The 79-year-old actor shared a behind-the-scenes video showing his boxing choreography work with late costar Carl Weathers
Video Sylvester Stallone explains why ‘Rocky’ resonates with audiences 50 years later Sylvester Stallone told Fox News Digital the reasons why his iconic character, Rocky Balboa, still connects with fans as an underdog.
Sylvester Stallone on Wednesday shared the grueling, body-punishing work it took to make the fight scenes in "Rocky" look like the real thing.
"Before Rocky ever stepped into the ring on screen, there were hours like this," the 79-year-old wrote on his Instagram while sharing a video that showed Stallone and Apollo Creed actor Carl Weathers working out their boxing choreography.
"Repetition. Footwork. Timing," he added. "Getting hit and getting back up. I wrote the script in three and a half days, but the physical work took months. Nothing about it was accidental. If you want it to feel real, you have to live it."
In the throwback video, Stallone and Weathers are figuring out each punch and fall, with Stallone saying to his costar of the titular character, "So, I’m a little hurt. You’ve got me stung with the jabs."
Sylvester Stallone and Carl Weathers on set of the film "Rocky." (United Artists/Getty Images)
He then throws himself against the ropes after Weathers gives him a fake punch, telling his costar that he needs to be closer to the edge of the ring because he wants to "fly into the ropes" and grab his hand around them when he falls.
"These ropes are like guitar wires," he joked.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sly Stallone (@officialslystallone)
"Left, right," he told Weathers where to throw his punches before launching himself 180 degrees against the ropes again.
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"Now, I’m going to hang," Sylvester continued, explaining the camera should be positioned low to see Rocky from the perspective of the ground. "When he gets up the bell rings. Carl raises his hand."
"Repetition. Footwork. Timing. Getting hit and getting back up. I wrote the script in three and a half days, but the physical work took months. Nothing about it was accidental. If you want it to feel real, you have to live it." — Sylvester Stallone
He then explained that Rocky should get picked up by his team and have water thrown on his face, and get told, "‘Why didn’t you take bookkeeping in high school?’"
Sylvester Stallone fights Carl Weathers in "Rocky." (FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images)
Weathers then pulls more punches at him, with Stallone advising the late "Happy Gilmore" actor "You’ve got me hurt" and to "throw left, then right" before Stallone hurls himself to the ground.
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Stallone then continued to direct Weathers on what jabs to take, "joking, "Beat me! Beat me! I love it!" before he finally gets a couple of his own punches in, and the two fall down laughing."
Stallone received a flood of praise from fans in the comments on the commitment to his first role, including comedian David Spade who wrote: "V cool."
Last month, Stallone shared a post of himself in the gym admitting he hadn’t been in one "in a long time."
Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa rests in between rounds in "Rocky." (United Artists/Getty Images)
"Its kind of like, In a way, a sanctuary, a church. We pray to get better, to feel better physically, so, you have the strength to arrive at your goals really confident and ready to face any challenge."
He added in the caption, "Every year it gets harder and harder, but that’s why you gotta push harder and harder. blood sweat and tears."
"Rocky" won three Oscars in 1977 for best picture, best director and best film editing and Stallone was nominated for best actor and best original screenplay.
