Sylvester Stallone has been an icon in Hollywood since the first Rocky movie was released in 1976, but it’s going to take some serious talent to fill his shoes in the upcoming biopic. Stallone is an incredibly talented artist who rose to fame and prominence not just for his incredible acting, but also for his talents as a writer, and his determination. Before Stallone became a star, he struggled to have his ideas heard, or be given a chance to perform as he faced regular rejection.

However, much like his most famous character, Rocky Balboa, Stallone never let setbacks keep him down for long, and through his efforts, he was able to overcome the obstacles and make a movie that has remained iconic since its release. As a result, his life and work has also become iconic, and director Peter Farrelly is set to direct a biopic about this story, titled I Play Rocky (via Screen Rant). But to do the story justice, they need to find the right actor to play the part of Stallone and bring the story to life.

8

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi’s career is currently on the rise with hit films like Saltburn and Netflix’s hit series of movies, The Kissing Booth. He has also starred in the hit HBO series, Euphoria alongside stars like Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney. Despite originally hailing from Australia, Elordi has successfully played numerous roles where he uses an American, or even British accent, which is a strong indicator that he could be able to portray Stallone’s iconic and unique voice with a little practice.

Elordi is a large and handsome man who has a resemblance to young Stallone with similar hair and sharp features on his face. Elordi is also in great physical shape, which makes him a worthy consideration to play a young Stallone in his prime. Elordi may potentially need to take some boxing lessons ahead of such a role, but he’s definitely a contender in terms of talent, physical attributes, and his career is on the rise.

7

Noah Centineo

Noah Centineo is another rising star who has appeared in several Netflix projects and up and coming comedies or rom-coms. However, Centineo has also shown his talents for playing in more physical roles such as with his performance in the TV series, The Recruit. Centineo has the right look with thick dark hair, and he has an Italian heritage which is also similar to Stallone’s.

Centineo may not be the biggest name in Hollywood, but he is certainly talented and worth exploring such a role with. The story of Rocky is about being given a fighting chance despite all the odds, but Centineo is already a generally good fit for the role. Utilizing his physical attributes and his experiences in similar roles, he could easily slot into the place of the character and help to create the definitive story of Sylvester Stallone’s rise in Hollywood.

6

Dylan O’Brien

Prior to Dylan O’Brien embarking on a career in acting, he was preparing to study sports broadcasting, which shows that he had a genuine interest in sport. However, his talents resulted in his life following a different path when O’Brien landed an agent and began taking on roles in TV and film. His most famous role was playing Stiles Stilinski in Teen Wolf, and later his starring role in the Maze Runner films. This experience in action-oriented roles, and specifically his ability to run long distances, could make him a perfect fit for a young Rocky.

A movie which explores the live and early career of Stallone would need to explore his tireless efforts to get his work seen, and funded. O’Brien is a great actor who is very capable of delivering complex emotional performances and elevating a character from a simple jock, to someone with a heart of gold and an iron will. All of this is vital and integral to a character like Stallone, and exemplifies the struggles and willingness to keep pushing expressed by the actor himself.

5

Nick Jonas

On a very different note, but potentially also a very good fit, Nick Jonas, who rose to fame with his brothers in the band, The Jonas Brothers, could be a great pick for a young Stallone. Jonas has appeared in films throughout his career, but recent years have seen him tackle more involved and serious roles. Jonas may have begun his career as a musician, but there is no doubt that he is also a talented actor and performer in several mediums.

He has dark thick hair, and a strong but slender physique that would align him with a young Stallone at the time of recording his movie Rocky. Jonas would need to work on the accent and potentially bulk up a little, but he could make for a pretty convincing Stallone in a biopic. As his career continues to progress and he refines his acting, he could shape up to be a real contender for such a role by the time production begins on the project.

4

David Henrie

In 2007, David Henrie became a more familiar face for many children tuning in to the Disney Channel around the world when he appeared in Wizards of Waverly Place. Henrie played Justin Russo opposite his on-screen sister, Selena Gomez. The show established his career, but while he has performed in film, TV and other projects since the series wrapped, much of his focus in recent years appears to be with voice acting. However, this could be a strength when performing in a role like playing Stallone.

First, his ability to manipulate his voice could mean that he would be a great candidate when it comes to closely replicating Stallone’s pattern of speech. Second, voice acting roles tend to be more flexible, which could mean that Henrie would be well-suited to starring in the biopic, even if he has other work scheduled at the same time. Add to this his Italian-American heritage, and he is another solid contender to tackle a young Stallone.

3

Milo Ventimiglia

Milo Ventimiglia is slightly older than several of the other picks here, but there is a good reason as to why he is included specifically on this list. In the 2006 movie, Rocky Balboa, Ventimiglia was cast as Rocky’s son, Robert Balboa. Ventimiglia already has a connection within the universe, and is sufficiently youthful enough to play a version of Stallone making the first Rocky film and beyond. Ventimiglia could also potentially play different stages of Stallone’s life, making him a more versatile pick.

Outside of his work in the franchise, Ventimiglia is a TV star with starring roles in shows like Heroes and This Is Us. His ability to perform emotional and deep scenes, romance, and action all make him a great choice for tackling a role like Stallone at the point in his life where he struggled to find someone to help get his movie made. Ventimiglia is an excellent talent and could absolutely be a fantastic choice to tackle the role of Stallone.

2

David Corenswet

David Corenswet recently landed the role of Superman in James Gunn’s upcoming DCU. This is potentially a perfect development as it means he has spent considerable time bulking up in preparation for that role, and if he needs to find more work to tackle between movies, it would make sense to keep in good physical shape rather than drastically changing between roles. Corenswet had already made a name for himself after appearing in TV shows like The Politician, and in movies like Pearl.

However, Corenswet would also need to capture the right movements, vocals, and mannerisms of Stallone in order to adequately portray him. Having had precious little experience in emulating and acting as a real-life-inspired character, this could be just the kind of challenge that Corenswet would be looking for after Superman. Otherwise, his looks and physical appearance, from his strong jawline to his physique make him an excellent choice for tackling the role of Stallone as long as he can get the accent right.

1

Joe Manganiello

The oldest actor listed here, Joe Manganiello, is still more than 30 years younger than Stallone. However, he is considerably older than when Stallone began making Rocky. Despite this, Joe Manganiello is a great actor in peak physical condition, and with a long list of credits to his name. Manganiello appears to have many people describe him in a similar way to how they would refer to Stallone, and the pair do have several features in common. He may be a little older than the others on this list, but he could potentially be a great Stallone.

Depending on what story the movie wants to tell, and if there will be any flash forwards or back, Manganiello is certainly a man worth considering for a role playing the iconic Stallone. Rocky’s movies also continued until 2006, when Stallone would have been a little older than Manganiello currently is. If the biopic explores Stallone’s life throughout the franchise, it could include Manganiello as a more mature and refined version of Stallone, once he gained more success. But ultimately, the actor being cast for the Stallone biopic could be anyone, according to the creatives involved.