About Rocky
Rocky Balboa is not the only hero of Rocky.
Sylvester Stallone was on the verge of destitution when he wrote a story loosely based upon a little-known, working-class underdog and New Jersey boxer Chuck Wepner, who challenged Muhammad Ali in a heavyweight title bout in early 1975 in Cleveland, Ohio.
MGM Pictures finally accepted the idea; only they were hesitant to cast Stallone as the leading role. MGM pursued Ryan O’Neal, academy award nominee for his role in Love Story six years earlier, but he declined.
Stallone, who was nominated for his only academy award in this film, brilliantly portrays the character Rocky Balboa.