Sylvester Stallone's Son Sage Stallone Found Dead at 36

Sylvester Stallone is described as "devastated" by the death of his 36-year-old son, who was also an actor.

Sage Moonblood Stallone, who appeared in the 1990s as Rocky Balboa Jr, the son of his father's title character, was found dead at his Hollywood home.

"Sylvester Stallone is devastated and grief-stricken over the sudden loss of his son, Sage Stallone .. His loss will be felt forever," said a statement issued by his publicist, Michelle Bega.

"His compassion and thoughts are with Sage's mother, Sasha," the statement added, referring to the Rocky star's first wife.

"Sage was a very talented and wonderful young man."

The Hollywood A-lister, who is currently promoting his latest movie Expendables 2, was a "wreck," celebrity news website TMZ reported, adding that paramedics were called but Sage was pronounced dead at the scene.

TMZ cited unidentified sources as saying that he had died of an overdose of pills, adding that authorities were trying to establish whether the death was intentional or accidental.

Sage Stallone's lawyer George Braunstein said the young actor was not known to be depressed.

"I got a terrible call a few hours ago ... when the housekeeper opened the door and they found what had happened," he told NBC 4 television, adding: "I'm personally devastated. It's just a tragic, tragic loss.

"He was an extremely good actor, a good writer / director, really one of those people who was extremely respectful of Hollywood. He loved his mum and dad. He was a talented, talented person."

He added to the New York Post: "He was in good spirits, and working on all kinds of projects ... He was planning on getting married. I am just devastated. He was an extremely wonderful, loving guy. This is a tragedy . "

A spokesman for the Los Angeles County Coroner's office, reported to be handling the case, told AFP: "We are in the initial stages of our investigation" but gave no further details.

A spokesman for the LA Police Department (LAPD) said he could not confirm the death, adding: "There's a death investigation, they're waiting for the coroner to identify the body."

George Braunstein, an attorney who has represented Sage Stallone for 15 years, said a housekeeper found his body Friday afternoon US time. Friends and acquaintances had become concerned because they hadn't heard from Stallone in the past day, Braunstein said.

Sage Moonblood Stallone was the oldest of Sylvester Stallone's children and co-starred with his father in two films. He was the first of two sons Stallone had with first wife Sasha Czack.

Sage Stallone made his acting debut in 1990's Rocky V and also appeared with his father in 1996's Daylight.

Also in 1996, Sage Stallone and veteran film editor Bob Murawski co-founded Grindhouse Releasing, a company dedicated to preserving and promoting the B-movies and exploitation films of the 1970s and 80s.

"He was very respectful of all the actors in all the movies," Braunstein said. "You couldn't mention a movie that he didn't know everything about."

Sage Stallone also directed the 2006 short Vic, which screened at the Palm Springs Film Festival.

Braunstein said Stallone was planning on getting married for the first time, and had frequent requests to work on films.

"He was a full of life filmmaker with his whole future ahead of him," Braunstein said. "He was just very up and enthusiastic and positive.

"I think it was probably some sort of accident," he said of the death.

Braunstein said Sage Stallone greatly admired his father but was working hard to make his own name in the film industry.

"He was very proud of his father and proud to be his father's son," Braustein said.

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