Carl Weathers has died at the age of 76. It was an ex linebacker of the NFL became a a star in action films Hollywood and comedy, playing, among others, Apollo Creed, the nemesis turned ally in the movies”Rocky”, facing Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore”.
Matt Luber, his manager, said Weathers died Thursday. His family released a statement saying he died “peacefully in his sleep.”
Comfortable flexing his muscles on the big screen in “Action Jackson” while joking on the small screen in programs such as “Arrested Development“, Weathers was perhaps most closely associated with Apollo Creed, who made his first appearance as the arrogant, undisputed heavyweight champion of the world in the 1996 film “Rocky.” 1976con Sylvester Stallone.
MGM/Alamy
Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed
Commenting on that role in a interview a The Daily Beast nel 2017 he said “It gives you exposure and jump-starts your career, so to speak. But it’s a one-off thing, so you have to follow it up with something. Luckily those films kept coming and Apollo Creed became more and more present in people’s consciousness and welcome in their lives, and it was just the right role at the right time.”
Most recently, Weathers starred in the series “The Mandalorian,” appearing in all three seasons.