Some very sad news to report this evening, as it has been announced that American actor Carl Weathers has died aged 76, with his family revealing in a statement that “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,” the statement reads. “He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend.”
A former professional American football player, Weathers began moving into acting with minor roles in the mid-1970s before scoring his breakthrough when he was cast as heavyweight boxing king Apollo Creed alongside Sylvester Stallone in 1976’s Oscar winner Rocky.
Weathers would go on to reprise the role of Apollo in the following three Rocky sequels in the 1980s, cementing his place as one of the franchise’ most beloved characters, as well as starring in classic actions films such as Predator and Action Jackson.
A shift towards television would follow in the 90s, with lead roles in TV shows Street Justice and In the Heat of the Night along with several action focussed TV movies. In later years, he’d continue to make sporadic film and television appearances, with his last big screen credit coming as the voice of Combat Carl in Toy Story 4. He’d also feature prominently in Lucasfilm’s Star Wars series The Mandalorian, scoring an Emmy nomination for his guest role as Greef Karga – a part he was presumably being lined up to return to in the recently announced The Mandalorian & Grogu movie.
