ACTOR Anthony Ippolito is a dead ringer for Rocky star Sylvester Stallone in his new film.

The 26-year-old was spotted warming up to film in New Jersey for I Play Rocky — which will be about then-unknown Stallone’s determination to write and star in the 1976 sports smash hit.

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Stallone, then 30, starred as a boxer who entered the ring against a heavyweight champion.

The film kicked off a huge nine-movie franchise.

Anthony, who previously played Al Pacino in the Paramount series The Offer, landed the role after sending an unsolicited audition tape to producers when he heard about the film.

Stallone launched his movie career in 1972.

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Sylvester started filming Rocky in 1976 after writing the first script in as little as three days.

Since then, the iconic Rocky movies have won three Oscars.

Sylvester put out his last two Rocky offshoots, Creed 1 and 2, in 2015 and 2018.

From there, the actor starred in blockbusters such as Rambo and Cop Land.

He married Sasha Czack in 1974 and had sons Sage and Seargeoh with her.

Sylvester shares Sistine, Sophia, and Scarlet with his wife, model Jennifer Flavin, 55.

Jennifer, a former model, met Sylvester in 1988 at a Hollywood restaurant.

The pair married in 1997 after spending a year apart.

The couple also overcame a rocky patch in 2023 after she had filed for divorce.