The future seemed bright for Sage Stallone, Sylvester Stallone’s son, but he hated living in his father’s shadow. Many questions remained unsolved after his passing.

On May 5, 1976, Sage Moonblood Stallone was born in Los Angeles. He was Stallone and Sasha Czack’s first child. Although Sage and his father co-starred in the 1990 blockbuster “Rocky V,” their relationship was far from ideal.

According to reliable sources, the movie legend and his firstborn had trouble getting along. Sage loved the comfortable and opulent lifestyle his father’s job had afforded him, but he wasn’t impressed by Sylvester’s fictional characters.

Friends of the younger Stallone claim that their connection was made worse by Sylvester’s remarks regarding his son’s appearance. The actor would often tease Sage about being too skinny as a child and out of shape as a grown-up.

The Stallones’ actor friend and lifelong neighbor Stephen Wozniak once commented on the father-son bond. He said:

“The love-hate would go back and forth all the time.”

When his father cast the younger Milo Ventimiglia as Rocky Jr. in “Rocky Balboa,” Sage was displeased because he had already played the part of Rocky Jr. in “Rocky V.”

According to close friends, Sage was excited to play the part, but being passed up by his father was a major letdown. For his part, Sylvester was not at all pleased with his son’s disregard for his appearance.

In 1996, when the “Rocky” actor stated that Sage detested going to the gym and preferred abstract art-house films, the battling father and son made their disagreements public. The 76-year-old said Sage ensured he would never be compared to his dad.

The 1985 divorce between Sylvester and Czack, Sage’s mother, was another cause of resentment for the younger Stallone. Additionally, Sage was disappointed in the legendary actor after learning of Sylvester’s liaison with Brigitte Nielsen.

Sage once acknowledged that some of their roles were emotionally charged and required less acting and more in-person expressions as they continued collaborating on films.

In “Rocky V,” when his character raged at Sylvester for being a distant parent, Sage claimed that his performance was hardly acting. Sage claimed that he released his suppressed feelings instead, causing them both to cry. Their bond grew, and they were willing to “do anything for each other.”

When George Braunstein, Sage’s lawyer, was asked how his late client felt about his father, he responded that the late 36-year-old adored and was proud of him.

Sage, 36, was discovered dead in his Studio City home in the 8100 block of Mulholland Terrace in 2012. His attorney revealed that his housekeeper had found his body.

His lawyer, Braunstein, claimed that he displayed no symptoms of depression or mental anguish at the time of his death, for which there were no known causes. Sage reportedly had new life goals, such as getting married. Braunstein said, “He had his whole life ahead of him.”

Sage’s close friends, however, revealed that he battled prescription drug addiction for most of his adult life and appeared dependent on Vicodin and Xanax, which he took for anxiety and other issues.

When Sylvester learned of his son’s passing, he was inconsolable. The actor demanded that his family be given privacy and that the ongoing media investigation into his family cease. He discussed his heartbreaking grief in a TMZ interview. A famous actor in Hollywood said:

“There is no greater pain than when a parent loses a child.”

Sylvester praised his late son’s talent and said his family would miss him always. Several days after his passing, Sage was laid to rest. St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Los Angeles hosted a funeral.

His death brought up many issues surrounding Sage’s life and health. The reason for his demise was the subject of numerous rumors. The family of the deceased former teen actor denied rumors that his death was caused by addiction.

According to law enforcement officials, Sage’s house was in disarray when his housekeeper found him. He hadn’t been heard from in days when his mother asked her to go to his apartment.