Sylvester Stallone has enthralled viewers for over five decades with his iconic action films like First Blood and Rambo and received an array of accolades for his power-packed performances, including a Golden Globe Award, a Critics’ Choice Award, two BAFTA Awards, and three Academy Award nominations.

Sly struggled at the beginning of his career but cemented himself as a force to be reckoned with after starring in the 1976 Rocky – a movie he also wrote.

Stallone grew up in an abusive home and shared a complicated relationship with his parents, Jackie and Frank Stallone Sr. While he faced abuse from both his parents, his father, in particular, was extensively violent.

In a Netflix documentary, Sly, Stallone shared that his father physically abused him throughout his life due to his jealousy of his son’s success. He often used his relationship with his dad for inspiration while penning scripts for his films.

Sylvester Stallone has been married three times and is a father of five. He shares two sons, Sage and Seargeoh, with his first wife, actress Sasha Czack. With his third and current wife, former model Jennifer Flavin, he has three daughters: Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet Stallone.

His journey to fatherhood hasn’t always been easy, but Stallone has learned from his past and remains deeply committed to his children. From his early struggles to the strong bond he shares with them today, here’s a closer look at the Hollywood icon’s family life.

Sage Stallone 

Image credits: Jeff Kravitz / Getty Images

Stallone welcomed his firstborn Sage Moonblood Stallone with Czack in Los Angeles on May 5, 1976. He made his acting debut alongside his father, Stallone, playing Rocky Balboa’s son in Rocky V.

In an interview with People in 1996, Sly opened up about his and Sage’s contrasting personalities. Stallone revealed that the duo was interested in an entirely different type of filmmaking and also noted that his son “avoids the gym like the plague.”

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In the interview, Sage shared that he was an easygoing guy who gained a lot of attention from peers in school, who’d ask him to fight them owing to his father’s character in the Rocky franchise. He’s also made revelations about sharing a shaky dynamic with Sly.

Sage noted that when he played Rocky’s son in the film, some of the dialogue involved him berating the boxer for not being around to spend time with him and his mother. This held true for his personal dynamic with the legendary actor. He described the film as a cathartic experience that brought him closer to his famous father and healed their tense relationship.

In his Netflix documentary, Sylvester Stallone said that their onscreen dynamic in Rocky V was a case of art imitating life, noting,” Unfortunately, you put things before your family. And the repercussions are quite radical and devastating.” Sage was very enthusiastic about filmmaking and went to the North Carolina School of the Arts to do a one-year course on it.

The father-son duo came together once again to star in the 1996 thriller Daylight. However, one of Sage’s most notable projects was the 2006 film, Vic. He directed, wrote, and produced the short film, which won him an award for Best New Filmmaker at the Boston Film Festival.

Image credits: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Sage has also acted in a few other films, including Chaos, Moscow Zero, and Promises Written in Water. His last onscreen appearance was the 2010 short film The Agent.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck the family when Sage died unexpectedly on July 13, 2012. During the time of his death, the reason was unknown, but eventually, it was revealed that Stallone’s firstborn son died of heart disease.

In a statement to TMZ, Stallone expressed that there is no greater pain a parent can go through than losing one’s child. He noted that he would be plagued by the “agonizing loss” for the rest of his life.

He ended the statement by urging the media to stop with the incessant speculation and rumors surrounding his son’s death,” Sage was our first child and the center of our universe, and I am humbly begging for all to have my son’s memory and soul left in peace.”

Image credits: E. Charbonneau/Getty Images

A friend of the late actor told E! News that Sage had a rocky relationship with his superstar dad, especially after his parents divorced. But over the years, the two have worked on mending their relationship.

Seargeoh Stallone, 44

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Stallone and Czack welcomed their second child, Seargeoh Stallone, in 1979. The actor’s second-born has remained out of the spotlight after being diagnosed with autism at age 3.

The actor told People in a 1985 cover issue that he and Czack broke down when their son was first diagnosed. However, they noted that Seargeoh is a “silent genius.” Sly also opened up about his dynamic with his second-born son, sharing how there’s no “ real father-and-son thing” between them.

He has to approach their relationship as Seargeoh’s playmate, putting away any ego and coming to terms with the fact that he can’t force his son into his world. Stallone refuses photo requests to prevent any interference in his son’s life.

He also noted that having a child who suffers from autism is extremely sad, comparing the condition to a radio station, noting that “he fades on and off of the signal.”

In 1985, Stallone and Czack established a research fund administered by the National Society for Children and Adults with Autism, using his film premiers to raise money for the foundation.

Sophia Rose Stallone, 28

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Stallone welcomed his first child with Flavin, daughter Sophia Rose Stallone, on August 27, 1996, in Miami. Sophia had to undergo heart surgery at just 2 months old to correct a congenital malformation of a heart valve.

Image credits: @officialslystallone

In 2012, Hello! Magazine reported that Sophia had to undergo heart surgery again due to a valve issue. It was a particularly tough year for Sly, as he was grieving the loss of Sage, while also dealing with his daughter’s surgery, which was set to take place just eight days before Christmas.

In a recent interview with Paris Match, Jennifer Flavin shared that Sophia resembles the Rocky star the most among her daughters. She emphasized the unique bond between father and daughter and their close relationship.

Sophia graduated from the University of Southern California in 2019. The following year, she teamed up with her younger sister, Sistine Stallone, to launch the Unwaxed podcast. She also founded The Favorite Book Club, a thriving digital community on Instagram for book lovers.

Image credits: @favoritebookclub

In the Paris Match interview, Flavin shared that her firstborn inherited the reading bug from Sly and noted that she had read nearly all of Shakespeare’s books, just like her father.

Sistine Rose Stallone, 26

Image credits: Jason Howard/Bauer-Griffin / Getty Images

Flavin and Stallone’s second child, Sistine Rose Stallone, was born on June 27, 1998. She is following in her mother’s footsteps as a model and signed with IMG Models in 2016.

Sistine made her modeling debut walking at Chanel’s annual Métiers d’Art show and has since walked the ramp for several big fashion brands. She attended the University of Southern California in 2018 to pursue a degree in communications.

In a 2017 interview with Vogue, Sistine revealed how her supermodel mother helped prepare her for a successful modeling career. She later ventured into acting, starring in the 2019 horror films 47 Meters Down: Uncaged and Midnight in the Switchgrass.

Image credits: @sistinestallone

In a 2019 interview with People, Sistine shared a heartfelt glimpse into her bond with her father. She revealed that Sylvester Stallone was always by her side when it came to her acting ambitions. He would help her rehearse lines before auditions, offering guidance, support, and the wisdom he had gained from decades in Hollywood.

Scarlet Rose Stallone, 22

Image credits: Jun Sato / Getty Images 

Stallone and his wife, Jennifer Flavin, welcomed the youngest member of the Stallone clan, Scarlet Rose Stallone, on May 25, 2002, in LA. Scarlet graduated high school in 2021 and seems to have inherited an athletic streak from her father, who shared a post of his youngest daughter winning a track and field event in 2016.

 

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The Stallone sisters had a special moment in the spotlight when they were named Miss Golden Globe at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards, a tradition where Hollywood’s rising stars assist in presenting awards.

Following in the footsteps of her mother, Jennifer Flavin, and her sister, Sistine, Scarlet made her runway debut in February 2024, walking for Tommy Hilfiger during New York Fashion Week.

Image credits: @scarletstallone

Stallone was beaming in an interview with Fashion Network after the show, expressing how he’s a very proud father.

Fatherhood Has Been a Learning Curve for Sylvester Stallone

Practically Hollywood royalty, the Stallone family opened their doors to give fans an insight into their family life in the reality TV series The Family Stallone. The show premiered on Paramount+ on May 17, 2023, and was quick to pick up in popularity. Just a week after its debut, it was renewed for Season 2.

The Family Stallone’s second Season dropped on February 21, 2024. The show gives viewers a peek into Stallone’s family dynamic with his wife and three daughters. The actor has been vocal about how things have not always been sunshine and rainbows in his journey as a father.

In an appearance on his daughters’  Unwaxed podcast, the actor shared that he was embarrassed to be their father because he struggled to find acting work in the early 2000s.

Sly expressed that during the bad times, one gains perspective on the importance of family. Eventually, the actor bounced back with the Expendables films, Creed spinoffs, and Guardians of the Galaxy.

In The Family Stallone series, his daughters also shed light on how dating is difficult when your father is Sylvester Stallone. They noted that their protective and intimidating dad turns “full-on Rambo” when he meets his daughter’s boyfriends.

While his daughters don’t appreciate Stallone giving their beaus a tough time, Stallone maintains that someday they’ll realize he’s doing them a favor by “getting rid of these creeps.”

The actor has also been relentless in ensuring that his daughters are well-versed in self-defense techniques. He even slipped a knife into Sistine’s backpack when she was in fourth grade as a form of protection.

According to People, Sly revealed in a 2007 interview with Woman’s Day that he had grown into a better father and husband to Flavin and their daughters. Reflecting on his journey, he shared, “You figure out that it’s not your work and successes that count, but the kind of life you make for yourself and the people who know you.”

Image credits: @jenniferflavinstallone

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in November 2022, Stallone shared that he’s often put his work life ahead of his family life. The actor said he’s learned from his tragic mistakes and now prioritizes spending quality time with his family.

Sylvester Stalone is an embodiment of the fact that there are no shortcuts when it comes to parenthood. It’s a gradual process where one is susceptible to making mistakes along the way and learning to grow from them.

While the onset of his parental journey was plagued with difficulties and poor decisions, the actor made a relentless effort to foster a closer bond with his children in later years.

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