Inside the 'I Play Rocky' premiere in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA - Stars and filmmakers gathered on the red carpet at the Philadelphia Film Society for the local premiere of I Play Rocky, celebrating Sylvester Stallone and the real-life struggle behind his iconic movie.

Director Peter Farrelly emphasized that Stallone’s real-life journey closely mirrored the plot of the 1976 classic. 

"The story of making this movie is as strong as the Rocky story. It is the same story except Stallone's a real person and I wanted people to see that," Farrelly said.

Farrelly also noted the extreme pressure Stallone faced from the studio after refusing to sell his script unless he starred in it. "They were kind of sabotaging it because if he ever fell one day behind schedule, they could replace him with Ryan O'Neal or Burt Reynolds or Clint Eastwood," Farrelly explained.

Anthony Ippolito, who portrays Stallone, discussed the physical transformation required for the leading role. 

"There's like a physical element in trying to prepare in that way because, you know, he had a very specific physique," Ippolito said.

The biopic also highlights Stallone's support system, including his first wife, Sasha Czack, played by AnnaSophia Robb. "Every public-facing person has somebody who's more in the shadows who's holding their hand and encouraging them along their journey," Robb said.

For local actor Scott Teller, who plays Burt Young, the premiere in Philadelphia hits close to home. "Rocky meant so much to me growing up. We can all relate to the movie. You know, we are all underdogs," Teller shared.

I Play Rocky opens in theaters on November 20, 2026.

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