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EVERYBODY KNOWS THE FILM "ROCKY"
KNOW YOU FROM THAT.
PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW, NAI MOT REMEMBER THAT WON THE FILM FOR
BEST FILM-- THE OSCAR FOR BEST FILM.
>> RIGHT.
>> Stephen: YOU WERE NOMINATED FOR WRITING THE SCREENPLAY AND
AGOING THAT YEAR, ONLY TWO OTHER PEOPLE, CHARLIE CHAP LYNN AND OR
SON WELLS HAVE EVER BEEN NOMINATED IN THOSE TWO
CATEGORIES IN THE SAME YEAR.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) THAT IS AN INCREDIBLE BREAKOUT
YEAR FOR YOU.
>> IT REALLY WAS.
>> Stephen: AND NOW 40 YEARS LATER HERE ARE YOU PLAYING ROCKY
BALBOA AGAIN, TRAINING MICHAEL B JORDAN WHO PLAY AS POLO CREED'S
SON AND THE REVIEWS ARE EXTRAORDINARY.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE LOVED FOR PLAYING ROCKY NOW HERE 40 YEARS
LATER?
>> IT'S THE GREATEST GIFT.
I KNOW THAT SOUNDS CLICHE AND TRITE BUT AT ONE TIME I THOUGHT,
YOU WANT TO JUST BE REMEMBERED AS THIS MAIN CHARACTER.
AND THEN AS I GOT OLDER, I SAID WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO
DO.
THIS AND TO BE ABLE TO CARRY ON FOR SO LONG AND THEN TO HAVE A
COUPLE OF YOUNG FILMMAKERS, 27 YEARS OLD, COME IN AND FIND NEW
LIFE IN THE MOVIE.
ROCKY STORY HAS BASICALLY BEEN TOLD.
BUT NOW CREED, MICHAEL B JORDAN AND DIRECTOR RYAN COUGAR HAVE
CREATED AN ENTIRELY NEW-- I WOULDN'T SAY BEGINNING OF A
SERIES BUT A CHARACTER THAT REALLY SPEAKS FOR TODAY'S YOUTH,
AND WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY.
WHEREAS I SPOKE FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO GEORGE WASHINGTON,
YOU KNOW, WAY BACK, ABBE LINCOLN WHAT HE WAS GOING THROUGH.
>> Stephen: BUT YOU WERE STRUGGLING.
WERE YOU A LITTLE BIT LIKE ROCKY BECAUSE WERE YOU STRUGGLING.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE A DIME TO YOUR NAME.
YOU WERE OFFERED $300,000 TO SELL THE SCRIPT TO ROCKY.
>> RIGHT.
>> Stephen: TO HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE BE IN THE ROLL.
YOU SAID NO, IT HAS TO BE ME.
WHY DID THAT STORY SO IMPORTANT TO YOU YRK DID YOU WRITE IT?
>> YOU HAVE A FEW CROSS ROADS IN YOUR LIFE AND I JUST REALIZED IF
I WAS EVER GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL OR AT LEAST TRUE TO
MY DREAMS, THIS IS THE PART.
BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS BEING CAST AS KIND OF THE HEAVY.
I WAS THE ONE THAT WAS MUG JACK LEMON, MUG *** ALLEN.
I WAS THE MUGGER.
I MUGGED K O.J. AK.
I THOUGHT OKAY Y DON'T I TAKE A CHARACTER WHO IS KIND OF A
MUGGER, A, YOU A LOAN SHARK BUT HE ALSO HAS A LOT INSIDE THAT NO
ONE HAS REALLY SEEN BEFORE SO YOU COMBINE THE TWO AND OUT CAME
ROCKY.
>> Stephen: WELL, WAS IT HARD TO CONVINCE, YOU KNOW, THE
PEOPLE WHO WERE PUTTING UP THE MONEY THAT YOU SHOULD BE THE
PERSON PLAYING.
>> OH MY GOSH.
>> Stephen: HOY ABOUT THE REST OF THE CAST DID THEY HAVE ANY
DOUBTS IN YOU?
>> 100%.
I DOUBTED MYSELF, SURE.
ARE YOU KIDDING? THEY SAID BASICALLY OVER OUR DEAD BODY.
WE GOT THIS CHARACTER, BECAUSE AT THAT TIME, YOU HAD A LOT OF
YOUNG ACTORS WHO WERE ENERGETIC, JIMMY CAAN, BURT REYNOLDS, RYAN
O'NEAL, EVERYONE FANCIED THEMSELVES AS A FIGHTER.
AND THEY SAID WHO IS THAT GUY WITH A CROOKED MOUTH AND
DREEPY-- NO, FORGET HIM.
HE LOOKS LIKE A HEAVY BAG, YOU KNOW.
LEAVE HIM.
HE COULD BE USED IN THE GYM SCENE, YOU CAN PUNCH HIM, THAT
WAS PRETTY MUCH IT.
BUT AGAIN, IT WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT COULD HAPPEN TODAY BECAUSE REALLY I
WAS NOT QUALIFIED, IF YOU LOOK ON PAPER.
IT WAS A TERRIBLE CHOICE THEY MADE.
I JUST GOT LUCKY.