his before all this, and in learning more about him and his story and this story [of how Rocky was made], I’ve only become more of a fan and admiring what he was able to overcome,” Ippolito told Heavy Sports during an I Play Rocky sports roundtable discussion.
Ippolito also explained the true essence of I Play Rocky. He noted that the film is more than a biopic. On the contrary, it is a love letter to Stallone for creating a character that has inspired multiple generations.
“Obviously, even Peter Farrelly said this before, we want people to enjoy the film, but Stallone is one of the pieces that matters because in a lot of ways this is a bit of a love letter to what he was able to achieve. And so, having a positive response from him is incredible,” Ippolito said.
What Did Stallone Say About Ippolito’s Performance
Stallone shared his reaction to watching I Play Rocky and seeing Ippolito’s performance. He praised the film for not only capturing his journey to getting Rocky made, but also for highlighting how inspirational the story is.
“I saw [I Play Rocky] alone, without an audience, which you really get a real impression because you’re not influenced by the sound of anyone else. And I thought it was extraordinary. It’s very life affirmative. And when I was being that person for real, I never thought of it as something that would noble or identifiable,” Stallone told Collider.
He continued:
“When I see someone else doing it, I’m going, ‘This is inspirational,” Stallone said. “The way they depicted it, they truly made for a lack of a better term, it’s like a American type story that seems to have gone into hiding for a while.”
Anthony Ippolito Reacts to Sylvester Stallone’s Approval of ‘I Play Rocky’ Casting