Sylvester Stallone’s wife on Florida move: ‘Wasn’t really anything left for me in California’
Sylvester Stallone and wife Jennifer Flavin on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 -- (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
Sylvester Stallone’s wife, Jennifer Flavin, was ready for a major change with her husband when they decided to move from California to Florida in 2021.
Flavin spoke with Fox News Digital at the inaugural "Rocky Day" celebration this week about the couple’s relocation, saying, "It’s an incredible move, I have to say I’m really happy with our move and our change."
"I was born and raised there, two of our kids were born there, but now everyone’s out, our daughters moved to the East Coast … so there wasn’t really anything left for me in California," she continued. "A few of our best friends also moved, so I think it’s [a] good change, just making new friends, living a totally different lifestyle, I love it, I’m really happy."
She wasn’t alone in her desire for a fresh start.
In the opening scenes of his Netflix documentary, "Sly," Stallone spoke about the decision to move, saying it was beneficial to his creativity.
"I wasn’t moving because ‘Oh, wow, I wanted another beautiful view.’ Any time changing that paradigm which you become used to, it’s literally to jump-start that process again," he explained.
Actor Sylvester Stallone (C), winner of Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture for 'Creed,' poses in the press room with wife Jennifer Flavin (2nd R) and daughters Sistine, Sophia and Scarlet during the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held a
Flavin also made it clear in her interview that change was the primary factor, not any concern over crime rates expressed by some celebrities.
"There’s crime everywhere, there’s crime in Florida, too, so I didn’t move because of crime. You can find it anywhere you look, even in small towns," the mother of three said.
"I think California is probably the most beautiful state in the United States, I absolutely love it, but I just needed a change," she added. "I felt like I’ve been there long enough, and life is short, so I wanted to make a change and not just be sitting in one house the rest of my life."
Stallone’s home included a statue of his iconic character, Rocky, overlooking his L.A. pool, which turned out to be a key selling point for the next buyer: Adele.
The 77-year-old told the Wall Street Journal in June he had planned on taking the statue with him, but he recalled Adele saying, "That’s a no-deal. That’s going to blow the whole deal."
When asked about the "Rolling in the Deep" singer keeping the statue, Flavin said, "I’m not surprised, but I’m happy she’s making it her home and she’s making a lot of changes, and that’s good, you have to make every home your own."
US actor Sylvester Stallone, his wife Jennifer Flavin and daughters Sophia Stallone (L) and Sistine Stallone (R) attend the Season 1 premiere of Paramount+ series "Tulsa King" in New York on November 9, 2022. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
According to Harper's Bazaar, Adele purchased the home for $58 million. The home – situated in a celebrity enclave in Beverly Hills – reportedly has eight bedrooms and 11 bathrooms.
In the documentary, a different statue of Rocky can be seen being carefully moved from inside the home to a moving truck, presumably bound for Florida.
In 2021, Stallone was confirmed as the buyer of a sprawling $35.4 million home in Palm Beach, Florida, according to the Palm Beach Daily News.
The home sits on approximately 1.5 lakefront acres, facing over 250 feet of beach with a dock, per the outlet.
The total living space – including a main house, a guest house and a pool pavilion near the keyhole-shaped pool in the backyard – is over 13,000 square feet. Between the main and guest spaces, the property counts seven bedrooms and 12 baths, per its Realtor.com listing.