Stallone touts Florida's clean air as he leaves Hollywood for Sunshine State

Sylvester Stallone says Florida’s air is cleaner and the Sunshine State suits his personality better than Los Angeles, as he shifts his home base away from Hollywood. In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, the Tulsa King star described the Florida environment as near water, lush, and rejuvenating, linking these features to the lifestyle he wants for himself and his wife, Jennifer Flavin. He tied the move to a broader shift in his life, noting that the decision to leave California permanently was discussed with his daughters during the season two premiere of The Family Stallone, the reality show that follows the busy family and their changing circumstances. “First of all, the air seems to always be clean,” Stallone said, adding that being near the water has been a factor in his wife’s happiness and in his own. He also noted, “It fits my personality much better,” signaling that Florida’s pace and environment align with his creative and personal priorities.

In the interview, Stallone framed the relocation as part of a broader reset rather than a reaction to any single fear or concern. He mentioned that he and Flavin previously considered how a change of scenery might influence creativity and routine, and pointed to his longtime ties to Florida as a comfort during the adjustment. The couple’s public move was foreshadowed in 2024 when Stallone and Flavin announced during the Family Stallone premiere that they were leaving Hollywood behind for good, a decision Casey DeSantis publicly welcomed on social media. Casey DeSantis wrote, “Welcome to the Free State of Florida!” and teased the practical implications of living in Florida, including the state’s approach to daily life and personal freedom.

The Stallones’ Florida move has roots in recent years. In 2021, Stallone purchased a sprawling Palm Beach estate for about $35.4 million, a property described by the Palm Beach Daily News as sitting on roughly 1.5 lakefront acres with more than 250 feet of beach frontage and a dock. The purchase anchored Stallone’s ties to the state prior to his public relocation, and it has factored into his sustained presence on Florida’s Atlantic coast. Flavin, who spoke with Fox News Digital during the inaugural Rocky Day celebration in December 2023, described the change as a positive evolution for the family and emphasized that the move was about seeking a different lifestyle rather than avoiding crime or any fear of California. “It’s an incredible move, I have to say I’m really happy with our move and our change,” she said, noting she was born and raised in Florida and that several friends also relocated. “A few of our best friends also moved, so I think it’s a good change, just making new friends, living a totally different lifestyle.” She also stressed that her decision wasn’t driven by crime concerns, a point she echoed when addressing critics who warned about Florida’s crime rates, saying crime exists everywhere and that California remains beautiful even as she sought something new.

In his Netflix documentary opening scenes, Sly, Stallone described the move as a catalyst for creativity, explaining that changing a long-standing paradigm can act as a jump-start to the process of making new work. The actor has indicated that the relocation’s timing supports his ongoing professional projects, including the upcoming third season of Tulsa King. Stallone has described the character he plays in Tulsa King as a close reflection of his own personality, and the show’s next season is scheduled to premiere Sunday, September 21, on Paramount+. The return to television and film work underlines that the Florida shift is not a retreat from the industry but a strategic reconfiguration of where he creates and lives, drawing inspiration from a different environment and community.

The move also intersects with ongoing conversations about how Hollywood stars choose residences and how state policies and cultural climates influence relocation decisions. Florida’s public-facing messaging from the DeSantis administration and supporters highlighted Florida as a place where personal freedoms and everyday settings align with Stallone’s description of his new life. For Stallone and Flavin, the decision appears to be about continuity of family life, creative space, and a sense of renewal rather than about escaping past experiences; the couple stressed that Florida offers a balance of familiarity and opportunity as they settle into a new chapter.

The Stallones’ public life in Florida continues to unfold amid a high-profile slate of film and television projects. Tulsa King season three is slated to debut on Paramount+ in mid-September, and Stallone has indicated that the role—as well as the broader shift in living location—will inform his creative output going forward. While fans and critics will weigh how the new environment shapes Stallone’s work, the actor’s Florida pivot stands as a notable example of a prominent Hollywood figure choosing to realign personal and professional life around a different coast and community.