Anthony Ippolito to Star as Young Stallone in Biopic from 'Green Book' Director — a Perfect Match or Just Hollywood Déjà Vu?

When I first stumbled upon the casting news, I had to read it twice. Anthony Ippolito? The same actor who so recently played a young Al Pacino in The Offer? Oddly familiar, yes — but now he’s stepping into the skin of another screen legend.

The film, I Play Rocky, comes from Oscar-winning director Peter Farrelly and tells how Sylvester Stallone fought to make Rocky on his own terms.

The Making of a Legend

It begins with a struggling actor, marked by a speech impediment and partial paralysis, who pens a script studios are desperate to buy. The catch: they want someone else in the lead. He refuses, sacrifices a payday, and insists on playing the part himself.

Shot on a shoestring budget, the risk pays off. Rocky becomes 1976’s biggest hit, wins Best Picture and cements its author as an unlikely Hollywood star. An underdog story both on screen and behind the camera.

Casting the Doppelgänger

Here’s where Ippolito comes in. With his uncanny resemblance to Stallone, the choice feels almost inevitable. Having already portrayed Pacino, he now adds Stallone to his list of icons. Inspired casting, or a safe trick? Opinions will differ.

Farrelly’s Gamble

Farrelly, who struck gold with Green Book, has since had a bumpier ride. But I Play Rocky might just be his strongest bet in years. This isn’t another boxing film — it’s a tale of creative stubbornness, of risking everything to prove yourself. Can Farrelly capture that raw determination? We’ll soon find out.