Could Anthony Ippolito be “walking down the aisle” during Oscar season for his role as Sylvester Stallone in Peter Farrelly’s I Play Rocky? The Italian Stallion himself seems to think so, and we’re inclined to agree. During an interview with sports analyst Pat McAfee, Stallone gave his most comprehensive opinion of the Rocky biopic to date, saying the film’s recreation of his life is nothing short of uncanny and astounding.
While speaking with Stallone, McAfee commented on Ippolito’s version of Stallone, saying the way he looks and talks is incredibly accurate. Wanting to hear Stallone’s take on the performance, and his opinion of the movie in general, McAfee asked Stallone to respond.
“At first, I went in there feeling incredibly skeptical. Usually, they make these movies after you’ve kicked the bucket. When I saw his auto-tape, I thought I was looking at myself. I went to my daughters and said, ‘Is this as authentic as it looks? Oh my God!'”
Stallone then asked if he really talks the way Ippolito does in the movie, and his daughters said, “Unfortunately, yeah.” Check out our own interview with Ippolito HERE.
Continuing to talk about his experience with I Play Rocky (read our review here), Stallone said he received a work print of the film, and after screening it, said, “Damn! This is literally history repeating itself, almost on the same date, fifty-plus years ago in November. It’s so surreal because I think this kid’s [Ippolito] going all the way. I think he might be walking down the aisle on this one. He might be grabbing the trophy because this is not him, he’s a very different character than I am, so this was a real portrayal that he build from the ground up.”
When asked to confirm if he likes the movie, Stallone laughed and said, “Yeah. I do,” and gave the camera an enthusiastic thumbs up.
Stallone then talked about the film’s production, saying he has absolutely nothing to do with it. He says that one of the primary reasons he did not participate in making the film is that he didn’t want it to come off as a vanity project or a puff piece for the sake of a quick dollar. Stallone also pointed out that the writing team did not read his book, and that what you see on the screen is completely original.
Are you looking forward to seeing I Play Rocky when it opens in theaters on November 20, 2026? Let us know in the comments section below.
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