What Happened To Sylvester Stallone's Two Sons From His First Marriage?
On May 17, 2023, America added to its long list of reality shows with the premiere of "The Family Stallone" on Paramount Plus. The eight-episode show stars Oscar-nominated actor Sylvester Stallone and his wife Jennifer Flavin, as well as the couple's three daughters: Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet. And despite his decades-long experience in front of the camera, Stallone was initially not enthusiastic about delving into the world of reality TV. "I was nervous. It was like, 'Reality? I don't know if I fit into that world,'" Stallone admitted, per USA Today. "But I'd do anything for my daughters. And I'm glad I did."
Married since 1997, Stallone and Flavin have enjoyed a blissful marriage over the years. And yet, they've also had their share of troubles. In August 2022, Closer Weekly reported that Flavin filed for the dissolution of her marriage, citing in court documents that things between her and the actor were irretrievably broken. The following month, however, Page Six confirmed that the couple's marriage was back on track following a reconciliation. "They decided to meet back up at home, where they talked and were able to work out their differences," a source confirmed.
But while Stallone has been with Flavin for over two decades, this is not the actor's first long-time marriage. Between 1974 and 1985, Stallone was married to Sasha Czack with whom he welcomed two sons: Sage and Seargeoh.
Sage Stallone worked as an actor before his death
In 1990, a teenage Sage Stallone made his acting debut in "Rocky V," the fifth installment of the famous "Rocky" franchise. In the movie, Sage played the role of Robert Balboa Jr., the only son of Sylvester Stallone's titular character Rocky. Expectedly, a teenage Sage couldn't have been more excited — a little too excited, maybe. "To tell you the truth, I was turning into a little spoiled brat after 'Rocky V,'" he admitted to People back in 1996. "I was 15 years old, and I thought I was a big shot, like, 'Ay, alright, let's hit the bars, baby.'" A few years later, Sage once again appeared alongside his father in the 1996 film "Daylight." That same year, he co-founded Grindhouse Releasing, a company that aims to restore and preserve exploitation films. In addition to his acting career, Sage also had a short stint in filmmaking with credit in "Vic," a 2006 short drama that served as his directorial debut.
Sadly, despite what looked like a promising Hollywood career ahead of him, Sage's dreams were cut off. In July 2012, the young actor suddenly died, with an autopsy later revealing the cause of death to be coronary heart disease. "Sylvester Stallone is devastated and grief-stricken over the sudden loss of his son," Sylvester's publicist Michelle Bega said in a statement, per The Guardian. "Sage was a very talented and wonderful young man, his loss will be felt forever."
Seargeoh Stallone prefers the private life
In 1979, Sylvester Stallone and Sasha Czack welcomed their second son, Seargeoh Stallone. Despite being able to write, draw, and repeat what was said to him, Stallone and Czack suspected that their young son was having trouble communicating. And so when Seargeoh was only 3, they sought out medical help from a doctor who eventually diagnosed him with autism. "We both broke down," Czack told People of the reaction to the diagnosis. During a 1990 appearance on "The Arsenio Hall Show," Sylvester recounted crying upon learning that Seargeoh was autistic. "That was bad. That was a really bad situation, and I can't recall after that, really having that kind of pain," he admitted.
But despite the pain, Sylvester and Czack were committed to providing their son with the best life they could give. Instead of placing him in a special facility as suggested, they decided to take care of him at home, with Sylvester providing funding and Czack being a lot more hands-on. "We do what we have to do. So I just said, 'Give me the money, and I'll take care of it,'" Czack explained. Inspired by their son, Sylvester and Czack also set up a research fund targeted at raising money to support the National Society for Children and Adults With Autism.
So, while his father and sisters clearly enjoy being in the spotlight, Seargeoh is more comfortable leading a much quieter life.