Sylvester Stallone has revealed that he didn’t attend his mother Jackie Stallone’s funeral and explained exactly why he missed it. The actor recently opened up about the complicated relationship that existed between them long before he became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
The 80-year-old made the candid admission while promoting his upcoming memoir, “The Steps.” In the book, he discusses a difficult childhood marked by violence, instability, and strained relationships with his parents. The revelation follows Stallone’s recent admission that he still suffers from severe anxiety attacks, decades after he first experienced an episode.
Speaking as the memoir was released, Stallone explained that his relationship with Jackie was not a conventional mother-son bond. He went on to explain that her death in 2020 left him processing a complicated mixture of emotions rather than straightforward grief.
Sylvester Stallone Says His Mother Was ‘Very Tough’
In an exclusive interview with Page Six, Stallone describes Jackie as an extraordinary figure but also someone with whom he had a complicated relationship. He recalled growing up in a violent household and the lack of affection shown by his parents.
He recalls Jackie at one point telling him, ““The only reason you’re here is because the hanger didn’t work.” She also refused to attend the 1977 Oscars ceremony when “Rocky” was nominated for Best Picture when Stallone refused to also invite her hairdresser.
“Some people just shouldn’t have children,” he said. “And I think she knew that … She was very, very immature and she wanted to be a star … She tried to be this palmist, this astrologist, this rumpologist, she was a trapeze artist, she played piano, but she never reached out for her grandchildren or her children.”
Stallone added, “It got to the point where she just didn’t want to talk to me. So she died in isolation.“
The actor, though, believes that way his mother treated him helped drive him to succeed. He explained, “It’s the ones that have all the issues that usually end up being the most creative.”
Sylvester Stallone Is Also Processing His Son’s Death
His mother’s death isn’t the only painful family experience Stallone has recently revisited. The actor recently revealed the heartbreaking way he learned his son Sage had died in 2012.
“I’ll never forget, it was so cold: My mother’s new husband, who I’d never even met, who was a doctor, called me and goes: ‘Sly, he’s gone. Sage – he’s gone.’ I went, ‘Gone where?’ ‘He died, he’s gone. I’m sorry.’ Click,” he recalled during a new interview with The New York Times. “The thing is, you have so many episodes of guilt. Like: What could I have done? Should I have been there? What if I did that? If I went right or went left?”
Sage was just 36 at the time of his death and died from a heart condition. Stallone admitted that he initially managed to keep functioning while arrangements were made for his son’s funeral, before the grief eventually overwhelmed him years later. This almost led to the end of his marriage before he and his wife reconciled.
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Sylvester Stallone Reveals Heartbreaking Reason He Missed His Mother’s Funeral