(FILES) US actor Anthony Ippolito attends the AFI FEST premiere of "I Play Rocky" at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on October 24, 2026. When Anthony Ippolito learned Hollywood was planning a new "Rocky"-related film, he rigged up a punching bag in his grandmother's basement and improvised his audition. It was a bold move that paid off: the up-and-coming actor essentially secured the coveted role of a young Sylvester Stallone before the official casting process for the biographical drama, headed to theaters this month, even began. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP via Getty Images)