This article is about the fictional character. For the film franchise, see Rocky (franchise). For the sixth film in the Rocky series, see Rocky Balboa (film). For other uses, see Rocky Balboa (disambiguation).
Fictional character
Rocky Balboa The Italian Stallion
Rocky character
Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa in Rocky III (1982)
First appearance
Rocky (1976)
Last appearance
Creed II (2018)
Created by
Sylvester Stallone
Based on
Chuck Wepner Rocky Marciano
Portrayed by
Sylvester Stallone
In-universe information
Full name
Robert Balboa
Alias
Rocky
Nicknames
The Italian Stallion The Pride of Philadelphia Philadelphia's Favorite Son The Iron Horse Stallion Unc Rocco Rock Meatball
Title
World Heavyweight Champion
Occupation
Professional boxer Restaurant owner Boxing trainer Loan Shark Collector
Robert "Rocky" Balboa (born June 6, 1945) (also known by his ring name the Italian Stallion) is a fictional character and the titular protagonist of the Rocky film series. The character was created by Sylvester Stallone, who has also portrayed him in eight of the nine films in the franchise. He is depicted as a working class or poor Italian-American from the slums of Philadelphia who started out as a club fighter and "enforcer" for a local Philly Mafia loan shark. He is portrayed as overcoming the obstacles that had occurred in his life and in his career as a professional boxer.
While the story of his first film was partly inspired by a 1975 fight between underdog Chuck Wepner and heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali (which nearly went the 15 round distance despite the odds), the inspiration for the name, iconography and fighting style came from boxing legend Rocco Francis "Rocky Marciano" Marchegiano, though his surname coincidentally also resembles that of Middleweight Boxing Champion Thomas Rocco "Rocky Graziano" Barbella.
The character is widely considered to be Stallone's most iconic role and is often considered the role that started his film career. He received critical acclaim for his performance in the first movie, earning Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations. When Stallone reprised his role once again in 2015 for Creed, his performance received universal acclaim and he received his first Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor, along with his third[1] Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor and several other accolades.
^King, Susan (January 11, 2016). "Golden Globes: Sylvester Stallone wins by a knockout". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
Robert "Rocky" Balboa (born June 6, 1945) (also known by his ring name the Italian Stallion) is a fictional character and the titular protagonist of the...
characters from the Rocky film series, consisting of Rocky (1976), Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), Rocky IV (1985), Rocky V (1990), RockyBalboa (2006), Creed...
inspiration for the character of Apollo Creed." Protagonist RockyBalboa, Creed's rival in Rocky and Rocky II, faces underdog odds, but he views Creed with respect...
financially struggling RockyBalboa (Stallone) agrees to train protégé Tommy Gunn (Morrison) at the gym once owned by Balboa's trainer, Mickey Goldmill...
starting in 1976 with his iconic role as boxer RockyBalboa in the first film of the successful Rocky franchise, which he also wrote. In 1977, he became...
installment in the Rocky film series. It also stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess Meredith. In the film, RockyBalboa (Stallone) faces...
installment in the Rocky franchise and also stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess Meredith. In the film, RockyBalboa (Stallone), a poor...
installment in the Rocky film series. It also stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess Meredith. In the film, RockyBalboa (Stallone), struggling...
Munteanu, and Dolph Lundgren. In the film, under the continued tutelage of RockyBalboa (Stallone), Adonis Creed (Jordan) faces off against Viktor Drago (Munteanu)...
after being featured in a notable scene from the 1976 film Rocky. In the scene, RockyBalboa, an unpolished but ambitious boxer from South Philadelphia...
in the Rocky film series. It also stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Brigitte Nielsen, and Dolph Lundgren. In the film, RockyBalboa (Stallone)...
Adrianna Pennino-Balboa is a fictional character from the Rocky series, played by Talia Shire. Shire was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress...
world heavyweight champion, having taken the title from RockyBalboa only to lose it back to Balboa in his next fight. The character is very loosely based...
Ventimiglia made his breakthrough as RockyBalboa's son in the sixth installment of the Rocky film series, RockyBalboa (2006), going on to reprise the role...
as Mason "The Line" Dixon, the heavyweight champion in the 2006 film RockyBalboa. 1993 and 1995 United States amateur Light Heavyweight champion. 1994...
in The Godfather trilogy and Adrian Balboa in the Rocky series. For her work in The Godfather Part II and Rocky, Shire was nominated for Academy Awards...
Young, was an American actor. He played RockyBalboa's brother-in-law and best friend Paulie Pennino in the Rocky film series, his performance in the first...
studio is named after his character RockyBalboa from the Rocky franchise. On May 30, 2018, Sylvester Stallone formed Balboa Productions with a partnership...
in the series not to feature Sylvester Stallone reprising his role as RockyBalboa, though he is credited as a producer. Principal photography began in...
his father Sylvester Stallone in Rocky V (1990), the fifth installment of the Rocky franchise, playing Robert Balboa Jr., the onscreen son of his father's...
trainer of Rocky Marciano, on whom RockyBalboa is largely based. Goldman trained Marciano in many ways similar to how Goldmill trained Balboa, such as...
character from the Rocky film series. He first appears in the 1985 film Rocky IV, in which he is the main antagonist and rival of RockyBalboa and is also responsible...
Released in 1976 with Rocky, the song became part of 1970s American popular culture after the film's main character and namesake RockyBalboa as part of his...
which differs in the match against RockyBalboa. RockyBalboa: Rocky's story begins outside of Mickey's gym, where Rocky has a street fight with Joe Zale...
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