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Carl Weathers: Farewell to a Titan-‘Rocky’ Hero and ‘Mandalorian’ Icon Carl Weathers, 76, Remembered for Impactful Journey.
Carl Weathers, the actor known for his roles as Apollo Creed in ‘Rocky’ and in ‘The Mandalorian’, has passed away at the age of 76.
Carl Weathers, renowned for his portrayal of Apollo Creed in the first four “Rocky” movies alongside Sylvester Stallone, passed away on Thursday at the age of 76, as confirmed by his manager Matt Luber.
Carl Weathers also made notable appearances in the 1987 film “Predator” and Adam Sandler’s “Happy Gilmore.” His exceptional performance in the “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian” earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
In addition to lending his voice to Combat Carl in “Toy Story 4,” Weathers portrayed a fictionalized version of himself in a recurring role on “Arrested Development.” His extensive body of work includes notable TV series such as “Street Justice,” “Colony,” “The Shield,” “Chicago Justice,” and “Brothers,” as well as films like “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Death Hunt,” and “The Comebacks.”
Following his collaboration with Sandler on the golf comedy “Happy Gilmore” in 1996, Weathers briefly returned to his role in “Little Nicky” and lent his voice to a character in Sandler’s animated Hanukkah comedy “Eight Crazy Nights.”
Weathers, who was born on Jan. 14, 1948, in New Orleans, had a diverse background in sports, participating in boxing, football, soccer, wrestling, and gymnastics. He played college football at San Diego State University, where he contributed to the Aztecs’ victory in the 1969 Pasadena Bowl. While studying theatre arts at SDSU, Weathers signed with the Oakland Raiders as a free agent in 1970 and played as a linebacker in the NFL for two seasons, appearing in eight games.
After his professional football career, Weathers shifted his focus to acting and secured minor roles in Arthur Marks’ blaxploitation films “Bucktown” and “Friday Foster,” as well as various television series such as “Good Times,” “Kung Fu,” “Cannon,” and “Starsky and Hutch.”
In the film “Predator,” Carl Weathers portrayed the character of Colonel Al Dillon, sharing the screen with Arnold Schwarzenegger, who later became the governor of California, and Jesse Ventura, who went on to become the governor of Minnesota. Weathers had the opportunity to host “Saturday Night Live” in 1988 and made a memorable return to the show years later with a hilarious spoof segment. In this segment, he humorously announces his candidacy for a political office, using his role as “the Black guy in ‘Predator'” as a basis for his campaign.
During the production of the sixth installment of the “Rocky” franchise, titled “Rocky Balboa” and released in 2006, Sylvester Stallone approached Carl Weathers to seek permission to use footage from earlier “Rocky” films. However, Weathers declined the request and instead advocated for a new role in the movie, despite his character, Apollo Creed, having died in “Rocky IV.” Stallone rejected Carl Weathers’ proposal and opted to hire a lookalike actor for flashback fight sequences. Fortunately, the two eventually reconciled, and Weathers granted Stallone permission to use his likeness in the “Creed” sequel series. In these films, Michael B. Jordan portrays the character of Apollo Creed’s son.
Carl Weathers’ later career saw him taking on smaller roles in TV procedurals, and he also had the opportunity to direct episodes of these shows. His outstanding performance in the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian” as Greef Karga earned him his first Emmy nomination in 2021. He portrayed the character in nine episodes spread across three seasons. Additionally, Weathers showcased his directing skills in Episodes 12 and 20 of the “Star Wars” spinoff. He is survived by his ex-wife, Mary Ann, and their two sons.
