“Rocky” star Sylvester Stallone and his wife, Jennifer Flavin, are changing their lives in the Golden State in search of a new home in Florida.
The former spouses, who married in 1997, confirmed last week that they would “permanently” leave Southern California.
“We already have the place; It’s a done deal,” Stallone told his three daughters during the second season premiere of his Paramount+ reality series, “The Family Stallone.”
Stallone and Flavin officially revealed their big move after more than a year of speculation. In December 2022, Sly reportedly put his Hidden Hills mansion up for sale for more than $22 million. Stallone and Flavin will move into their $35 million estate in Palm Beach.
The “Rambo” and “Expendables” actor, 77, said he has lived in California since the beginning of his acting career in the 1970s. Flavin, 55, was born in Los Angeles and met her superstar husband in Beverly Hills. The model and action star were apparently set to divorce in August 2022, but called off the split a month later.
Their three daughters, Sophia Rose, Sistine and Scarlet Rose, seemed surprised by the news of the big move. Sophia Rose, 27, and Sistine, 25, live in New York and were excited for their parents' newest chapter. But the youngest daughter, Scarlet Rose, 21, was not so enthusiastic.
“It's my home,” said Scarlet Rose, a student at the University of Miami.
Flavin explained to them that the Stallone family home had begun to feel like an “empty nest” after his children left for college and began living their own lives. “I need to change it,” he said.
She added: “I raised our three daughters in California. Everything is a memory for me, memories that they are no longer there. So she needed a big change and Sly accepted it.”
After trying to comfort her daughter, the “Creed” star reflected on her family's roots in California. He said he knew it wasn't going to be easy moving Stallone's main home across the country, but that his wife “really had her heart set” on the change of scenery.
“I gave up,” he said.
In a confessional interview, Sophia admitted: “It's a little strange that my dad is just tearing everything up to cross the country. “This is a big change for someone who hates change.”
Stallone and Flavin join thousands of people who have moved to Florida from California in recent years. Nearly 51,000 Californians moved to the Sunshine State in 2022, census data showed. The Times reported in November that California's population had decreased by more than 500,000 people during California Governor Gavin Newsom's tenure.
On the other hand, California welcomed about 29,000 Floridians in 2022. Politics, the difference in housing costs and taxes are among the various reasons behind their relocation.
As Stallone and Flavin prepare to put down roots in the Sunshine State, they were welcomed by Casey DeSantis, wife of Florida Governor and former presidential candidate Ron DeSantis. The first lady shared a clip from the “Family Stallone” episode on her X her account (formerly Twitter) on Friday.
“Welcome to the Free State of Florida!” said the Republican. wrote, before delving into the rise of retail theft in the couple's home state. “In addition to respecting and protecting your God-given constitutional right to be free, you can also buy toothpaste without an armed guard at CVS opening it for you.”
While some stars attribute their departure from California to crime, Flavin said he doesn't share the same concern. In December, she told Fox News Digital, “there's crime everywhere, there's crime in Florida too…you can find it everywhere you look, even in small towns.”
“I really had nothing left in California,” he also told the website.
