In this PG-rated sports drama, widower Rocky Balboa (Stallone) comes out of retirement and dons his gloves for his final fight, which pits him against the reigning heavyweight champ Mason 'The Line' Dixon (Antonio Tarver). Even though the film revisits a lot of the franchise's past and the main event proves far-fetched, this heart-warming sequel nonetheless ratchets up the entertainment value for an entire 12 rounds. If viewers watch blow for blow, however, they're truly in for one of the better Rocky films. After all, the fourth Rocky sequel denigrated the series and our hero retired 20 years ago. Audiences have every reason to want to boo this latter-day follow-up without even watching the fight-let alone sitting ringside. With his shaved head covered by a winter cap with a skull on the front, and a goatee, Duff thought he could be cast as a bar patron or bully.Restoring the character's Can-Do underdog qualities, this Rocky-solid redemption tale truly deserves a look from anyone who dropped out of the franchise after the low blow known as Rocky V. One of them was 6-foot-4, 290-pound tough guy Bill Duff, of Delran, N.J., who recently finished a role as former Philadelphia Eagle Stan Walters in the football movie "Invincible." Duff played in the NFL, in Europe and the XFL before trying to make it as an actor. Or at least stand near him.Ībout one or two lucky actors out of about every 200 hopefuls were picked to audition for a speaking part. They'll be hoping for a phone call in the next couple of weeks, telling them they'll get to go the distance with Stallone. The actors listed some basic personal information, left a photo and filed out. Heery gave the same speech about a dozen times an hour to the 50 or so fans brought in at a time off the street: a brief synopsis of the movie, start dates and the expectations of the 12-plus hour days they should be expected to work. Some were dressed in red, white and blue hats and shirts, there were women with model looks, and there were men with keg-shaped bodies and slicked hair adorned with enough gold chains to make former Rocky villain Clubber Lang blush. "I'd be good for the urban spin, South Philly and everything," he said. Ruffin, who said he just wanted to tell his kids he tried out for a "Rocky" movie, thought he had the look the casting directors wanted. Maybe that face belonged to someone like Vernon Ruffin, puffing a cigar in a camouflage jacket and sporting a super-sized afro. "We're looking for the face to tell the story of Philadelphia. "They want the character and personality of Philadelphia," casting director Diane Heery said. Needed for scenes shot in various city locations, Heery said. Stallone told the Daily Variety trade magazine that the movie will focus on an aging, widowed Rocky who is reluctant to get back in the ring but ends up doing it "just to compete, not to win."įilming started in Las Vegas and is expected to start in Philadelphia on Jan. AP Photo/Isaac Brekkenĭon't tell them the world can live without another Rocky comeback.įifteen years after starring in "Rocky V,"' Sylvester Stallone is reprising his role as the boxing champ from South Philadelphia Stallone filmed some scenes for "Rocky Balboa" in Las Vegas during the recent Jermain Taylor-Bernard Hopkins rematch. PHILADELPHIA - No one had to sprint up the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps or spar in a meat locker.Īll the hundreds of fans who packed the Philadelphia streets a recent Saturday for an open casting call for extras for the new "Rocky" movie needed was a picture, a resume and a simple message that would have made the fictional ex-champ proud: "Yo, pick me!"įrom the old to the beautiful, wannabe actors, aspiring models and regular folks grumbled their best "Yo, Adrian!" impressions at Heery Casting, trying to land a spot as an extra in the sixth "Rocky"' movie.
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