Although Sylvester Stallone was an integral part of the Rocky franchise, his co-star Burt Young was similarly important to the movies. But unfortunately, he wasn’t quite happy with the way the films ended up for him. Revealing his disappointment with Rocky V, Young recalled one unfulfilled dream of his.
Reflecting upon his time in the Rocky franchise, Burt Young claimed how he felt his performance was prolific. The actor later confessed to being heartbroken after he was denied an Oscar for his deliverance. That was one dream that remained sadly unfulfilled for the actor.
Burt Young Was Disappointed With Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky V
Being an important and memorable part of the Rocky franchise, Burt Young was visibly disappointed with Sylvester Stallone‘s attempt at Rocky V (1990). The movie not only became a sore spot for Stallone but also for his fans. And now even Young seemed disappointed with the film.
Playing the role of Paulie in the feature film, Burt Young was upset with Rocky V for betraying his character. Young particularly disapproved of the way Sylvester Stallone dealt with the character’s mental state. According to Totally Rocky, Stallone not only mishandled Paulie but also ignored Young’s suggestions for improvements.
“So, for a short while, we didn’t talk. But now he has this reality fight show (Mark Burnett’s “The Contender”), so they asked me if I would show up, you know? And I was pleased to hug him and forget the time lost.” Young stated.
Not just Burt Young, but even Sylvester Stallone was disappointed with the new direction of the film. Disappointing loyal fans with Rocky V was partly a reason why Stallone came up with the sixth installment in 2006.
Also read: “It was bad, It was goose egg”: Sylvester Stallone Reveals Which Rocky Movie He Hates the Most
Burt Young’s Dream Surrounding Rocky Remained Unfulfilled
Apart from Burt Young’s disappointment with Sylvester Stallone and his mishandling of Paulie’s character, the late actor was also upset with another thing. Apparently, there was one dream of Young regarding the Rocky franchise that remained unfulfilled, throughout his lifetime.
According to Burt Young, he believed that he delivered a prolific performance in the movie, and thus he should have won an Oscar. Rocky indeed racked up the Best Supporting Actor nomination for Young, but unfortunately, he never won the Oscar for his performance.
“You know I should’ve won. I should’ve won. Who knows. I might get nominated on this one. That would be funny. Nominated for the same movie twice.” Young told CY Interview (via Burt Young)
During the interview, he also shared how he landed the role in the Rocky franchise. But unfortunately, Young’s one wish surrounding Rocky never came true. Eventually, Sylvester Stallone paid tribute to the late actor after his unfortunate demise on 8th October 2023.
Watch the Rocky movies on Paramount+.
Read more: Burt Young Passes Away at 83: 7 Other Rocky Stars the Ageing Sylvester Stallone Has Bid Adieu
