Former co-stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone pay tribute to the NFL linebacker turned actor.
Carl Weathers, who played nemesis-turned-friend Apollo Creed in the Rocky film franchise, has died. He was 76 years old.
“Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life,” Weathers' family said in a statement Friday.
“Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized around the world and across generations.”
Carl Weathers, a former NFL linebacker turned Hollywood action star, was perhaps best known for playing Rocky Balboa's rival-turned-ally Balboa in the film Rocky and its three sequels alongside Sylvester Stallone.
Rocky, released in 1976 and starring the almost unknown Stallone, became an unexpected critical and commercial success, winning the Oscar for best picture and catapulting both actors to prominence.
Weathers also had memorable roles as the brash Colonel Al Dillon in the 1987 film Predator, starring opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger, and as one-armed golf coach Chubbs Peterson in the Adam Sandler-directed comedy Happy Gilmore.
Most recently, Weathers starred in the Star Wars spin-off series The Mandalorian, a role for which he received an Emmy nomination.
Stallone on Friday paid tribute to Weathers, saying the success of the Rocky films would not have been possible without his co-star.
“When he walked into that room and I saw him for the first time, I saw greatness,” Stallone said in a video posted to Instagram.
“I could never have achieved what we did with Rocky without him. It was absolutely brilliant. The voice of him, the size of him, the power of him, the athletic ability of him, but most importantly, the heart of him, the soul of him.”
Schwarzenegger described his co-star as a “legend.”
“An extraordinary athlete, a fantastic actor and a great person… We couldn't have made Predator without him,” Schwarzenegger said in a message on Instagram. “And we certainly wouldn't have had as much fun doing it. Every minute with him, on and off set, was pure joy.”
Born in New Orleans, Weathers played football at San Diego State University and with the Oakland Raiders before retiring from the game in 1974 to pursue a career in acting.
He appeared in more than 75 films and television shows during a Hollywood career spanning more than 50 years, according to Deadline.
Weathers, who was married and divorced three times, is survived by two children.
“He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner and friend,” his family said in their statement.
