I Play Rocky follows the real-life, against-all-odds battle Sylvester Stallone waged to write Rocky and insist on playing the lead — against the wishes of producers who wanted a bankable star. Anthony Ippolito plays a young Stallone navigating rejection, poverty, and the pressure of a Hollywood system that couldn't see what he saw in himself. Stephan James co-stars as Carl Weathers, with AnnaSophia Robb as Sasha Czack and Matt Dillon as Frank Stallone Sr. The film explores themes of self-belief, creative ownership, and the refusal to compromise — the underdog story behind the ultimate underdog movie. It's a love letter to anyone who has ever bet on themselves when no one else would.
