Sly skips Expendables 2 promotions (From Somerset County Gazette)

Sly skips Expendables 2 promotions

1:02pm Wednesday 8th August 2012 in National Entertainment News © Press Association 2013

The cast of The Expendables 2 have said they are giving co-star and writer Sylvester Stallone space after the death of his son last month.

Sly's 36-year-old son Sage died on July 13 in his Los Angeles home - a day after his father was joined by Arnold Schwarzenegger and other Expendables stars at Comic-Con in San Diego.

"Something like that is so severe. You can't really do anything. I sent him a handwritten note. I contributed to a charity for his kid," said Dolph Lundgren, one of a number of ageing action stars featured in the film.

"He knows we're thinking about him," Dolph said at a media event for the film. "He knows us. He knows our prayers go out to him. But what are you going to do? I have two kids. And all you can do is hug your kids and go thank God it didn't happen to you."

Sly has not made any public appearances since the death. His publicist said in a statement that the star was "devastated and grief-stricken". No cause of death has been announced.

Sage Moonblood Stallone was the oldest of Sly's children and co-starred with his father in two films, 1990's Rocky V and 1996's Daylight.

Mixed-martial-arts veteran turned actor Randy Couture said the cast was missing Sly during promotion of the film, which includes a European trip and next week's Los Angeles premiere.

"He is the leader of this group, both on-screen and off-screen. And so we miss him here," Randy said. "But we understand. We're parents. We have kids. We can't really imagine what he's going through now. But what do you say?... So we're giving him space."

Co-star Terry Crews, a former NFL player turned actor, said the cast would handle publicity for the film to allow Sly time to grieve.