The Life of Hollywood Action Hero Sylvester Stallone

Producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff became interested in Rocky, but Stallone refused to hand over the script unless he could star as Rocky Balboa himself. The studio preferred a proven name, with bigger stars considered safer for the role.

For Stallone, that condition was the whole point. He had written the character because no one in Hollywood was offering him that kind of chance. Turning down the money was risky, but losing Rocky would have meant losing everything.