Stephan James is still feeling the lingering effects of Apollo Creed’s influence.
In Peter Farrelly’s film I Play Rocky, Stephan James plays Carl Weathers, delving into the story of an unknown Sylvester Stallone who fought to become the main character in the movie he wrote. This means that James plays a legend who, in turn, plays another legend: Weathers as the flamboyant heavyweight champion Apollo Creed.
In an exclusive interview with Where Is The Buzz, I talked with James about taking on the role of Weathers, training in Brooklyn, and why he is always betting on himself. To be honest, leaving the film, I felt inspired, moved, and ready for something new.
When I asked James about his initial reaction to landing the role, he described it as a double whammy.
“Oh man, I think it was a little bit of a double whammy, right? Because it’s like, ‘Oh man, I’m playing Carl Weathers, who’s also playing Apollo Creed’,” he explained. “I’m still trying to work it out in my brain. But yeah, it just felt like an incredible honor.”
For James, the role’s importance is tied not only to Weathers’ on-screen image but also to who he was as a person.
“Obviously, the legend that he is, the pioneer that he is, as far as being a Black leading man in that time, in that era, what he represented, his charisma, his swagger, his presence, it meant a lot to me to be able to do that justice,” he explained.
“And then also feeling the pressure of Apollo Creed and what he means to this franchise and all the movies that have spawned just based off his lineage and his story,” James added. “So it definitely was a task that I knew I had to rise to the occasion for.”
James looks similar to Weathers on screen, and my first scene with him made me think, “This is remarkable.” So I asked him how he managed to capture this iconic confidence and whether it rubbed off on him.
“A little bit. Yeah, I’m still trying to shake off some of the Apollo energy,” he replied with a chuckle.
He credited the huge number of movies Weathers appeared in, the character he played, and the interviews he gave about them.
“Thank God we have so many films that he was a part of, playing this character, seeing his interviews outside of it,” James said. “And for me, I think the challenge was being able to take what we know of Apollo Creed and what we know of Carl and then try and add an element of surprise, the things we don’t know. Vulnerability, some more of his humor and some of his charisma.”
“So I think that was my challenge in this film: being able to offer something different than what we already know or expect from him,” he explained.
One of the main things about Rocky is the chemistry between Stallone and Weathers, so I asked James about what it was like working with Anthony Ippolito, who portrays Stallone.
“It was cool, man. I had a lot of fun working with Anthony,” James said. “We trained together very intimately at Gleason’s, the boxing gym in Brooklyn.”
When I said that I am from Brooklyn, he lit up. “Oh, dope,” he replied.
James said the gym’s energy helped both of them get into the right mindset.
“It was super love. I mean, even just the energy in that space, I think, really helped put us in a mindset of, we were feeling like we were really the guys,” he said. “When we walked into that gym, there were so many old heads, like OGs; they’d be like, ‘Creed, what’s up?’ Or like, ‘What up, champ?’ You know what I mean?”
“You already feel like you’re the guy just because of the reverence that they have for this franchise and those characters,” he continued. “So yeah, it was amazing to be able to spend time with Anthony leading up to the shoot.”
On the surface, Rocky is the underdog story: the odds are against you, so you bet on yourself. Most of us faced rejections, which I like to call redirection, so I asked James if there was a moment in his career when he had to bet on himself the way Stallone did.
“I think every day I think I’m still betting on myself,” he said. “So many of the things we do are defined by not only things we say yes to, but the things we say no to, right?”
He believes that it comes down to trusting that the right opportunity will come.
James talked about the most important mindset in terms of betting on yourself: the quiet confidence, trusting the fact that if this is not my moment or if I decide to say no, there will still be a redirect that will help me find the right path and land exactly where I am supposed to be.
He believes that this conviction is crucial. It may be the most powerful thing we have as human beings, something we can rely on when the ground is shaky.
Weathers died in February 2024 at age 76, leaving behind an inspiring legacy. I asked James what he hopes audiences will learn from his performance and what they will discover about Weathers.
“I think if anything, just a layer or level of humanity, you know what I mean?” James said. “And I think that that’s important especially because we’ve seen this larger-than-life sort of figure on the screen for multiple, multiple films.”
“But to just be able to, I think, give him a heart and a soul and let people see his vulnerable side was really important for me, just even as a homage to him and all the work he’s done in this series of films,” he added. “So if anything, that’s what I tried to do.”
Even though “I Play Rocky” is the movie about making Rocky, James and the rest of the cast have become an integral part of that family with its fifty years of history and achievements. I asked how it feels.
“I’m elated. Yeah, I’m super, super excited,” he said. “I definitely understand how important this all is, and it resonated with me … I was probably like 10, 11 years old when I was watching the ‘Rocky’ films the first time, and it’s stuck with me since then.”
“So I understand, I think, just how important this is. It feels like it’s so much bigger than us,” James said. “It’s one of those films where it feels like it’s greater than the sum of its parts. And so, I feel very honored and lucky to be a part of the family.”
Before we ended the interview, I told James that he nailed it. Not only does he look the part, but he also gives an outstanding performance. In a time when many are reinventing themselves, this film reminds us that greatness can come from betting on ourselves.
“I appreciate you,” he says.
“I Play Rocky” is based on the true story of an unknown actor who believed he wasn’t just born to play Rocky; he was destined to become Rocky Balboa. Overcoming one rejection after another, Stallone bets on himself and stays on course to become the lead despite almost impossible odds. The result is the quintessential underdog story behind the ultimate underdog movie.
Peter Farrelly directs the film, based on a screenplay by Peter Gamble. Toby Emmerich, Christian Baha, Peter Farrelly, Paul Currie, and Michele Weiss produced the film. The movie stars Anthony Ippolito, AnnaSophia Robb, Toby Kebbell, P.J. Byrne, Jay Duplass, and Kiki Seto, along with Matt Dillon, Stephan James, and Tracy Letts.
Rated PG-13 for strong language, brief sexual material, and smoking. I Play Rocky opens in select theaters on November 6 and nationwide on November 20.
