There are stories that seem unbelievable, but they are completely true. One of them is that of Sylvester Stallone, the actor who from extreme poverty managed to create one of the most iconic characters in the history of cinema – Rocky Balboa. In the year when Stallone celebrates his 80th birthday and “Rocky” turns 50 years old, the story of the creation of the film continues to inspire millions of people around the world. In the mid-1970s, Stallone was an unknown actor living in difficult economic conditions. He had run out of money, slept at a bus stop in Los Angeles and, in order to survive, was forced to sell his beloved dog, Butkus, for just 40 dollars.
Inspiration came after watching the famous boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner. Impressed by the underdog boxer's resilience, Stallone locked himself in his house and in just three and a half days wrote the first script for "Rocky," about 90 pages long. Hollywood studios were immediately interested in the script and offered him a significant amount of money to buy it, but on one condition: he would not play the lead role.
Stallone refused, even though he was in dire need of money. He was convinced that only he could bring the Rocky Balboa character to the screen. The film was made on a modest budget and became a worldwide phenomenon. At the 1977 Academy Awards, “Rocky” won three Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for John G. Avildsen. Stallone himself was nominated for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay, becoming the third person in history to receive nominations in both categories for the same film, after Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welles.
After the success, he managed to get his dog Butkus back, paying about $3 to buy him back. Five decades later, the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art continue to be visited by millions of tourists who reenact Rocky's iconic scene of raising their fists in victory.
The bronze statue of Rocky Balboa, created for the film “Rocky III,” has become one of the most photographed monuments in the United States. It is part of the exhibition “The Promise: Rocky and the Making of a Monument,” open at the Philadelphia Museum of Art until August 2. Part of the film’s success is also linked to the soundtrack by composer Bill Conti. The song “Gonna Fly Now,” which accompanies Rocky’s legendary run through the streets of Philadelphia, remains one of the most famous motivational anthems in the history of cinema and sports.
The extraordinary story of the creation of “Rocky” will return to the big screen this year with the biopic “I Play Rocky,” produced by Amazon MGM Studios. The film is directed by Oscar winner Peter Farrelly, while the role of Sylvester Stallone will be played by Anthony Ippolito. The cast also includes Stephan James, AnnaSophia Robb, Matt Dillon, Kiki Seto, Robert Morgan and Jay Duplass. Although Stallone is not part of the production, he has helped the lead actor with advice to portray as faithfully as possible the period when one of the most inspiring stories in cinema was born. With the premiere scheduled for November, on the 50th anniversary of “Rocky,” “I Play Rocky” aims to show how perseverance, faith and courage can turn an impossible dream into an immortal legend.
