Sylvester Stallone Shares Rare Comment on Son Sage's 'Devastating' Death at 36

Sylvester Stallone, Sage, and Jennifer Flavin.

In the new Netflix documentary about his life, Sly, Sylvester Stallone made a rare comment about his late son, Sage.

At one point, the film touched on Stallone having his real-life son play his onscreen one in Rocky V. Stallone was asked by director Thom Zimny, "How did you write the scene in the basement with your son? He's saying, you're invested in the boxing, but you're not seeing me. Is that something you drew upon from your own experience?"

Stallone, who wrote the Rocky movies in addition to starring in them, admitted, "Unfortunately, yes."

He explained, "I tried to take something that actually is what I wish I had done in real life, but I wasn't able to do that in reality. And so, quite often, I would do it theatrically, magically."

Stallone then mentioned Rocky's wife Adrian's emotional speech from the sequel, in which she urged him to be there for his son. He noted that it was written from his own reflection on his shortcomings. "You know, unfortunately, you put things before your family, and the repercussions are quite radical and devastating," he said.

Sage passed away at his LA home on July 13, 2012 at 36 years old. He suffered from atherosclerosis, which caused a heart attack. Stallone shared Sage with his first wife, Sasha Czack, whom he divorced in 1985. He has four other children: Seargeoh, whom he also had with Czack, as well as three daughters with current wife Jennifer Flavin—Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet.

Next: See Sylvester Stallone's Heartfelt Tribute to Late 'Rocky' Actor and 'Dear Friend' Burt Young