Actor Carl Weathers, 76, known for “Rocky’s” Apollo Creed and “Mandalorian”
Carl Weathers, who costarred with Sylvester Stallone as Apollo Creed in the first four “Rocky” movies, passed away on Thursday, Variety was informed by his manager Matt Luber. He was seventy-six.
Weathers also starred in the 1987 movie “Predator” and had a significant role in Adam Sandler’s “Happy Gilmore.” The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Dramatic Series
was been forth for the nomination in light of his role in the “Star Wars” television series “The Mandalorian.”
Apart from doing a recurring role as a fictionalized version of himself on “Arrested Development,” he also voiced Combat Carl in “Toy Story 4.” His other credits include the TV series “Street Justice,” “Colony,” “The Shield,” “Chicago Justice,” and “Brothers,” in addition to the films “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Death Hunt,” and “The Comebacks.”
In addition to playing a outstand version of himself in a current role on “Arrested Development,” he played Combat Carl in the animated film “Toy Story 4.” He has also been in films such as “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Death Hunt,” and “The Comebacks,” and television shows including “Street Justice,” “Colony,” “The Shield,” “Chicago Justice,” or “Brothers”.
Weathers was born in New Orleans on January 14, 1948, and participated in a number of sports including boxing, football, soccer, wrestling, and gymnastics. While playing football for San Diego State University and helping the Aztecs win the 1969 Pasadena Bowl, he also pursued a degree in theater arts. As a free agent, Weathers joined the Oakland Raiders in 1970 and spent two seasons playing linebacker in eight NFL games
Then, for a brief while, Weathers returned to “Little Nicky” and provided the voice of a character in Adam Sandler’s animated Hanukkah comedy “Eight Crazy Nights.”After playing football professionally, Weathers transitioned to
more intently to acting, securing supporting parts in TV shows including “Good Times,” “Kung Fu,” “Cannon,” and “Starkey and Hutch,” as well as brief roles in the blaxploitation films “Friday Foster” and “Bucktown” directed by Arthur Marks.
Alongside Jesse Ventura, who went on to become governor of Minnesota, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who became governor of California, Weathers played Colonel Al Dillon in the film “Predator.” When WeathersMany years after hosting “Saturday Night Live” in 1988, he made a surprise appearance on the live sketch show for a parody comedy in which he stated he was running for office
Even though Apollo Creed, his character, died in “Rocky IV,” Weathers campaigned for an actual role in the film rather than complying with Stallone’s request to repurpose footage from earlier “Rocky” films for the sixth installment of the series, “Rocky Balboa,” which came out in 2006. Saying no, Stallone sent in a lookalike actor to film combat scenes set in flashbacks. Once they got back together, Weathers gave Stallone permission to use his image in the “Creed” sequel series, which stars Michael B. Jordan as Apollo Creed’s son. Later in his career, Weathers not only landed smaller roles in TV procedurals but also directed episodes of the show.
In 2021, he was nominated for his first Emmy in the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian,” where he portrayed Greeff Karga in nine episodes spanning three seasons.
For the “Star Wars” spinoff’s Episodes 12 and 20, Weathers took over as director.
The two kids that Weathers and his ex-wife, Mary Ann, had together, survive him.