A new film about the making of the classic movie Rocky is adding more actors to its team. Amazon MGM Studios’ I Play Rocky has brought on Erik Palladino and Rob Demery to play key roles in the story. They will help tell the true story of how a young Sylvester Stallone fought to make his movie.
Palladino will step into the role of Pete, Stallone’s personal boxing coach. At the same time, Demery will take on the part of the legendary heavyweight champion Joe Frazier, who had a short but memorable appearance in the original Rocky film. They join a growing cast that is working to bring this behind-the-scenes struggle to the big screen.
The New Cast Members and Their Roles
The two actors are joining a project that is already in production. Erik Palladino, who viewers may know from shows like Godfather of Harlem and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, will play the trainer who helped Stallone prepare for the ring. Rob Demery, who previously portrayed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia!, will embody the famous boxer Joe Frazier.
They become part of an ensemble cast led by Anthony Ippolito, who plays the young Sylvester Stallone. The film follows Stallone’s journey as a failing actor who writes a script for Rocky and then refuses to sell it unless he is allowed to star in it. It is the ultimate underdog story about the making of one of Hollywood’s most beloved underdog films.
The Story Behind “I Play Rocky”
I Play Rocky focuses on the challenging period before the 1976 film Rocky became a smash hit. It follows Sylvester Stallone in his late twenties, an actor with a strong belief in his own potential. He wrote the script for Rocky but was repeatedly told that he was not a big enough star to play the lead role.
Stallone chose to bet on himself, refusing large sums of money for his script and insisting that he must be the one to play Rocky Balboa. His gamble paid off spectacularly. Made for less than $1 million, Rocky became that year’s biggest box office success and went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture, creating a franchise that has endured for decades.
A Look at the Full Cast
The film has assembled a notable cast to portray the real-life people involved in the making of Rocky. The lineup shows the film will explore both the studio executives and the actors who became famous from the movie.
- Anthony Ippolito stars as the young Sylvester Stallone.
- Stephan James plays Carl Weathers, the actor who portrayed Apollo Creed.
- AnnaSophia Robb plays Sasha Czack, Stallone’s first wife.
- Matt Dillon appears as Stallone’s father, Frank Stallone Sr.
- Jay Duplass takes on the role of director John G. Avildsen.
- Kiki Seto portrays Talia Shire, who played Adrian.
- Robert Morgan appears as Burgess Meredith, who played Mickey.
- P.J. Byrne plays producer Irwin Winkler.
- Toby Kebbell plays producer Robert Chartoff.
Sylvester Stallone’s Involvement
A notable aspect of this project is that Sylvester Stallone himself is not involved in the film. He has publicly stated that he was surprised to learn about the movie.
“I was shocked to read [about] it. I have zero to do with it. Since I lived it, I thought I might be able to participate and give them some insight,” Stallone told The Playlist.
Despite his lack of participation, the film continues to move forward, aiming to tell the story of his incredible persistence as a young man.
Filming and Release
Production for I Play Rocky is currently underway. The project is directed by Peter Farrelly, who won an Oscar for Green Book, from a script written by Peter Gamble. Filming has been taking place in New Jersey, with additional work planned for Philadelphia and Los Angeles. The film is scheduled to be released in theaters by Amazon MGM Studios.
