(BY CHRIS YANDEK · for www.cyinterview.com JANUARY 4, 2007) CY: Are Paulie and Rocky the best example of the friendship that lasts no matter how they affect each other and their flaws? BY: “I think you got it. I think you are right. The friendship, you don’t have to see each other daily. You don’t even have to see each other by the year, but you love each other whether they are there or not. When you do see each other, try to be like you don’t miss a beat at all. I do have two friends like that in life.” 
CY: You got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1976 for the first one. Looking back on that 30 years later, do you ever think about why you didn’t win or are you just happy you were nominated? BY: “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.” CY: How did you originally get cast for Paulie and what was your first opinion of Stallone when you met him? BY: “Well, I was the only actor that didn’t have to audition. They sent me the script. It was very low budget. I read it. I didn’t know who Stallone was. I read it and thought it was probably the most brilliant script I ever read. I write myself also in this one. I went to California and was dragging my feet trying to get a couple of dollars from them which they didn’t have. Stallone comes to me and says, ‘Mr. Young. I am Sly Stallone. I wrote Rocky.’ I said, ‘Well kid congratulations, it was wonderful. You did great.’ ‘You gotta do the movie.’ I am gonna do it. Let me twist their arm and try to get some dollars. He smiled like a pumpkin and that was the beginning.” CY: What is Paulie’s place in cinema history you think? BY: “I think Paulie is a down man. A man succumbs to the issues of life. He can’t commit to a partner. He can’t commit to a job. He has to blame others and when he has no one to blame, he must look in the mirror and it scares him a lot.” CY: What are your thoughts on how the movie and TV business changed since you started acting in the early 1970s? BY: “It’s gotten to be more conglomerate owned. It used to be that a studio’s product was recognized by its leader. Not as many leaders. Somehow you can’t aquate a studio with a certain type of movie anymore. It’s a pretty corporate decision making process. It’s also become a matter of two to three weeks to see if you have a hit or not. A lot of good projects don’t have the chance to get legs. I am sorry for the audience for that. Life does change. There are many great things that took place with change, many great movies. I used to remember when a director carried his gang with him. He had a team and it was a pleasure. The younger directors really don’t have that voice anymore.”
