Acclaimed actor Carl Weathers, best known for playing Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” films, died Thursday at age 76. His family confirmed Weathers passed away peacefully in his sleep.
Weathers first rose to fame as boxer Apollo Creed alongside Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky in 1976. He reprised the iconic role in three “Rocky” sequels. Weathers also had memorable roles in “Predator,” “Happy Gilmore,” and most recently as Greef Karga in the hit “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian,” for which he earned an Emmy nomination last year.
Before acting, Weathers had a brief professional football career with the Oakland Raiders in the early 1970s. After retiring from sports, he broke into Hollywood and enjoyed decades of success on both television and film.
In addition to his acting, Weathers did voice work in Disney’s “Toy Story” franchise and earned acclaim for his comedic performance in “Arrested Development.” Co-stars like Adam Sandler paid tribute, remembering Weathers as a “true legend” and “great man.”
Weathers is survived by his family, who said the beloved actor and father lived an extraordinary life and left an indelible mark across generations through his iconic roles.