Instagram/@officialslystallone
Actor Sylvester Stallone took to Instagram to shower Jennifer Flavin with birthday wishes via a loving message that quickly took the Internet by storm. The Rocky star shared a candid snapshot, thanking his better half for the beautiful life they’ve shared together.
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Stallone posed in a dark jacket with his arm cast around Flavin, who looked exquisite in a plain ensemble of black leather jacket thrown over a stripy shirt. The urban setting somehow made the picture feel candid—almost private—like a tender moment snatched away from two madly in love people after 30 years.
“Happy birthday to my amazing wife. Myself and my daughters thank you for making such a beautiful life for us!!” wrote Stallone with heartfelt gratitude. Undeniably, this post must have gathered thousands of likes and comments from adoring fans and celebrities alike.
Most of the comments gave their best wishes, while one fan exclaimed, “Dreams can become reality. Happy Bday to your Queen Sly.” Another fan extolled the genetics of the couple: “Holy moly Sly. These are good Genes man.” The cheers kept rolling in from around the world, with dozens of comments coming in in French, (“Bon anniversaire”), and Spanish (“Te amo”).
Some, however, took the celebratory tone away. Suddenly, the comment stream appeared analogous to the turmoil that is associated with Stallone’s persona. “Disappointed in you Sly for getting behind Trump,” called one user to mind of the actor’s past political choices. Another oddball user took the opportunity to launch into a weird rant warning Stallone about his daughters’ futures, standing out amid an otherwise happy crowd.
The sharpest blows, though, came from one user asking, in all sincerity: “Why you don’t tell nothing about your son, you don’t count him, why?” lamenting that Stallone hasn’t ever spoken of his son Sage, who died in 2012. Even celebrations notwithstanding, the comment captures how a public figure cannot escape scrutiny with regard to his whole past.
Still, most comments truly toasted one of Hollywood’s original power couples. “When ‘iconic’ is utterly overused, then these two pop up,” a fan commented. The Stalones know next to no rivals after thousands of years spent in the spotlight, and this birthday could very well be another defining moment in that love story that is as gripping to the masses as any blockbuster Sly has been part of.
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All in all, it is a somewhat quaint moment of insight into the anatomy of films where an action-hero image are layered with a man who puts wife and family first. In an industry where most relationships crumble under pressure, one of his enduring marriages may well be one of his greatest victories. Not bad for a man who made his name portraying lone wolves like Rambo and Rocky.
This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider
