Actor Carl Weathers, 76, passes away; best known for Rocky and The Mandalorian

According to his manager Matt Luber, Carl Weathers, who gained notoriety as Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” films and went on to star in other films and television series, including “The Mandalorian” and “Predator,” has passed away. Weathers was seventy-six.

According to Luber, the actor “died peacefully at home” on Thursday. There was no listed cause of death.

“Carl embodied an extraordinary life and was an exceptional human being,” his family stated in a statement sent to CNN. “With his contributions to sports, the arts, television, and cinema, he has made a lasting impression and is well-known both internationally and among different generations. He was a cherished friend, partner, father, grandpa, and brother.

When Weathers went in for an audition for the part in “Rocky,” he was really a former football player who had never boxed. He went on to portray Apollo Creed in the Academy Award-winning movie and its three sequels.

Recalling his audition, Weathers told the Hollywood Reporter in 2015 that Sylvester Stallone was the writer of the movie, but he was unaware that Stallone was also the actor. He claimed, “I just blurted out, ‘I could do a lot better if you got me a real actor to work with,'” after believing that the reading hadn’t gone well.

The persona was clearly modeled by Muhammad Ali, a man Weathers met later in life. Weathers used his exposure to “Rocky” to get many additional parts that benefited from his commanding physical presence, including as the 1987 action-sci-fi film “Predator,” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

He played a Detroit police officer in the critically panned film “Action Jackson” the following year.

Later appearances included the TV series “Arrested Development,” the Adam Sandler comedy “Happy Gilmore,” the voice of Combat Carl in the “Toy Story” trilogy, and the TV movies “In the Heat of the Night” and “Happy Gilmore.”

Most recently, Weathers directed one episode of the Disney+ “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian” and had a significant supporting part. For this portrayal, she was nominated for an Emmy in the drama guest acting category.

In addition, Weathers has directed episodes of a number of television shows, such as “Chicago Med,” “Law & Order,” and “Hawaii Five-O.”

Weathers, a native of New Orleans, attended San Diego State for his collegiate career. He also had a short professional career with the Oakland Raiders and the Canadian Football League.

Midway through the 1970s, he left up playing football to focus on acting, landing parts in two blaxploitation films before making his breakthrough with “Rocky.”

Weathers has two kids and was married three times.

“A GENUINE GREAT MAN”
Pedro Pascal, who starred with Weathers in “Mandalorian,” captioned a picture of the deceased actor on Instagram with the words “words fail” and a crushed heart emoji as soon as he learned of Weathers’ passing.

Schwarzenegger, who costarred with Weathers in “Predator,” posted on Instagram to say that without Weathers, they “couldn’t have made” the film and “we certainly wouldn’t have had such a wonderful time making it.”

“Every minute spent with him, both on and off set, was utterly delightful,” the former governor of California said. “He was the kind of friend who makes you want to give it your all in order to stay up with him.”

In a tribute to Weathers, Sandler also shared a collection of photos on Instagram, stating that the guy was “a true great man.”

Fantastic father. Great actor. fantastic athlete. He added, “My wife and I had the best times with him every time we saw him. He’s so much fun to be around always.”

The death of Weathers, who Stallone referred to as “an integral part of my life” and “my success,” left him “torn up,” he claimed.

“Without him, I never could have achieved what we did with ‘Rocky,'” he said in an Instagram video. “Everything about him, including his voice, stature, strength, and athleticism, was just amazing. But above all, his spirit and heart.

Standing in front of a painting that portrayed a moment they shared in one of the “Rocky” movies, Stallone addressed the camera. He said, “I’ll never forget it,” and that it was probably one of their last times in the ring together.

“I felt incredibly lucky to be a part of his life,” he said.