Connect-Bridgeport's 2018 Top Feature Stories: #10
By Jeff Toquinto on December 28, 2018
Editor's Note: Well-known resident and weatherman Jason Parrish is a diehard fan of Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky" movies. This year, he actually auditioned for a small role in the newest flick. Read this April 22 story which has been selected Connect-Bridgeport's 2018 Top Feature Story #10.
When you work for a television station in the news department, you play many roles and wear many hats. Former WBOY meteorologist was no exception to the rule, although his specialty was then, and remains today in a substitute role with the station, the weather.
Last weekend, Parrish was back in front of the cameras sporting a new hat. Had he actually been wearing one, it would have been an ushanka.
That, for most who probably don’t know, is the Russian fur cap that has ear flaps that are actually worn and frequently depicted being worn by Russians in movies. While Parrish didn’t actually have an ushanka on, last weekend in front of the cameras Parrish was playing the part of a Russian.
Actually, he wasn’t just a Russian. He was a somewhat wealthy Russian that managed to land VIP seating for the biggest fight in Moscow in decades. Parrish had ringside seats for the fight between Adonis Creed and Viktor Drago.
If those names don’t ring a bell or if you didn’t read Connect-Bridgeport this past weekend, you may not be sure about the fight and why Parrish traveled to Moscow. The thing is, Parrish never made the flight across the ocean and, instead, drove up to Philadelphia to be an extra in the next segment in the “Rocky” series of movies, “Creed 2.” (Click HERE to read the previous story.)
Parrish found out earlier this month he was selected to be an extra in the movie and then on April 12 he found out he needed to be in Philadelphia the next morning for a full day of shooting and would be playing the part of a Russian VIP. The only thing he didn’t know was where in Philadelphia, what to wear and what he would be playing. All he was told was to check a Web site at 11 p.m. that evening.
For Parrish, a diehard fan of the Rocky movies and Sylvester Stallone, it was only a bump in the road. He loaded his car with clothes, headed to the City of Brotherly Love and gladly checked out the Web site to see what was in store.
“They were actually shooting scenes from the final fight of the move, which takes place in Moscow,” said Parrish. “I got ready and drove to the studio address and got there by noon.”
Parrish was one of about 100 extras there. After getting all the paperwork done, they were told to sit tight and 20 minutes later Parrish’s work to get on the big screen was ready to go.
“The VIPs went over to stage 2, which is where the fight was being filmed,” said Parrish. “Once there, you gave them your cell phone and they were put in a case and locked. Only the crew had access to it so no one was going to be taking pictures or recording videos of what was taking place.”
Parrish said there were only five or six rows of chairs around a boxing ring. They were told, in general, where to sit. He said the large crowd that will almost certainly be done was something he was able to determine.
“The rest of the stage was all a green screen, which is exactly what you see when doing weather,” said Parrish. “They’ll put the rest of the crowd in later.”
As they were getting situated, stand-ins for all the actors – Michael B. Jordan for Creed, Stallone for Rocky, Dolph Lundgren for Ivan Drago, and Florian Munteanu for Drago’s son – began doing work.
“We just sat there for a while until the actors got there. All of the sudden, there’s Stallone, Lundgren, Jordan and the guy playing Lundgren’s son… the dude was huge. He’s a real boxer and fighter,” said Parrish.
What else proving huge was that Parrish was inside the circle of “Rocky.” And he was amazed.
“It was absolutely incredible,” said Parrish. “To see him this larger than life person to me right there was surreal. What was the best part was (Stallone) came over and said hello to all of us and thanked us for coming. He was 10 feet away from me.”
After that, the real actors got into the ring and began fighting. Parrish said the initial scene was at the end of round eight and it was shot over and over.
“They shot the same scene from a lot of different angles and lines. Eventually, the stand-in boxers came back and kind of shadow boxed around the ring and they would ask for a crowd reaction,” Parrish said. “If Drago got hit, we would stand up and gasp. If Drago hits creed, we stood up and cheered.”
The story is a continuation of not only the Rocky series, but a direct spin from “Rocky IV.” In that movie, Ivan Drago kills Adonis Creed’s father in an exhibition boxing match that leads to Rocky traveling to Russia to face Drago to gain revenge.
So will a Bridgeport resident make the cut?
“The camera came over several times to where I was sitting, but I won’t know until around Thanksgiving. I’m going to try to make sure I’m there the first night and know I’ll see it at a minimum twice the opening weekend,” said Parrish. “Once to watch the movie and once to watch the final fight scenes to see if I made it.”
And if he doesn’t make it?
“Honestly, in the end, I don’t care if I made it. To see that and be part of it is already enough. I’ll never forget it,” he said. “It was all worth it.”
The day lasted 12 hours. Parrish said he left for Bridgeport after midnight at got back into Harrison County and home at 5:30 a.m.
“I will get paid $101 for my day’s work. I haven’t decided yet to cash it once I get it or get it framed,” said Parrish. “I’ll probably frame it.”
Editor's Note: Top photo shows Jason Parrish sporting some of his favorite Rocky gear, while the bottom two photos are of one of the studios in Philadelphia where filming took place. Note the Russian posters and writing on the walls.
