Sylvester Stallone is ready for his close-up! The veteran actor reunited with his Rocky Balboa costar Milo Ventimiglia while filming scenes for season 2 of This Is Us.
Stallone, 71, took to Instagram on Saturday, August 12, to share photos from the set of the NBC drama as he began working on his one-episode role. He will play an actor who helps Kevin Pearson (Justin Hartley) adjust to fame on the set of a period war film directed by Ron Howard.
Ventimiglia, 40, revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this month that he called the Rocky actor to see if he’d be willing to appear on This Is Us. Stallone shared a photo with the Emmy nominee on Instagram on Saturday, writing, “My good buddy Milo Ventimiglia who was nice enough to invite me to be on the show.”
Ventimiglia opened up about Stallone’s role in a recent interview. “It’s nice to know that the material attracts the greats even like Sly,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “And to know that he’d want to be a part and play with us, it’s a very good feeling, so we’re thrilled.”
Stallone also shared some behind-the-scenes snaps with other members of the cast. “On the THIS IS US set with Justin Hartley , this is a fantastic show and he is great to work with!” he captioned a picture with Hartley, 40.
The three-time Oscar nominee then posted a photo of Chrissy Metz playfully punching him in the face. “Getting punched out by the amazing @chrissymetz on the set of THIS IS US,” he wrote.
It is unlikely that Stallone and Ventimiglia will share the screen again, though. Ventimiglia’s beloved character, Jack Pearson, died prior to the present-day scenes on This Is Us.
Still, Stallone will play a “father figure” to Hartley’s character, creator Dan Fogelman said at the Television Critics Association press tour. “We needed a big star for this movie, and we’re really excited for the script,” Fogelman said on August 3.
This Is Us season 2 premieres on NBC on Tuesday, September 26, at 9 p.m. ET.
