Anthony Ippolito joined AnnaSophia Robb and Stephan James on the red carpet for the New York premiere of I Play Rocky on Wednesday evening.
The event was held at the SVA Theatre, where the film’s cast and director Peter Farrelly gathered ahead of its cinema release on 6 November.
Matt Dillon, PJ Byrne, Toby Kebbell, Tracy Letts, Saul Stein and Scot Teller were also in attendance.
I Play Rocky follows Sylvester Stallone’s fight to play Rocky Balboa
The film tells the true story of an unknown actor who believed he was destined not only to write Rocky, but also to take the lead role.
After being rejected repeatedly, Stallone risks everything to insist on playing Rocky Balboa, setting the story behind the iconic underdog film against the seemingly impossible odds he faced.
Directed by Farrelly and written by Peter Gamble, I Play Rocky has already attracted awards-season attention following its premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.
Variety praised Ippolito’s performance, writing: “Make no mistake: a star is born. Ippolito delivers the kind of breakout that turns a working actor into a name overnight, anchoring one of the truest underdog stories the business has ever told.”
USA Today said the strong response from the Toronto audience suggested the film “could be an Oscar contender”.
I Play Rocky will be released in cinemas on 6 November.
