Anthony Ippolito has been cast to play young Sylvester Stallone in an upcoming biopic that will explore the movie icon's inspiring story of the making of Rocky, titled I Play Rocky.
When the project was first announced, there were questions about who they might cast to play Stallone. Considering that the movie icon is known for having distinct mannerisms and a recognizable physical appearance, finding the right actor for the role would be a tall order. Fortunately, they finally found an unknown actor who could take on the daunting part.
Who is Anthony Ippolito? Meet the Star of I Play Rocky Biopic
Ippolito is a rising actor who has appeared in a couple of films and TV shows in supporting or minor roles. There are no exact details regarding his age, but he is around in his mid-20s.
At a very young age, he already had a passion for acting and knew it was the kind of career he wanted to pursue.
"When I was younger, I was on a bunch of news shows for baseball, and I got hooked up with an agent through that. Certain films and TV shows had really resonated with me growing up, and I always loved immersing myself in the stories being told, so I eventually really started pursuing it as a career," he said in a 2020 interview.
He shared that his mother and acting coach, Lynette Sheldon, helped him pursue an acting career, which led to early roles in Go Diego Go and the Adam Sandler film Pixels.
Ippolito eventually starred in the Netflix series Grand Army and the Netflix movie Purple Hearts. His biggest role yet is playing young Al Pacino in the Paramount+ series The Offer, which chronicles the making of The Godfather.
What to Expect in I Play Rocky?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, I Play Rocky will explore the origins and the making of Rocky through the eyes of young Stallone, who was an unknown actor at that time.
The now-movie icon had an "unshakable belief that he wasn’t just meant to write Rocky—he was meant to be Rocky Balboa. Told 'no at every turn, Stallone bets everything on himself, holding the line on playing the lead against seemingly impossible odds. The result is the ultimate underdog story behind the ultimate underdog movie."
Peter Farrelly, who helmed Green Book, is directing the film. The project is under Amazon MGM Studios, which is planning a theatrical release. No release date has been set yet.
The report stated that Ippolito heavily pursued the role with the same relentless drive as young Stallone. He "made an unsolicited audition tape on his own" and sent it to the producers, who were impressed by his bold move and proved to them that he can channel the movie icon.
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