Sylvester Stallone’s wife of 25 years Jennifer Flavin filed for divorce, days after the movie star covered a tattoo of her face with the picture of his dog.
But it’s not the first time Stallone and Flavin have faced a very public bust-up.
The couple previously parted ways back in the nineties, leading Flavin to fall into the arms of Australian billionaire James Packer.
Jennifer Flavin (right) has filed for divorce from Sylvester Stallone (left) after he covered a tattoo of her face with an image of a dog
Stallone and Flavin began dating in 1988 after meeting in a Beverly Hills restaurant.
Flavin was a 20-year-old model, while 41-year-old divorcee Stallone was suffering a temporary career setback with Rambo III – a movie that won him the Golden Raspberry for worst actor.
The couple dated on-and-off until 1994, when Stallone unceremoniously dumped Flavin by sending a six-page breakup letter via Fedex.
Stallone and Flavin began dating in 1988 after meeting in a Beverly Hills restaurant. The couple dated on-and-off until 1994, when Stallone unceremoniously dumped Flavin by sending a six-page breakup letter via Fedex
Luckily, a billionaire businessman named James Packer (right) was there to pick up the pieces. Packer, the playboy son of media mogul Kerry Packer, was one of Australia’s most eligible bachelors when he swept Flavin off her feet. Pictured: Flavin and Packer in happier times
Sylvester had broken up with her to be with model Janice Dickinson, who claimed to be pregnant with Stallone’s child.
Luckily, a billionaire businessman named James Packer was there to pick up the pieces.
Packer, the playboy son of media mogul Kerry Packer, was one of Australia’s most eligible bachelors when he swept Flavia off her feet, having previously dated high-profile beauties including Kate Fischer and Tania Bryer.
Flavin visited Australia several times during their relationship, and was regularly spotted on Packer’s arm in Sydney’s elite eastern suburbs. Pictured: Packer at Bondi Beach, 2003
The pair met on the US polo circuit in July 1994 and bonded over their shared love of all things equestrian.
Flavia visited Australia several times during their relationship, and was regularly spotted on Packer’s arm in Sydney’s elite eastern suburbs.
The dalliance lasted just a few months, however, with Flavia ending things and returning to the US in February, 1995.
Stallone’s love life wasn’t going any better following his split from Flavin.
Stallone was engaged to pregnant Dickenson for six months, until a paternity test revealed he was not the father of her child.
Heartbroken, Stallone ended the relationship and moved on with actress Angie Everhart.
The couple became engaged, but things quickly fizzled out.
Stallone was also devastated to learn that Flavin had moved on with Packer and decided to woo her back.
He was successful, and ended up marrying Flavia on May 17, 1997 at the posh Dorchester Hotel in London.
The couple married on May 17, 1997 at the posh Dorchester Hotel in London, but with Stallone’s reputation as a playboy, few predicted they would last long
Sadly, their once rock solid marriage came to an end this week
With Stallone’s reputation as a playboy few predicted they would last long, yet the couple proved their naysayers wrong for 25 years.
‘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,’ Flavin told People at the time.
‘Still, he’s not a cheating dog every day of the week,’ she added. ‘We spend five out of seven nights together, so I don’t know where he’d find the time.’
Stallone had a huge tattoo of Flavin’s face on his right bicep
Sadly, their once rock solid marriage came to an end this week.
On Monday, DailyMail.com revealed Stallone had a giant tattoo of Jennifer on his right bicep covered up with a picture of Butkus, Rocky’s bull mastiff from the hit movies.
Flavin also hinted that it might all be over in an Instagram picture of her hugging their three daughters Sophia, 25, Sistine, 24, and Scarlet, 20.
Stallone appeared unconcerned as Zach Perez worked on covering the tattoo of his wife of quarter of a century
‘These girls are my priority,’ she wrote on the post August 10. ‘Nothing else matters. The 4 of us forever.’
Jennifer is no longer following her husband on Instagram.
Flavin filed for divorce on Friday in Palm Beach County, Florida, Closer Weekly first reported, and is claiming that Stallone has hidden their marital assets.
Butkus appeared alongside Rocky Balboa in the original Rocky and again in Rocky II; the bull mastiff was owned by Sylvester Stallone in real life.
According to divorce documents obtained by DailyMail.com, she claims Stallone ‘has engaged in the intentional dissipation, depletion and/or waste of marital assets which has had an adverse economic impact on the marital estate.
‘Moreover, the Husband should be enjoined from, selling, transferring, assigning, encumbering, or dissipating any assets during the pendency of proceedings.’
Jennifer, who took her husband’s last name, is also seeking to restore her maiden name, Flavin.
Flavin hinted that it might all be over in an Instagram picture of her hugging their three daughters on August 10. ‘These girls are my priority,’ she wrote on the post. ‘Nothing else matters. The 4 of us forever’. Pictured with daughters, Sophia, 25, Sistine, 24, and Scarlet, 20
‘I love my family. We are amicably and privately addressing these personal issues,’ Sly told DailyMail.com in a statement via his publicist.
Flavin said in divorce docs, ‘The marriage between the parties is irretrievably broken.’
Earlier this week, Stallone’s publicist insisted that all is well and Sly had wanted to update the tattoo – but it went wrong and was ‘unfixable’.
‘Mr Stallone intended to refresh the tattoo image of his wife Jennifer however the results were unsatisfactory and, unfortunately, unfixable,’ she said.
‘As a result, he had to cover the original image with a tattoo of his dog from Rocky, Butkus.
‘Mr Stallone loves his family. The Stallones are presently filming a reality show together which will debut on Paramount+,’ Bega added.
Stallone happily posed with Perez after the inking despite claiming he had botched the updating of his wife’s picture and had to replace it with Butkus
The publicist declined to comment further.
Stallone, 76, was showing off the tattoo of his wife as recently as August 7 with a photo on his Instagram page. But just nine days later on August 16 tattoo artist Zach Perez posted himself working on Stallone’s upper arm.
And his pictures showed the Flavin ink has gone and in its place is a picture of a little puppy.
Perez posted a picture of his artwork too, but took it down when commenters started asking why the star had covered up his wife’s picture.
But last it did and just this May they celebrated their silver wedding anniversary. The marriage produced three daughters, Sophia, now 25, Sistine, 24, and Scarlet, 20.
Stallone has often joked about the lack of testosterone as he has spent the years surrounded by the women in his life. Having three daughters, he said ‘is a free passport to hell,’ during a 2010 interview.
‘Everything in the house is female,’ he added. ‘The toys, the housekeeper, all the dogs, he said in a 2010 interview.
In May, on the couple’s anniversary Stallone 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 (sic) could be another 25!’
‘The one dog I have that’s male is neutered… I’m next.’
But he credited Jennifer with learning to have fun.
‘It took me 19 years to realise she’s always right. I realised that women have a knack, at least Jennifer, for making incredibly erudite, wise, smart decisions. I always leap without looking. She always looks and never leaps.
‘She’s incredibly safe. So now finally, I say: ‘Honey, you make all the decisions. Done, done, done. I trust you.’ I never had that before. Ever.’ Things weren’t always so sane.
This year on their anniversary in May she posted: ‘Thank you for always keeping me laughing, loving and protecting our beautiful family!’
This year on his anniversary he 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 (sic) could be another 25!
‘Thank you sweetheart!’ he ended the post.
She responded with a post of her own. ‘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!’
The anniversary Instas became a tradition in the Stallone household. Last year for their 24th, he posted ”It’s happy Wedding Anniversary Time again! Time is flying but I have a blessed life Thanks to my wife and Family,’
Jennifer is no longer following her husband on Instagram
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk