During the TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) screening of his classic film ‘Rocky’, actor Sylvester Stallone revealed that when he wrote and made the film, he simply drew from his own experiences and portrayed them on screen. Stallone, who was relatively unknown at the time, had actually written the script himself, which he believes is his best work to date.
Reflecting on his early days as an actor, Stallone shared an interesting tidbit about his time as an usher, stating, “You could say my gig as an usher was like film class 101 in screenwriting.” This experience fueled his writing as he delved into creating the character of Rocky Balboa, a mentally challenged individual with a big heart.
TIFF had organized a special outdoor screening of the original ‘Rocky’ film, which revolves around an underdog boxer in Philadelphia who seizes the opportunity to challenge the world heavyweight boxing champion, Apollo Creed. The screening took place near Roy Thomson Hall on King Street during the late hours of September 15.
Speaking about his approach to the character, Stallone said, “I wanted to write a movie about a guy who admits he’s not great and never will be. He fights against great fighters. But he longs for the chance to prove himself.” Stallone believes that Rocky and the character of Rocky Balboa represented the pinnacle of his career, especially since no one in Hollywood initially expressed interest in making the movie. “Nobody wanted to make it. It was my best writing too,” he added.
Stallone, renowned for his iconic roles in the ‘Rocky’ and ‘Rambo’ franchises, also discussed his early days as an actor. “I knew I didn’t have the ability to be a Shakespearean actor. It’s important to understand your strengths as an artist, but equally important to be aware of your weaknesses,” he shared.
Stallone’s documentary film ‘Sly’ is set to premiere at TIFF, unaffected by the ongoing Hollywood strikes. With a career that spans over 50 films grossing approximately $3 billion at the box office, Stallone expressed surprise as he looked back at clips of his early TV appearances during the 1980s to promote his ‘Rocky’ movies.
Known for his work in the ‘Rocky’ franchise, ‘Creed’ spinoffs, ‘The Expendables’, ‘Rambo’ franchise, ‘Demolition Man’, ‘Cliffhanger’, ‘Cop Land’, ‘Judge Dredd’, and ‘The Suicide Squad’, Sylvester Stallone has now made his way to television, portraying the character of Dwight Manfredi in the series ‘Tulsa King’.