SYLVESTER STALLONE - STALLONE CUT HIS SON OUT OF MOVIE TO AVOID AWKWARD QUESTIONS

STALLONE CUT HIS SON OUT OF MOVIE TO AVOID AWKWARD QUESTIONS

SYLVESTER STALLONE had to make the tough decision to dump his son SAGE from ROCKY sequel ROCKY BALBOA - because he feared critics would read too much into the onscreen father-and-son relationship. Sage played Rocky Balboa Jr in ROCKY V 16 years ago (90), but he's replaced by MILO VENTIMIGLIA in the new movie, and his father admits it was a tough decision to leave his son out of the project. Stallone says, "I told Sage, 'If you do it, people will think we're playing out a personal drama and it would draw a little too much attention.' "I thought people would wonder, 'Did that really happen at home? Is that your relationship?' I just didn't want him hammered with all these questions. "He took it in spirit. In the film, there's a real sticking point as to why his son can't give him unconditional love and I've had that where my son just feels challenged and threatened by me. "I've had those conversations with my son, where he should use it to his advantage and that he's ahead of the game. I think it's important to have these honest kinds of talks to have any kind of relationship, but often they're not as simple as it's depicted in the film."