Inside Sylvester Stallone’s ‘Rocky’ marriage – Affair, to DNA test and grovelling apology
Sylvester Stallone, 76, and wife Jennifer Flavin, 54, have called quits on their 25 year marriage – and despite having one of the longest partnerships in Hollywood, it’s hardly been smooth sailing as we take a look at the couple’s very turbulent timeline
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Sylvester Stallone and Jennifer Flavin attend Golden Globes in 2018
Sylvester Stallone’s wife Jennifer Flavin has filed for divorce after 25 years of marriage to the Rocky legend.
Jennifer, who has reportedly accused the actor of moving assets from their shared marital funds while Sylvester told fans in a statement ‘personal issues’ were being addressed.
A day before the split was made public, Sylvester headed to the tattoo parlour to cover up a huge tattoo of his wife’s face with a picture of his dog Butkus.
The series of digs brings an end to one of the longest-running marriages in Hollywood.
Jennifer first met Sylvester in 1988 when she was 19 and the actor was 41.
The pair are said to have crossed paths at a restaurant in Beverly Hills while Jennifer was enjoying a night out with friends.
When they met, Sylvester, who had already been married twice – first to Sasha Czack from 1974 to 1985 and second to Brigitte Nielsen from 1985 to 1987 – was at the height of his career.
The pair met in 1988
Image:
( Daily Mirror)
They have been married 25 years
Image:
( Getty Images)
No one knows how the relationship snowballed, but it was late in 1988 that the couple made their first red carpet appearance together.
After attending the gala night in Los Angeles arm-in-arm, they became regulars at movie premieres and parties together, side-by-side.
Things were seemingly going well, that was until 1994 when Sylvester broke it off with Jennifer after cheating on her with supermodel Janice Dickinson.
He sent Jennifer a letter, outlining what he had done with Janice, who was dating actor Michael Birnbaum at the time.
Speaking of the break-up note, devastated Jennifer previously told People magazine that it was “pretty sloppy.” She added: “He sent me a six-page handwritten letter, in pen.
“I was disappointed. You can’t just write somebody off in a letter after six years.” Explaining her wishing he’d just spoken to her in person, Jennifer added: “It’s not like I was going to try to beg him to come back to me or anything. I just wanted to talk.”
Stallone’s break-up letter was hand-written
Image:
( Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Jennifer said it left her feeling “disappointed” at the time
Image:
( AFP)
“I had no idea this was going to happen,” she continued. “We talked about us having children, about when I was going to get pregnant. We were already picking names, marking down names that he liked and I liked.”
Dickinson detailed the affair in her 2002 book No Lifeguard on Duty where she opened up about her relationship with Michael. She admitted to coming clean about her affair with Stallone which then led to them splitting.
Shortly after the affair she fell pregnant, leading her to believe that Stallone was the father. Her daughter Savannah was born in 1994 – but a paternity test revealed that he was not the father.
Just one year later, in 1955, Jennifer and Sylvester got back together, pushing all of the previous drama to one side – including Stallone’s brief romance with Angie Everhart.
It was in 1996 that they welcomed their first child, Sophia Rose Stallone who tragically suffered a hole in her heart and was rushed to hospital – luckily, she made a full recovery.
Sylvester and Jennifer tied the knot a few months later surrounded by a handful of close friends and family members at a low-key bash at The Dorchester Hotel in London, followed by a chapel ceremony at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.
The guest list was limited at the lavish Dorchester Hotel
Image:
( YouTube)
“I’m not naïve about what may go on when I’m not around – he’s a 45-year-old man – I can’t change the way he is,” she told People at the time. “Still, he’s not a cheating dog every day of the week. We spend five out of seven nights together, so I don’t know where he’d find the time.”
Still in a thriving relationship, the loved-up couple went on to welcome two more daughters together, Sistine Rose in 1998 and Scarlet Rose in 2002.
The pair are now both actors, with Sistine starring in movies such as 47 Meters Down: Uncaged and Midnight in the Switchgrass, and Scarlet appearing in the movie Reach Me.
It was only last year that Sylvester and Jennifer made headlines after their family home in Beverly Park, LA, was added on the market for a whopping £90million ($110million).
And it was in May of this year that they celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, both taking to social media to share gushing posts about their long-lasting relationship.
Sylvester and Jennifer pictured with daughters Sistine, Sophia and Scarlet
Image:
( Getty Images)
The Rocky star posted: “Happy 25th anniversary to my amazing wife. There is not enough words to describe what this incredibly selfless, dedicated, patient, woman has meant to our lives and I only wish they could be another 25! Thank you sweetheart!”
Flavin penned: “Happy 25th wedding anniversary to us! Thank you for always keeping me laughing, loving and protecting our beautiful family! Our marriage keeps getting better every year! I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together.”
Fastforward just a couple months to the beginning of this month when Jennifer shared a cryptic post about prioritising her daughters. “These girls are my priority, nothing else matters,” she posted on Instagram – sharing a picture of her three daughters.
Sylvester then sparked more speculation that his marriage was on the rocks after getting a tattoo of Jennifer on his right bicep covered up with a picture of his dog. Stallone’s publicist insisted there were no problems between the couple and it is a misunderstanding.
And now, after everything, Jennifer no longer follows Sylvester on Instagram and has filed divorce documents in Florida on Friday, according to TMZ.
Sylvester says they wouldn’t break up over a “trivial argument”
The 54-year-old has allegedly requested sole domain over their home in Palm Beach ahead of their divorce proceedings. In the divorce papers, obtained by TMZ, Jennifer claimed her husband Sylvester has been ‘hiding assets’.
The documents read: “Upon information and belief, the Husband has engaged in the intentional dissipation, depletion and/or waste of marital assets which has had an adverse economic impact on the marital estate.
“Pursuant to Section 61.075, Florida Statues, equity dictates that the Wife be compensated and made whole by receiving an unequal distribution of the marital assets in her favour.
“Moreover, the Husband should be enjoined from, selling, transferring, assigning, encumbering, or dissipating any assets during the pendency of proceedings.”
Jennifer recently shared a cryptic post about prioritising her daughters
Image:
( Jennifer Flavin/Instagram)
Following the news of their marriage split, Sylvester released a statement of his own as he confirmed the end of his relationship with Jennifer after 26 years.
In a statement through Stallone’s publicist on Wednesday, he said: “I love my family. We are amicably and privately addressing these personal issues.”
It came in stark contrast to a comment made earlier this week and after Jennifer had filed her court papers on Friday in which she states, “The marriage between the parties is irretrievably broken.”
The Mirror has reached out to Sylvester’s representatives for comment.
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