Carl Weathers, 76, passed in his sleep. Way too young.

https://www.theguardian.com/fi...rocky-predator-actor

Carl Weathers, the actor whose credits include Rocky and Predator, has died at 76.

His family released a statement through his agent to announce that he died “peacefully in his sleep” on 1 February.

“Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life,” the statement continued. “Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner and friend.”

Weathers was best known for playing Apollo Creed alongside Sylvester Stallone in the first four Rocky films. Footage of Weathers was also used in the Creed films led by Michael B Jordan.

After becoming a college football star in the 1960s and retiring from a professional career in the early 70s, Weathers began acting in blaxploitation cinema with small roles in Bucktown and Friday Foster.

“I was bitten by the bug, as they say,” Weathers said in 2023. “On stage having people laugh at the good lines and applaud at the end – it’s pretty, pretty infectious. Once that bug gets inside you, it’s kind of hard to give it up.”

His breakout became in 1976’s Rocky taking on a role initially intended for real-life boxer Ken Norton. He allegedly got the role after criticising Stallone’s acting in his audition. “Sometimes the mistakes are the ones that get you the gig,” he said in 2015.

In 2020 he said about playing a boxer: “It was hard to escape taking punches on set. There were times when intentionally we went at each other. I was always concerned that if I hit Sly, threw a punch right, it might hurt. And there was no reason for that. And I think he was pretty much the same way.”

Weathers then took roles in the next three Rocky movies, opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987’s Predator and the lead in 1988’s Action Jackson.

In the following decade he acted with Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore and went onto appear in Arrested Development as an acting coach and the voice of Combat Carl in Toy Story 4.

His most recent roles included Greef Karga in The Mandalorian which scored him an Emmy nomination for outstanding guest actor in a drama series. He also directed two episodes.

“I’ve loved my time on the show; it has given me an opportunity to be creative in a much more complete way than I had been prior to in other projects,” he said in 2021. “It has been a great experience, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.”

He is survived by two sons.


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I was going to post also of his passing. The early Rocky movies were (in my youth) incredibly entertaining. I actually thought of his role as Apollo in the series when a pair of American flag boxing/athletic shorts were spotted last week. RIP.

I really enjoyed his work. RIP Mr Weathers.

Most recently on Mandalorian. Also Force 10 from Navarone. Predator. And of course the Rocky films among others. RIP

Never seemed political that I can recall. Just by all appearances made a great living as an actor. Mostly character roles never the superstar.

Ouch, that one hurt a little bit. I cannot even recall the amount of times I saw Rocky I, II and III as a kid.

Oh, crap. He was going to be at a con here in Texas this fall. . .

I never liked the Rocky movies (only Rocky IV), but he was in Predator, Action Jackson (yeah, I saw that one), and he was EXCELLENT in The Mandalorian.

76 is WAY too young for somebody with that kind of money (which means access to good health care).

quote:

Greef Karga

That's HIGH MAGISTRATE Greef Karga, bub.

Rest in peace, Mr. Weathers.

That’s too bad, I sure liked his work. My 4 kids at home have been on a huge Rocky series kick for awhile now. They’ll probably be more bummed out than me!

I hope he'd approve of the fact his real name isn't recognizable to me But I immediately knew who Apollo Creed was.

His commercials with a football player touting Fan Duel app was still running this morning.

RIP.

RIP Carl. Seemed like such a genuine person, very down to earth.

RIP, Chubbs...

Ahh bummer, he had a nice career, nothing ground breaking but, he played a number of memorable characters. Enjoyed seeing him have a career resurgence with Happy Gilmore and recently with the Mandalorian-series. Read that he suffered a serious back injury in a trip n'fall on the Happy Gilmore-set which took him out of action for several years.

I always liked Carl. Rest in Peace Brother.

Always respected him. Been a fan since Rocky I. RIP friend. You will be missed.

"You wanna ring the bell?"
"Ding, Ding"

“There is no tomorrow!”

Oh man, that sucks. RIP.

Always loved me some Carl Weathers. He was one of my favorites.

"I woke up. Why don't you? You're an asset. An expendable asset. And I used you to get the job done, got it?"

Righteous guy. Rest well CW.