Who Are Sylvester Stallone's Daughters?

Sylvester Stallone has been a silver screen staple since the 1970s and has inhabited not one, but two of the most iconic roles in Hollywood: Rocky Balboa and Rambo. Despite his astronomical success, though, life hasn't always been kind to Stallone. His real-life story reads more like a tragedy, and he has faced a long list of personal hardships; from feuding with his brother, Frank Stallone, to the tragic death of his son and nearly losing his decades-long marriage to Jennifer Flavin.

However, one constant bright spot has been his kids. Sylvester Stallone's three daughters — Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet Stallone — are his pride and joy. As he told USA Today in 2023, "I'd do anything for my daughters." While the Stallone sisters have lived wildly lavish lives for a long time, they're just starting to make waves in the mainstream. In 2023, the family joined the reality TV ranks with their own show on Paramount+, titled "The Family Stallone," catapulting all three girls into the spotlight. 

Perhaps most surprising was just how normal and grounded they seemed. Even so, there are plenty of interesting facts to learn about Sophia (born in 1996), Sistine (born in 1998), and Scarlet (born in 2002). Here's everything we know about the Stallone daughters, from their upbringing to their dating lives, their career aspirations, and more.

Sylvester Stallone has built an entire career around being a tough guy, but his home life is nothing like what you see on-screen. "I basically just keep my mouth shut and don't cause waves," he explained on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2016. "It's all women — women rule — and even the dogs, they're female and the one male has been neutered."

All jokes aside, Sly did tell Variety at the 2016 Golden Globes that he was often away at work during his daughters' childhoods. "I give my wife all the credit because I'm pretty pathetic as a parent," he admitted. In reality, he just wanted the best for his girls — Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet Stallone — and that has meant keeping them far away from the spotlight. As Sistine told Numéro Netherlands in 2023, "[My parents] were trying to raise us as normal as possible and not put us out besides going to my dad's red carpet premieres."

That non-Hollywood upbringing meant putting education first and fame last. Meanwhile, Sophia described their childhood to Harper's Bazaar in 2017 as "very hermit-y." Indeed, they had no celebrity friends and their dad's favorite pastime was having them memorize poems, like Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven," so they would learn to enunciate and never mumble like he became infamous for. As for having an A-list father, it never fazed the sisters. Speaking with The Telegraph in 2016, Sophia mused, "To us he's always just been Dad: an ordinary guy and an ordinary dad."

Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet Stallone weren't exaggerating when they said their parents emphasized a normal upbringing. Indeed, education has always been important in their home and all three sisters have gone on to succeed academically. First up, Sophia attended the University of Southern California where she changed her concentration from studying Art History to a major in Communication. She graduated from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism in 2019 and her dad was beyond proud. "An absolutely amazing day for us all," he gushed on Instagram.

For the other sisters, both Sistine and Scarlet have taken their studies seriously as well. In 2017, Sistine graduated cum laude from the swanky, private academy, Notre Dame High School in California, as her family cheered her on. "Sly had his iPhone camera out the whole time," a source told the Daily Mail. "He must have taken hundreds of pics and videos during the ceremony."

Sistine then took a gap year to live in New York and pursue her modeling dreams but eventually followed in Sophia's footsteps. In 2018, she enrolled as a Communication major at USC, telling Town & Country, "I'm ready to be a kid again, and maybe join a sorority." Last but not least, Scarlet graduated from the Campbell Hall School in 2021, then enrolled in the University of Miami.

Sylvester Stallone isn't the only one in the family with an impressive right hook! In 2017, Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet Stallone spoke with Harper's Bazaar and revealed that their dad is also their fitness coach, and he does not go easy on them. "We'd get up really early, like 6 a.m., and do 20 sit-ups and push-ups, practice our shot put ... learn how to throw a punch, and practice golf," Sophia revealed.

The actor also began imparting his love of boxing to his girls early on. As mom Jennifer Flavin told The Telegraph, "Sly started them boxing when they were 4." The sport was something he kept up every morning before they went to school. "They would have to box, throw a baseball or do push-ups and sit-ups — and I mean the real 'boy' kind," she shared.

It may have been rough at first for the young girls, but their athletic skills are something the sisters are extremely proud of. "Thanks to Dad, we can throw a good punch," Sistine told the publication. "He taught all three of us how to be strong and defend ourselves. So if ever there was a bully at school he would say, 'Just swing. Show them what I taught you.'" Moreover, they love being able to break stereotypes. "We're not just about shopping," Sistine mused. "We can throw a punch, we can pitch, and we can run faster than a boy."

Up until 2021, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) would choose a Golden Globe Ambassador — previously known as Miss Golden Globe and Mr. Golden Globe — to hand out trophies and escort winners on and off the stage. The honor was always granted to the children of famous Hollywood heavyweights, and, in 2017, they decided to mix things up by giving the title to all three of Sylvester Stallone's daughters simultaneously.

"We're thrilled to not only be part of the Golden Globe tradition, but to be making history as the first set of siblings ever chosen for the title and duties," the girls said in a joint statement, per E! News. According to Lorenzo Soria, the HFPA's president at the time, they were the perfect pick because "each of the lovely young women in the triad have had success, whether it be in academics, sports, or pursuing a modeling career."

And while Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet Stallone were nervous to take on the role, they loved it. Sharing their fondest memories with Harper's Bazaar, Sistine admitted her "heart skipped a beat" when she chatted with Leonardo DiCaprio, while Scarlet "fainted a little" when she encountered Ryan Gosling. As for Sophia, she was smitten with Ryan Reynolds, but not the smoothest. "It just came out like word vomit," Sistine quipped of her sister's attempts to play it cool.

Dating is never easy, but imagine having to introduce a potential match to Rocky Balboa. Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet Stallone will be the first to tell you it's no walk in the park. "He's quite intimidating to most," Sistine told "Today" in 2023. "Most of the time when they come over to meet the parents, they don't necessarily return, simply because he's just so scary." It doesn't help that he's against them dating in the first place. "I'm hoping they turn out to be spinsters," Sly quipped. "I'm working on that. They stay home forever."

One of his tactics includes determining a date's character through his handshake. "The one thing he does is, when you shake his hand, he goes, 'Grip it like a man,'" Sophia recalled on "Access Hollywood Live" in 2016. "So every time they come over, they're like, 'Mr. Stallone, is that better?'"

Another thing he does is decide if a date is worthwhile within four minutes of meeting them. "He's always standoffish, stands in the corner, doesn't say anything," Sistine told the "Giggly Squad" podcast in 2023. And while she doesn't like how quickly he makes a decision, she conceded, "He's right every time." In addition to being a good judge of character, the actor also helps his girls in another department. "My dad is a savant when it comes to our dating lives, in so many areas," Sistine told the podcast. "He writes most of our breakup texts."

Sophia Stallone was just two-and-a-half months old when she suffered a harrowing ordeal. It was 1996 and she suddenly fell ill, leaving her parents scrambling to find out what was wrong. They took her to 12 doctors, all of whom failed to diagnose the problem. Eventually, it was discovered she had a hole in her heart that required open-heart surgery. Luckily, the operation was a success. Afterward, Sylvester Stallone issued a statement, per E! News, saying, "I have been blessed with two miracles within the past nine weeks — that of my daughter being born and that of my daughter being reborn."

Everything was going well after that until, at age 16, Sophia fainted while playing volleyball. As she explained to Paris Match (via Hello!) in 2012, doctors told her she needed a second surgery. "The tissue they put in 16 years ago has widened and I have problems with the valves," she recounted. Thankfully, everything went smoothly.

As she told The Telegraph in 2016, "I can do everything now, I just have these scars." She decided to look on the bright side, adding, "I feel like a better person today because of what happened — more of an old soul." But that certainly isn't to say it was easy. As Sophia admitted to Paris Match, she's constantly thinking about her heart, affecting her everyday choices. "I eat really healthy, and as I get more tired than normal, I have to be very careful when doing sports," she said.

Sylvester Stallone may be the Stallone family's biggest star, but back in the 1990s, Jennifer Flavin was a celebrity in her own right. Back then, Flavin was a popular model and it seems her passion for fashion has passed down to daughter Sistine Stallone. The beauty signed with the IMG agency in 2016 while still in high school and eventually moved to New York for a full year in 2017 to pursue modeling full-time. As she told Vogue in 2016, modeling was something she always hoped to do. "I don't enjoy acting as much as I love modeling," she mused. "I was drawn to the art and craftsmanship of what goes into creating unique images."

Interestingly, Sistine initially doubted her ability to follow in her mom's footsteps. "I always had an eye for fashion, even when I was a little girl, but I never thought I could ever model," she told Coveteur in 2018. "I was so awkward-looking and really skinny." Eventually, it was Flavin who encouraged her daughter to simply go for it at age 15. Then, when her first shoot proved to be a disaster, it was her mom who gave her the strength to keep going. Since then, Sistine has graced magazine covers, walked the runway for Chanel, and shot a campaign for Dolce & Gabbana. Even so, she remains unsure. "I still don't think that I'm the best model, or I'm even remotely okay at it, but I really do enjoy it," she told Coveteur.

The youngest member of the Stallone family is also the sportiest. Scarlet Stallone is an avid athlete with a penchant for winning, whether she's playing volleyball or running track-and-field. In 2016, while she was in middle school, proud papa Sly Stallone posted a video to Instagram showing her racing around a track and gushed, "Scarlet Winning in her division. The FLASH." She continued competing while at Notre Dame High School, taking part in both the 100-meter and 4x100 relay events. But she doesn't just love playing sports, she also loves watching them. Scarlet has often been spotted at Lakers games, whether with her dad or on a double date with sister Sophia.

What's more, Scarlet is a beast in the gym. As her trainer, Kevin Mejia, told Hollywood Life in 2020, she and sister Sophia "conquer some of the toughest exercises in the gym with ease." Sharing their workout secrets, Meija revealed, "We focus sessions on consistent toning and core work." He explained that a typical session starts with activation exercises, followed by single-sided work, and finally strength and core work. "Then we usually end with a fun game of HORSE in basketball," he said.

Given who their father is, you might expect the Stallone sisters to have a predisposition for Hollywood, but Sophia Stallone told Harper's Bazaar in 2017, "I don't think any of us have the acting gene." Indeed, Scarlet confirmed that the first time she tried acting in her dad's 2014 film "Reach Me," it was a big fail. "I literally just had to say one tiny line and they had to cut that in half," she shared. "It was pretty humiliating."

But things have changed since then. Scarlet returned to acting in 2022, appearing opposite her dad in the Paramount+ series "Tulsa King," and Sylvester Stallone told USA Today she has what it takes to make it. "There's a thing she has with the camera, even with still shots, that is unique," he enthused, noting, "I've worked with enough actors to know when it's not their chosen profession." It also helps that she's fully committed. Of his three daughters, Sly said "Scarlet is the one who's most adamant about pursuing the job of a wandering dramaturge."

As for how she feels about her acting, Scarlet is still her own harshest critic — aside from her mom. "The first thing I did right when I got off set, every single scene, I would run straight to Mom and go, 'Did I do good?" she said of shooting "Tulsa King." "I know for a fact anyone could lie to me straight to my face ... that woman would say, 'No, that was horrible.'"

In addition to pursuing their own independent passions, Sophia and Sistine Stallone share a common hobby: podcasting. Since 2020, they have been hosting their own series titled "Unwaxed," which, as Sistine admitted to Numéro Netherlands in 2023, isn't the best title ever. "The reason we call it 'Unwaxed', which is very confusing to a lot of people, is that we wanted to be as real and raw and authentic as we possibly can," she explained. On their show, the sisters like to discuss a wide range of topics and have recorded episodes on everything from mental health to cuffing season. They also sprinkle in celebrity interviews with guests ranging from their dad to Spencer Pratt, who stopped by to talk about crystals.

As for how it came to be, the podcast was actually Sophia's idea. Initially, she planned to do the show solo and focus on literature with lots of author interviews, but Sistine soon shook things up. "I, as an annoying little sister, was just bugging her to let me do it," the model told Numéro Netherlands. Sophia eventually relented and they reworked the premise with a focus on girl talk. As of January 2024, "Unwaxed" had over 120,000 subscribers on YouTube, 100,000 followers on Instagram, and the show is hosted on all of the major streaming platforms.

Sylvester Stallone may not seem like the kind of person who would embrace social media, but as it turns out, Rambo loves to post on Instagram. In addition to plenty of updates about his work, the actor also enjoys featuring his family. As his daughters told "Access Hollywood Live" in 2016, it can sometimes be a bit much. When asked about Sly's Insta game, all three girls uttered a simultaneous groan. "Everyone else seems to like it but us," Sistine mused. "I don't know about you, but I don't want a phone in my face when I wake up first thing in the morning." 

Similarly, Sophia told Harper's Bazaar in 2017 that their dad loves filming them when they're least expecting it, especially right as they wake up. "He'll be like, 'Hey, good morning!'" she said, quipping, "And we'll be like, 'Thanks, Sly!'"

Even so, they have always played along. "No, we love it," Sophia clarified on "Access Hollywood Live." "It shows us who we really are ... we're raw, we're fun, we're really outgoing." Indeed, they have appeared in plenty of silly videos on their dad's feed, like the time Sistine did a "Happy Gilmore" routine or the occasion when the girls recreated Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg's "3-Way (The Golden Rule)" for Halloween, complete with their overalls and mustaches.

Sylvester Stallone added "reality TV star" to his resume when "The Family Stallone" premiered on Paramount+ in 2023. The series featured the actor, his wife, and three daughters and was quickly berated by the media. The Daily Beast called the Stallones "very snoozy," and The Guardian asked, "What the hell is going on with this bizarre editing of Sly's life?" Even so, the show did so well in its premiere week that Deadline confirmed it had been renewed for a second season just a week after it hit the streaming platform.

It turns out that the show was a long time coming. "We've been approached to do a reality show since I was probably 11 years old," Sistine recalled to Numéro Netherlands. "Everyone wanted to make it and we were too young." As they grew older, she became the driving force behind saying yes. "My parents were for sure hesitant, but it really wasn't a hard sell," she told WWD in 2023. While Scarlet worried that being on TV might negatively impact her college life (she wanted to have as normal an experience as possible), everyone eventually agreed. "I think I was most surprised how on board my dad was," Sistine shared. "That was shocking to me." And while she admitted they were all nervous about how they would appear on camera, they've enjoyed the experience. "I love that people get to see how just chaotic and wild and unorthodox we really are," she enthused.

Before Sylvester Stallone married Jennifer Flavin, he was married to Sasha Czack for just over a decade. The couple had two sons: Sage Stallone in 1976 and Seargeoh Stallone in 1979. Sadly, Sage died of a heart attack in 2012. While it's unclear what kind of relationship he shared with his half-sisters (he was pictured carrying Scarlet Stallone on the "Rocky Balboa" red carpet in 2006), losing him couldn't have been easy.

His tragic death was made more painful by non-stop speculation about the role drugs may have played. Scrutiny became so loud that Sly actually had to issue a statement (via CNN) calling for people to stop. "Sage was our first child and the center of our universe and I am humbly begging for all to have my son's memory and soul left in peace," he wrote.

As for Seargeoh, he has spent much of his life away from the limelight after being diagnosed with autism at age 3. Speaking about the challenges of parenting his youngest son, the actor told People in 1985, "There is no real father-and-son thing there; I have to become his playmate." Noting that it's a humbling experience, he added, "You can't force him into your world; I sort of go along with whatever he is doing." He and Czack also set up a research fund for the cause. "Sasha does the hard, in-the-trenches warfare," the actor explained. "I use my films to have premieres that raise money for the fund."

If you think the Stallone sisters want to simply sit back and live off their father's fame, think again. All three have big career ambitions, both in and out of Hollywood. In 2023, Sophia told StyleCaster she has been working on a dating app while also pursuing her literary passions. "I'm writing a book," she shared. "I'd love to be a romance or fantasy author and build that up with my book club." As for Scarlet, she is indeed eyeing a future in Hollywood. "I've always dreamed about making it big in acting," she gushed while also toying with the idea of designing shoes.

Then there's Sistine, who's trying her hand behind the scenes as a writer and producer. She created a horror film called "Scavenger Hunt," and in 2023, movie execs lapped it up. "Right now I'm producing my first film that I sold to MGM and Amazon," she told StyleCaster. She also discussed launching a fashion label focused on sleepwear.

While Sistine told The Hollywood Reporter in 2017, "I don't think I could ever act," that has been proven untrue. In 2019, Sistine starred in "47 Meters Down: Uncaged" and gave it her all. Sly was super proud, posting the trailer to X, formerly known as Twitter, and writing, "Like her old man, she did her own stunts as you can see!" Then, in 2021, she appeared in "Midnight in the Switchgrass" opposite Bruce Willis and Megan Fox.