Actor Carl Weathers, the former professional American football player who rose to fame playing the charismatic boxer Apollo Creed in the Rocky film series, passed away at the age of 76 on Thursday, as announced by his manager on Friday. Although Weathers appeared in other notable works such as "The Mandalorian" series within the Star Wars universe and the 1987 sci-fi horror film "Predator," he was most famous for his role as Apollo Creed opposite Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa in the successful Rocky films of the 1970s and 1980s. Creed was initially a rival to boxing champion Rocky before they became allies in the first four installments of the series.
Stallone expressed his deep sorrow over Weathers' death in a video clip, saying he was "trying to hold himself together." Stallone, standing in front of a painting depicting the two boxing, recalled, "When he walked into the room and I saw him for the first time, I felt his power." He added, "I could never have reached what we achieved in Rocky without him."
Weathers had a brief career as a player for the Oakland Raiders in the NFL before retiring from sports to focus on acting. He initially landed minor roles until he was selected to portray Creed. There is a prevailing story in Hollywood that boxer Ken Norton was originally slated to play the role but withdrew before production began. In a 2016 interview with The Daily Beast, Weathers shared that he "drew a lot" from the qualities and style of boxer Muhammad Ali when embodying the character of Creed. He stated that the role was "like any iconic, distinctive, and significant role. It established my presence in the industry and contributed to my career. But I had to follow it by taking on other roles. Fortunately, films kept knocking on my door."
After the success of the Creed character, Weathers co-starred with action star Arnold Schwarzenegger in the blockbuster "Predator" in 1987. The series "The Mandalorian" brought Weathers back into the spotlight for ten episodes from 2019 to 2023. Weathers was married three times, with all his marriages ending in divorce, and he had two sons, Jason and Matthew. According to a statement from his manager, he was "a beloved person as a brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend."
