Honestly, playing Al Pacino should be illegal. It is a losing game. You either do a cartoonish "Hoo-ah!" impression that everyone hates, or you get swallowed whole by the sheer gravity of a legend. But when Anthony Ippolito showed up in The Offer, he didn't do either. He played the 1970s version of Pacino—the guy who was quiet, jittery, and basically convinced he was about to get fired from The Godfather at any second. It was eerie.
If you’ve been tracking Anthony Ippolito movies and TV shows, you know he isn't just "that guy who looks like Al." He has become this weirdly specific, high-stakes specialist for playing the most famous people in history. Right now, he is literally filming a movie where he plays a young Sylvester Stallone. Who does that? Most actors would run for the hills.
The Al Pacino Breakthrough in The Offer
Most people first really noticed Ippolito in the 2022 Paramount+ series The Offer. It’s a dramatization of the chaotic making of The Godfather. Ippolito plays Pacino during that window where nobody at Paramount actually wanted him. They thought he was too short, too "mush-mouthed," and not a "star."
What makes Ippolito’s performance work isn't just the hair or the nasally voice. It’s the posture. He captures that specific 70s New York theater-kid energy—uncomfortable in a suit, staring at the floor, but then suddenly lighting up when the camera rolls. He didn't meet Pacino before filming, though director Dexter Fletcher apparently passed along some notes from the man himself. Ippolito basically lived on a diet of The Panic in Needle Park and old 1973 interviews to get the cadence right.
He actually sent in an unsolicited audition tape for this. Think about that. He wasn't even on the initial radar, but he wanted it so bad he filmed himself and sent it directly to the producers. That kind of "bet on yourself" energy is exactly why he's sticking around.
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The Gritty Turn in Grand Army
Before he was playing Oscar winners, Ippolito was George Wright in the Netflix series Grand Army. This show was a massive departure from the "glossy high school" trope. It was messy, political, and frankly, pretty uncomfortable to watch at times.
Ippolito played George, a character caught in the middle of a sexual assault allegation that tears a friendship group apart. It wasn't a "likable" role. He had to play a guy who was charming and funny one minute, and then incredibly defensive and problematic the next. It showed he had range beyond just being a "lookalike" actor. He can play the suburban kid with a dark side just as well as he plays a Hollywood icon.
Every Major Role in the Anthony Ippolito Filmography
If you're looking for a quick rundown of where you’ve seen him, the list is surprisingly diverse for a guy who is still in his mid-20s.
- Pixels (2015): He played the 13-year-old version of Adam Sandler’s character, Sam Brenner. If you rewatch that movie, it’s actually hilarious how well he mimics Sandler's specific "I'm over it" shrug.
- Purple Hearts (2022): This was a massive hit on Netflix. He played Johnno. It was a smaller role compared to The Offer, but it put him in front of a huge Gen-Z audience.
- Deadbeat (2015): He popped up as Young TJ.
- What Would You Do?: Way back in the day, he appeared in multiple episodes of this hidden-camera ethics show. Honestly, most New York-based child actors have a What Would You Do? or a Law & Order credit in their basement somewhere.
The Next Big Thing: I Play Rocky (2026)
This is the one everyone is talking about. In late 2025, it was confirmed that Ippolito would play a young Sylvester Stallone in the biopic I Play Rocky.
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Directed by Peter Farrelly (Green Book), the movie follows the "true" story of Stallone in the mid-70s. At the time, Stallone was broke, had a dog he couldn't afford to feed, and was refusing to sell his script for Rocky unless he was allowed to star in it. It's the ultimate underdog story about an underdog movie.
Ippolito is stepping into big shoes again. He’s starring alongside Stephan James (who plays Carl Weathers) and AnnaSophia Robb. Rumor has it the film is aiming for a November 2026 release to align with the 50th anniversary of the original Rocky. Once again, Ippolito reportedly chased this role down with an unsolicited tape. The guy has a pattern: find an impossible role, record a video in his living room, and somehow convince everyone he’s the only one who can do it.
Why He’s Not Just a Celebrity Lookalike
There is a danger in being "the guy who plays famous people." You risk becoming a trivia answer instead of a leading man. But Ippolito seems to be avoiding that by picking projects that focus on the struggle of these icons before they were famous.
He isn't playing "The Godfather" version of Pacino; he's playing the guy who was terrified he was failing. He isn't playing "Rambo" Stallone; he's playing the guy who was trying to sell his dog for $25 just to buy food. That vulnerability is what makes him human.
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Sorta feels like he’s carving out a niche as the "Actor’s Actor." He’s a painter in his spare time, he studied at Baruch College, and he played baseball. He feels like a normal guy who just happens to be able to channel the most intense personalities of the 20th century.
What to Watch Next
If you want to see the best of Anthony Ippolito movies and TV shows, start with The Offer. Even if you aren't a die-hard Godfather fan, the dynamic between him and Dan Fogler (who plays Francis Ford Coppola) is some of the best television of the last few years.
After that, go back to Grand Army. It’s a tough watch, but it proves he isn't just relying on his resemblance to 70s movie stars to get by.
Keep an eye out for I Play Rocky trailers toward the end of 2025. Playing Stallone is a physical transformation as much as a vocal one, and if Ippolito pulls this off, he’s probably going to be a household name by 2027.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Streaming The Offer: It is currently available on Paramount+. It’s 10 episodes, and Ippolito appears in 7 of them.
- Tracking I Play Rocky: Follow production updates from Amazon MGM Studios. Filming began in late 2025 across New York and Philadelphia.
- Social Media: Ippolito is known for posting his original paintings on Instagram; it's a good way to see the "non-acting" side of his process.