He was being feted by the residents of Philadelphia with the first Rocky Day holiday in honor of his Oscar-winning 1976 film Rocky.
But Sylvester Stallone was also giving back when he delighted a young fan by joining him to recite a speech from the 2006 sequel Rocky Balboa.
The 77-year-old actor and filmmaker was filmed in Philly on Sunday by the city’s Rocky statue as a boy who goes by Ro began shouting out an impassioned speech that Stallone delivered in the film, which was his last in the series in which he had the lead role.
The day was filled with other honors for Stallone, who received a key to the city.
The original speech was featured in Rocky Balboa when the title character tells his son — played by This Is Us star Milo Ventimiglia — about how difficult life can be.
Sylvester Stallone, 77, delighted a young boy who goes by Ro when he joined him to recite a speech from Rocky Balboa (2006) while in Philadelphia to celebrate the first Rocky Day holiday on Sunday, December 3
Sly stood next to Philly’s Rocky statue as Ro, who shot a similar video with Hulk Hogan, approached. He shouted out a speech that Stallone delivered in the film to his adult son
Sly’s fan interaction was featured in a TikTok video from Ro’s account. The actor could be seen standing next to his statue, which features a young Rocky with in his boxing gear with his arms outstretched triumphantly, as men held umbrellas up to keep him dry on the rainy day.
Then the young boy was escorted up to him, where he began shouting out the speech.
A big smile broke across Stallone’s face, and he looked visibly delighted at the display, before he began joining in unison, though he soon dropped out again and let Ro continue on his own.
He interrupted to reach out for a high five that transitioned into a handshake, and then he pulled the boy closer for a warm hug. Ro wasn’t quite done, so he finished his speech, before he and the elder actor shared a final hug and beamed as they looked out at the crowd surrounding them.
The display isn’t knew for the wrestling fan, who previously approached Hulk Hogan for a similar performance.
Fittingly, Hogan even had a role in the Rocky franchise. In 1982’s Rocky III, he was featured as a professional wrestler — modeled after his WWF persona — named Thunderlips, who engages Rocky in a charity wrestling match, where he proceeds to demolish the boxer.
During a 2006 conversation with Hogan, Stallone revealed that the hardest hit he ever took while filming the series was from Hogan, and it was left out of the completed film because of how ‘traumatized’ he was, as he featured that his collarbone had been shattered by the hit and would be ‘sticking through my flesh’ if he looked at it. Luckily, he wasn’t permanently injured by the hit.
In the Rocky Balboa clip that Ro quoted, Stallone is seen arguing with his son ahead of an upcoming boxing match.
Ventimiglia, who’s character works as a lawyer is dressed in a nice suit and overcoat while out on the street with his father, urges Rocky not to come out of retirement for a fight with a younger heavyweight champion.
He mentions the advantages he has gotten in life because of his father’s name, including his job, but then says the publicity Rocky is attracting could harm what he has built.
But Rocky reminds him how tough life can be — in contrast to how easy things were for him growing up with a famous father — even as he reiterates his love for his son.
‘Let me tell you something you already know: the world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows,’ he says when he’s given a chance to speak. ‘It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are — it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life.
‘But it ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!’ Rocky shouts, before urging his son not to point fingers.
Sly was clearly tickled and beamed ear to ear before joining in to shout out the most impassioned lines with the kid
After reaching the end, Stallone reached out for a high five that turned into a handshake, before pulling Ro closer for a hug
Rocky Balboa (2006) was the sixth and final Rocky film with Stallone in the lead. His son (Milo Ventimiglia, L) complained about how his return to fighting could harm his career, leading Rocky to deliver the speech about how tough the world can be
The 1976 Rocky, which Stallone also wrote, made him a star and became a massive box office hit and a critical sensation. It won three Oscars, including Best Picture
The 2006 movie was the sixth film in the Rocky series, and the final to feature Stallone in the lead role. It was positively reviewed by critics and became a hit at the box office.
Stallone reprised his role in a supporting capacity in the first two Creed films, but he sat out March’s Creed III over money issues.
The 1976 original made Stallone a star. He originally wrote the screenplay and was in intense negotiations with the studio to allow him to also star in the film, as the studio hoped to find a more established star while retaining his screenplay.
He held tight and eventually nabbed the title role, and his strategy proved to be worth it after Rocky became the top-grossing film of 1976 (and the second-highest grossing film in 1977 behind Star Wars). It also was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, and it nabbed three, including Best Picture.
