Sage Stallone worked hard to establish his own successful career, despite being the child of a famous parent. He aimed to avoid being overshadowed by his father, Sylvester Stallone, but their relationship was strained both in private and in public.
Unfortunately, they were unable to reconcile their issues before Sage’s premature passing. Sage was born on May 5, 1976, in Los Angeles to Sylvester Stallone and actress Sasha Czack. He gained recognition as a teenager for his appearance in his father’s hit movie, “Rocky V,” released in 1990.
Sage, the first child of his parents and had a strained relationship with his famous father. He was not impressed by his father’s roles in movies and was often criticized for his appearance. Stephen Wozniak, a family friend, described their relationship as love-hate. One of their many disagreements arose when Stallone chose Milo Ventimiglia over his own son for the role of Rocky Jr. in “Rocky Balboa.”
Sylvester Stallone’s son, Sage, was recast in the sequel, which left him disappointed. Stallone was openly critical of his son’s appearance and lack of concern for physical fitness, preferring abstract art-house films to gym visits. Stallone believed that his son was avoiding comparisons with him.
The father-son relationship was further strained by Stallone’s affair with Brigitte Nielsen after his divorce from Sage’s mother, Czack, in 1985. Despite their tumultuous relationship, they often acted together in films, and their real-life emotions and feelings inspired many of their roles.
Sage, known for his role in “Rocky V,” had a scene where he yelled at Sylvester Stallone’s character for being an absent father. This hit too close to home, and Sage claimed that it allowed him to release bottled-up emotions and cry with his father, improving their relationship.
Despite this scene, Sage truly loved his father and expressed pride towards him, according to his attorney, George Braunstein. In 2012, Sage was found dead in his home by his housekeeper. The cause of death was initially unknown, and Sage had shown no signs of mental health issues. He was even planning on getting married soon before his untimely death.
Close friends of the late Stallone have revealed that he had difficulties with prescription medication, specifically Vicodin and Xanax. These medications were initially prescribed to help with anxiety and other health problems.
Sylvester Stallone was deeply affected by the loss of his eldest child and requested that the media respect the family’s privacy during their period of mourning. In a statement to TMZ, he expressed the profound pain of losing a child, stating that it was indescribable. Stallone also spoke about his son’s exceptional talent and how much he would be missed by the family.
Following the sudden death of Sage, rumors surrounding the cause of death emerged, but family and friends ruled out drug addiction. Law enforcement discovered the actor’s house in disarray after his housekeeper found his body.
His mother disclosed that he had recently had five teeth pulled, which was against better advice. The actor had lost some teeth due to excessive consumption of soda and candy. Despite the messy scene, law enforcement has ruled his death an accident.
The use of painkillers may have been triggered by the pain resulting from a mouth procedure, which could have contributed to Sage’s addiction. Despite this, the police concluded that Sage died of a heart attack due to his heart disease and the absence of drugs in his system. Stallone stated that he only wants to honor his son’s memory when asked about how Sage’s death affected his career.
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