Sylvester Stallone Responds After His Wife of 25 Years Files For Divorce

The Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone has finally responded to the divorce filing of his wife Jennifer Flavin, to whom he was married for 25 years.

Stallone Denies Flavin’s Allegations

In court documents obtained by People Magazine, Stallone denied Flavin’s allegation that he “engaged in the intentional dissipation, depletion and/or waste of marital assets which has had an adverse economic impact on the marital estate.” His lawyers added that the 76-year-old former Rocky star “has not engaged” in that type of behavior.

Stallone also opposed Flavin’s request to have “exclusive use” of their home in Palm Beach, Florida. Flavin had also asked the court to note the “conduct of each party” that could potentially lengthen the process and encourage “mutual cooperation” to “reduce the cost” of legal fees. In Stallone’s response, the actor stated that Flavin “hired counsel to represent her and agreed to pay them their legal fees.”

Stallone did not oppose Flavin’s petition to “restore” her maiden name, and he agreed with her that their marriage is “irretrievably broken.”

Related: The Rumored Reason Sylvester Stallone Is Getting A Divorce Is Crazy

‘I Love My Family’

“I love my family. We are amicably and privately addressing these personal issues,” Stallone previously told Page Six. 

Flavin filed for divorce from Stallone on August 19 after 25 years of marriage and three daughters together. Though rumors soon spread that the marriage ended over Stallone’s acquisition of a new dog, he was quick to publicly deny this.

“We did not end the relationship on such a trivial argument,” Stallone told TMZ, although he went on to admit that the couple disagreed over “how to care for the dog” given they often travel and live in two homes.

“We just went in different directions. I have the highest respect for Jennifer,” he added. “I will always love her. She’s an amazing woman. She’s the nicest human being I’ve ever met.”

Sources have said that Stallone was “blindsided” by Flavin’s divorce filing when it happened.

“You couldn’t think of a nicer couple … she’s been visiting him in Oklahoma City, where he’s filming,” said one insider. “It sounded like everything was great. I have no idea what happened.”

Related: Sylvester Stallone Confesses Why Dolph Lundgren Was His Perfect Nemesis For ‘Rocky IV’

Flavin Speaks Out

After her filing, Flavin released a statement of her own, saying, “I’m sad to announce that after 25 years of marriage I have filed for divorce from my husband Sylvester Stallone. While we will no longer be married, I will always cherish the more than 30-year relationship that we shared, and I know we are both committed to our beautiful daughters.”

“I ask for privacy for our family as we amicably move forward,” she continued. 

The New York Post reported that Flavin is a 54-year-old model who married Stallone in May of 1997, nearly ten years after they met at a restaurant. Stallone was previously married to Sasha Czack from 1974 to 1985 and Brigitte Nielsen from 1985 to 1987. Aside from the three daughters he has with Flavin, Stallone shared with Czack sons Sage, who died in July of 2012, and Seargeoh.

It’s sad to see any marriage fall apart, particularly one as long as this one. For the sake of both Stallone and Flavin, as well as for their family, we hope that this divorce stays amicable.