Sylvester Stallone: who is wife Jennifer Flavin, why did she file for divorce and do they have any children?

Sylvester Stallone and his wife Jennifer Flavin have filed for divorce after 25 years of marriage.

The couple, who got married in 1997 have three daughters together and just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in May.

In a statement, Stallone told People that “I love my family. We are amicably and privately addressing these personal issues.”

The news was announced just days after speculation the couple might be calling it quits after the Rocky actor covered up a tattoo of his wife with a portrait of his late dog, Butkus.

Here’s everything you need to know about who Stallone’s wife Jennifer Flavin is and why she filed for divorce.

Who is Jennifer Flavin?

Flavin is a former model and actress that is known for her role in Rocky V and for being the co-owner of beauty brand Serious Skincare.

The 54-year-old met Stallone at a restaurant in West Hollywood in 1988, with the pair becoming an item in 1995 and tying the knot in 1997.

Why did she file for divorce against Sylvester Stallone?

The exact reason why Flavin filed for divorce against Stallone has not been confirmed, with speculation blaming the split over Stallone’s dog.

Flavin filed the petition for divorce in Florida on 19 August, for “dissolution of marriage and other relief”.

In the documents reported by TMZ she accused her former husband of moving assets from their joint funds.

The court documents said: “Upon information and belief, the Husband has engaged in the intentional dissipation, depletion and/or waste of marital assets which has had an adverse economic impact on the marital estate”.

In a statement to People, Flavin said: “I’m sad to announce that after 25 years of marriage I have filed for divorce from my husband Sylvester Stallone. While we will no longer be married, I will always cherish the more than 30-year relationship that we shared, and I know we are both committed to our beautiful daughters.”

“I ask for privacy for our family as we amicably move forward.”

What has Sylvester Stallone said?

The 76-year-old actor has quashed rumours that the split was the result of his Rottweiler, Dwight.

Speaking to TMZ he confirmed that he and his former wife did not agree over the dog’s care but that it did not lead to the end of their marriage.

Stallone said: “We did not end the relationship on such a trivial argument.”

Adding: “We just went in different directions. I have the highest respect for Jennifer.

“I will always love her. She’s an amazing woman. She’s the nicest human being I’ve ever met.”

Do they have children together?

The couple have three daughters together: Scarlet, 20, Sistine, 24, and Sophia, 25, who all work as models.

Flavin recently shared a shot of herself and her children on Instagram along with a message hinting towards the divorce with her husband.

The caption reads: “These girls are my priority, nothing else matters.”

Adding: “The 4 of us forever”.

What happened to Sylvester Stallone’s tattoo?

The announcement comes after speculation that the couple’s marriage was on the rocks after Stallone covered up a tattoo of Flavin’s face on his right arm.

He replaced the tattoo of his wife with a tattoo of his dog Butkus, who was the bullmastiff from the iconic Rocky movie franchise and died from a heart attack in 1981.

The new tattoo was shared by Stallone and tattoo artist Zach Perez on social media before being swiftly deleted.

Before confirming the couple had split, a representative for Stallone told the Daily Mail that he had “intended to refresh the tattoo image of his wife” but the results were “unsatisfactory and, unfortunately, unfixable.”