The Actors Who Almost Played Rocky Balboa Before Stallone’s Casting

Before it was agreed that Sylvester Stallone would play the title character in Rocky, several other characters were considered first. Even though the classic underdog hero was the brainchild of Stallone, those involved in making the movie didn’t originally intend on him bringing the character to life. If the studio had their way, Rocky would never have starred an unknown actor like Stallone.

Released in 1976, Rocky was so much more than Stallone’s first starring role in a big movie. It was also he who developed the story and wrote the script. When his screenplay acquired the attention of Hollywood producers and directors, it wasn’t long before studios took an interest in making Rocky a reality. Though it faced some roadblocks, it proved to be a massive hit once it hit theaters. Its shocking success subsequently launched Stallone to stardom, led to five sequels (all of which with Stallone reprising the lead role). It also racked up five Academy Awards, in addition to securing Stallone a nomination for Best Actor.

It’s possible that none of those things may have happened if Stallone hadn’t been the star. Despite Rocky being his story, the actor almost didn’t get the part. Producers and directors loved Stallone’s script but weren’t enamored with the idea of him playing the main character, which was a condition he insisted upon. Instead, they had much bigger names in mind, such as Peyton Place’s Ryan O’Neill, Burt Reynolds, Robert Redford, and James Caan. The latter three were all Hollywood A-listers and household names that audiences were accustomed to seeing on the big screen. To the producers, it just made sense for someone like one of them to star in a movie with Rocky’s potential.

Of course, none of them were given the role, as Sylvester Stallone remained committed to playing the character. If he had accepted a $300,000 offer for the script, the studio would have been free to cast one of the aforementioned choices. According to Stallone, he was in a poor financial situation at the time but didn’t let that sway him. He explained that he would have been “very upset” had he sold the script and it turned out to be a huge hit with someone else in the lead role [via Forbes].

Ultimately, his determination paid off in a tremendous fashion. Though it took time, opposition to Stallone playing Rocky Balboa relented, albeit at the expense of the budget. To lower the financial risk of casting an unknown as its lead, a much lower budget was negotiated by the studio. That was the only way Rocky was able to move forward with Stallone as its star. What followed – both for the movie and the actor – vindicated Stallone’s efforts and proved that he truly was the best choice for the role from the very beginning.

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