Anthony Ippolito Steps Into Stallone’s Shoes in “I Play Rocky”
WHO:
ABC News Entertainment - Anthony Ippolito took a bold step to land the starring role in *I Play Rocky*.
Little White Lies - The film dramatizes Sylvester Stallone’s journey to the big screen; the review says its central performance carries the film.
A.V. Club - Anthony Ippolito plays Stallone, AnnaSophia Robb plays Sasha, Matt Dillon plays Stallone’s father Frank, P.J. Byrne plays producer Irwin Winkler, Toby Kebbell plays producer Robert Chartoff, and Tracy Letts plays studio executive Sandy Maddox.
A.V. Club - Peter Farrelly directed *I Play Rocky*, and Peter Gamble wrote its script.
WHAT:
A.V. Club - *I Play Rocky* retells Stallone’s rise from bit player to starring in his own movie, depicting his effort to secure the lead role in *Rocky*.
A.V. Club - Stallone leaves his script at the production offices of Winkler and Chartoff after learning that a role he had sought would no longer fit; the secretary and the two producers are impressed.
A.V. Club - The producers take one of Stallone’s new ideas to Maddox. Stallone insists he play the title character despite the long odds of a studio casting an unknown, and eventually wins over the producers.
A.V. Club - The film portrays a low-budget production involving negotiations, filming in city parks, and avoiding New York unions by shooting cheaply in Philadelphia.
A.V. Club - The review describes the movie as an uplifting story about pursuing a Hollywood dream and says it gives the story a lighthearted touch while leaving room for dramatic moments.
WHERE:
A.V. Club - The story moves from New York to Los Angeles, where Stallone continues parking cars and visits the producers’ production offices.
A.V. Club - The production is depicted as filming in city parks and in Philadelphia.
WHY:
A.V. Club - Stallone works at a movie theater and parks cars to make ends meet while struggling to land auditions.
A.V. Club - Sasha encourages Stallone’s ambitions, while his father Frank discourages them.
HOW:
A.V. Club - Stallone gets an opportunity to make an impression by leaving his script on the producers’ desk, then holds firm on playing Rocky during negotiations.
A.V. Club - The film depicts actors misrepresenting their abilities to get hired and producers maneuvering around industry and executive egos.
(UPDATED November 5, 2026 04:02 UTC)
I Play Rocky traces Sylvester Stallone’s fight to star in his own Rocky screenplay. Anthony Ippolito plays Stallone, who leaves his script with producers and insists on leading. Directed by Peter Farrelly, the film blends uplifting Hollywood ambition with dramatic setbacks.