Stallone designed Rocky around the flaws that held him back

Transcript

Transcribed by machine (Whisper) from the episode’s audio, so a word may be off here and there.

1. 31:48

   That was out the window. How much did you have to fight to get... That was a long, laborious situation, and they didn't want me, which I think is totally understandable. I wouldn't either. I mean, I had no credits, no nothing. I wasn't the movie star, good-looking kind of guy. It looked like a fellow who was a professional extra, which I was, to step up. But you know, guys, it was one of those times, and I think it comes along with desperation and youth.

2. 32:28

   You know, this is it. If you don't cross this bridge, it's never going to happen again. And I realized I was such a different type, like Spanish crocus, slurred voice, that if I didn't design something specifically to put my flaws on camera, because they were the ones that had always held me back. It was never going to happen, and you're always going to be the third guy through the door in the chase scene.

3. 32:57

   Yeah, boss, what do you want me to do to that guy? So I said to my wife at the time, I'm going to be a very bitter, broken man. Yes, we'll have a few bucks for a while, but that will go, like everything. And what you're going to have is a shell of a human being who sold out. So I was in this terrible situation. I know me. I know what would have happened in a couple of years. I would have been a disappointment to everyone.

4. 33:24

   So I painted myself in a corner. You know what I mean? I couldn't back out. And I expected them to... Even when they were offering ridiculous sums in the service? Yeah, yeah. Well, I knew you'd get the money, but I would never be able to go beyond that. At the time, you was in a real... Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. You was in a bad place, $100 or something, in your bank account. it's kind of oh woe is me but yeah i had about 80 bucks she's pregnant yeah we're in a house that's so hot it's like nosebleeds and dust i mean it's really there was nothing 40 car it's held together with hangers in the engine and so they offered about 360 000 which is about 300 000 more than I would ever expect that translated probably to about two and a half million today but if someone else had played that role do you think it never would have worked do you think do you ever contemplate

5. 34:24

   that if they did go with someone else someone else yeah you think it would have worked it still would have worked I don't think it would or wouldn't have worked no it was literally I felt it it was a biography so when you're doing those scenes with Mickey that's your father in reality so you're just juxtapositioning that thing so when i'm really ripping out like with that scene where hey well you had a prime yes that's me and probably my father but then in the end where he goes out and embraces it that's the thing i always wanted to do so i could do it on film you know i kind of think so there's a certain personal touch yeah maybe some actors wouldn't want to do that like that scene the way it was written is Mickey comes in he says I want to be your manager I said no you're not you where were you when I needed you I'm shot I have nothing

6. 35:18

   going and he left and that was the end of the scene oh god this is this is really a time for I need to I said please just keep let's roll and I go in and Burgess has already gone home so you come out of there and you just rip it and there was this on inner dialogue and I got it wow we got it and the sound man goes was that a take now guys you know what's impossible to ad lib and ad lib you know it came off the top and now you try to remember it so it's not coming from here is now it's coming from here oh that move yeah what was that word so luckily i got away with it but that that was just on the fly because you don't i didn't even know the right i didn't realize that moment was going to be so important yeah when i was ready i felt sorry for Mickey when he was walked out.

7. 36:22

   I felt really sorry for him, because he needed his shot as well. I know. Everyone needed their shot. Yeah. The Adrian, they all needed to have some sort of validation or some hope. And they were riding on Rockies. Yes. That's what was amazing. But the cast, guys, I've never seen a cast like that, ever. And I've done 90 movies. He said, you can't think of anyone else playing that part. That's amazing.

8. 36:56

   Because I look at Tulsa King, I could do this. Someone could replace me. I mean, all that. That. No chance. That's why I think it was really divine intervention. I really think it was a blessed miracle. And it just came to you, Rocky. It just came to you one day. Yeah, because when I actually wrote it. Yeah, when you started writing it, yeah. Yes. I realized I was done, really. I had written screenplays.

9. 37:22

   I'd optioned them for $100. And I was not going to really make a living as a writer. It's just very limited. Man, I said, I've got to take one more shot and try to do your story. But no one cares about a writer. No one cares about an actor. I said, we have to do something that's kind of symbolic. and the two things that the world can't get enough of is fighting because we fight for the day we're born a racing I'm gonna beat you I'm gonna get there I'm gonna beat the clock I gotta pay my taxes I hear everything is a race somewhere like slow down no time is chasing you so if I could