Carl Weathers, best known for his role as Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise and other roles in Predator, Action Jackson and The Mandalorian, has died at the age of 76.
In a statement to Deadline, his family confirmed the news.
We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers. 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, grandfather, partner, and friend.
Born on January 14, 1948, the New Orleans native had a brief professional football career before appearing in over 75 films and TV shows throughout his 50-year film career.
His most notable role was as boxing champ Apollo Creed, friend and mentor to Sylvester Stallone’s lead role in the Rocky franchise. First appearing in 1976’s Rocky, Weathers reprised his role for three follow-up films, Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), and Rocky IV (1984).
Weathers starred opposite another on-screen action hero, Arnold Schwarzenegger, in 1987’s Predator. One year later, Weathers had his star turn in the film Action Jackson.
Recently, Weathers had a recurring role as Greef Karga in the Star Wars series, The Mandalorian. The role earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.”
Weathers is survived by two sons, Matthew and Jason.
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