Enlarge image
Carl Weathers: “We lost a legend yesterday,” wrote his film partner Sylvester Stallone
Photo: Richard Shotwell / Invision / AP
As Apollo Creed, he fought epic boxing duels with Sylvester Stallone in the "Rocky" films - and then became his training partner and friend: US actor Carl Weathers has died at the age of 76. "We are deeply saddened," the film website "Deadline" quoted the actor's family as saying. "Carl was an extraordinary person who led an extraordinary life." It went on to say that Weathers died "peacefully in his sleep."
Weathers starred in major productions such as “Action Jackson” and also in series such as “Arrested Development”. He is probably most closely associated with the character Apollo Creed. In 1976, he made his first appearance as the cocky, undisputed heavyweight world champion in “Rocky,” starring Sylvester Stallone.
Emmy nomination for “The Mandalorian”
“We lost a legend yesterday,” Stallone reacted on the online platform Instagram. “Today is an incredibly sad day for me,” said the action star in a video. Without Weathers, “Rocky” would never have been as successful. "His voice, his size, his strength, his athletic ability, but more importantly, his heart, his soul," Stallone said.
Arnold Schwarzenegger also praised Weathers as a “legend.” "An extraordinary athlete, a fantastic actor and a great person," explained the Hollywood star. "We couldn't have made 'Predator' without him."
Born in New Orleans in 1948, Weathers initially started a professional career as an American football player and then turned to film. In total, he appeared in more than 75 films and television series during his career. In 1996's "Happy Gilmore" he played a former golf professional who takes Adam Sandler under his wing. He was nominated for an Emmy television award in 2021 for his role as Greef Karga in the Disney+ production “The Mandalorian”.
eru/AP/AFP