Actor Carl Weathers, who was well known for his performance as Apollo Creed in the first four Rocky films and created one of the bloodiest boxing fight scenes in the movies, has died, his family confirmed on Friday (February 2, 2024).
He was 76.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers,” his family said in a statement as quoted by Deadline.
“He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner and friend,” the statement said.
His memorable works
Carl Weathers was born in 1948 in New Orleans.
Weathers played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs. He signed with the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) after going undrafted in the 1970 NFL Draft.
After being released by the Raiders, he signed with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
In the world of movies, his roles included boxer Apollo Creed in the first four Rocky films (1976–1985), Colonel Al Dillon in Predator (1987), and Combat Carl in the Toy Story franchise. He also portrayed Det Beaudreaux in the television series Street Justice (1991–1993) and a fictionalized version of himself in the comedy series Arrested Development (2004, 2013), and voiced Omnitraxus Prime in Star vs. the Forces of Evil (2017–2019).
He had a recurring role as Greef Karga in the Star Wars series The Mandalorian (2019–2023), for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
Reactions of his colleagues
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger condoled his death and posted on X: “Carl Weathers will always be a legend. An extraordinary athlete, a fantastic actor, and a great person. We couldn’t have made Predator without him. And we certainly wouldn’t have had such a wonderful time making it.”
His Rocky co-star Sylvester Stallone posted on Instagram: “We lost a legend yesterday. My life was forever changed for the better the day I met Carl Weathers. Rest in power and keeping punching.”
