Carl Weathers, a former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the 害羞草研究所淩ocky害羞草研究所� movies, facing off against Arnold Schwarzenegger in 害羞草研究所淧redator害羞草研究所� and teaching golf in 害羞草研究所淗appy Gilmore,害羞草研究所� has died. He was 76.
Matt Luber, his manager, said Weathers died Thursday. His family issued a statement saying he died 害羞草研究所減eacefully in his sleep.害羞草研究所�
Comfortable flexing his muscles on the big screen in 害羞草研究所淎ction Jackson害羞草研究所� as he was joking around on the small screen in such shows as 害羞草研究所淎rrested Development,害羞草研究所� Weathers was perhaps most closely associated with Creed, who made his first appearance as the cocky, undisputed heavyweight world champion in 1976害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淩ocky,害羞草研究所� starring Sylvester Stallone.
害羞草研究所淚t puts you on the map and makes your career, so to speak. But that害羞草研究所檚 a one-off, so you害羞草研究所檝e got to follow it up with something. Fortunately those movies kept coming, and Apollo Creed became more and more in people害羞草研究所檚 consciousness and welcome in their lives, and it was just the right guy at the right time,害羞草研究所� he told The Daily Beast in 2017.
Most recently, Weathers has starred in the Disney+ hit 害羞草研究所淭he Mandalorian,害羞草研究所� appearing in all three seasons.
Creed, who appeared in the first four 害羞草研究所淩ocky害羞草研究所� movies, memorably died in the ring of 1984害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淩ocky IV,害羞草研究所� going toe-to-toe with the hulking, steroided-using Soviet Ivan Drago, played by Dolph Lundgren. Before he entered the ring, James Brown sang 害羞草研究所淟iving in America害羞草研究所� with showgirls and Creed popped up on a balcony in a Star-Spangled Banner shorts and waistcoat combo and an Uncle Sam hat, dancing and taunting Drago.
A bloodied Creed collapses in the ring after taking a vicious beating, twitches and is cradled by Rocky as he dies, inevitably setting up a fight between Drago and Rocky. But while Creed is gone, his character害羞草研究所檚 son, Michael B. Jordan害羞草研究所檚 Adonis Creed, would lead his own boxing trilogy starting in 2015.
Weathers went on to 1987害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淧redator,害羞草研究所� where he flexed his pecs alongside Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura and a host of others, and 1988害羞草研究所檚 nouveau blaxploitation flick 害羞草研究所淎ction Jackson,害羞草研究所� where he trains his flamethrower on a bad guy and asks, 害羞草研究所淗ow do you like your ribs?害羞草研究所� before broiling him.
He later added a false wooden hand to play a gold pro for the 1996 comedy classic 害羞草研究所淗appy Gilmore害羞草研究所� opposite Adam Sandler and starred in Dick Wolf害羞草研究所檚 short-lived spin-off series 害羞草研究所淐hicago Justice害羞草研究所� in 2017 and in Disney害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淭he Mandalorian,害羞草研究所� earning an Emmy Award nomination in 2021. He also voiced Combat Carl in the 害羞草研究所淭oy Story害羞草研究所� franchise.
Weathers grew up admiring actors such as Woody Strode, whose combination of physique and acting prowess in 害羞草研究所淪partacus害羞草研究所� made an early impression. Others he idolized included actors Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte and athletes Jim Brown and Muhammad Ali, stars who broke the mold and the color barrier.
害羞草研究所淭here are so many people that came before me who I admired and whose success I wanted to emulate, and just kind of hit the benchmarks they hit in terms of success, who created a pathway that I害羞草研究所檝e been able to walk and find success as a result. And hopefully I can inspire someone else to do good work as well,害羞草研究所� he told the Detroit News 2023. 害羞草研究所淚 guess I害羞草研究所檓 just a lucky guy.害羞草研究所�
Growing up in New Orleans, Weathers started performing in plays as early as grade school. In high school, athletics took him down another path but he would reunite with his first love later in life.
Weathers played college football at San Diego State University 害羞草研究所� he majored in theater 害羞草研究所� and went on to play for one season in the NFL, for the Oakland Raiders, in 1970.
害羞草研究所淲hen I found football, it was a completely different outlet,害羞草研究所� says Weathers told the Detroit News. 害羞草研究所淚t was more about the physicality, although one does feed the other. You needed some smarts because there were playbooks to study and film to study, to learn about the opposition on any given week.害羞草研究所�
After the Raiders, he joined the Canadian Football League, playing for two years with the B.C. Lions while finishing up his studies during the offseason at San Francisco State University. He graduated with a B.A. in drama in 1974.
After appearing in several films and TV shows, including 害羞草研究所淕ood Times,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淭he Six Million Dollar Man,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淚n the Heat of the Night害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淪tarsky & Hutch,害羞草研究所� as well as fighting Nazis alongside Harrison Ford in 害羞草研究所淔orce 10 From Navarone,害羞草研究所� Weathers landed his knockout role 害羞草研究所� Creed. He told The Hollywood Reporter that his start in the iconic franchise was not auspicious.
He was asked to read with the writer, Stallone, then unknown. Weathers read the scene but felt it didn害羞草研究所檛 land and so he blurted out: 害羞草研究所淚 could do a lot better if you got me a real actor to work with,害羞草研究所� he recalled. 害羞草研究所淪o I just insulted the star of the movie without really knowing it and not intending to.害羞草研究所� He also lied that he had any boxing experience.
Later in life, Weathers developed a passion for directing, helming episodes of 害羞草研究所淪ilk Stalking害羞草研究所� and and the Lorenzo Lamas vehicle 害羞草研究所淩enegade.害羞草研究所� He directed a season three episode of 害羞草研究所淭he Mandalorian.害羞草研究所�
Weathers introduced himself to another generation when he portrayed himself as an opportunistic and extremely thrifty actor who becomes involved with the dysfunctional clan at the heart of 害羞草研究所淎rrested Development.害羞草研究所�
The Weathers character likes to save money by making broth from discarded food 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所橳here害羞草研究所檚 still plenty of meat on that bone害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淏aby, you got a stew going!害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� and, for the right price, agrees to become an acting coach for delusional and talent-free thespian Tobias Funke, played by David Cross.
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