Carl Weathers, an actor known for his roles in "Rocky," "Predator" and "The Mandalorian," died on Thursday, Feb 1. He was 76.
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Before lighting up the big screen, Weathers made a name for himself as an NFL linebacker. His portrayal of Apollo Creed, the charismatic boxer and foil to Sylvester Stallone's Rocky, cemented his place in the Hollywood zetgeist. Weathers' iconic roles spanned generations, from teaming up with Arnold Schwarzenegger and taking on an alien menace in 1987's "Predator" to his Emmy-nominated turn as Greef Karga in "The Mandalorian" in 2019.
His loved ones remember him not just for his cinematic and sporting feats but as a "beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner and friend."
1976: American actor Sylvester Stallone, as Rocky Balboa, punches American actor Carl Weathers, as Apollo Creed, during a boxing match in a still from the film, 'Rocky,' directed by John G Avildson. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
"We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers," the family said in a statement (via People). "Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations."
Weathers also took on comedic roles, such as the one-handed golf mentor Chubbs in "Happy Gilmore." He even played a parody of himself in "Arrested Development."
His journey from the stages of New Orleans to the heights of Hollywood stardom was fueled by a passion for performance.
"I was bitten by the bug, as they say. On stage having people laugh at the good lines and applaud at the end — it's pretty, pretty infectious," he said in 2020. "Once that bug gets inside you, it's kind of hard to give it up."
"...This label of movie star doesn't really have anything to do with being a really fine actor or artist," he said. "Enough promotion of any person, enough movies where that person gets to be shown in a particular light, can make them a movie star."
He continued: "That doesn't mean their chops are there as an actor to play a character that is perhaps unlike them, with complicated ideas behind the dialogue, behind the discourse, where a writer has really investigated something and you as the actor have to pull out this performance that not only illustrates what that writer wanted to say and create, but exemplifies what kind of talent you really have."
