Carl Weathers, best known for his role as Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise and more recently his sci-fi turn in The Mandalorian, has died. He was 76 years of age.
Deadline reported the news of his death via Weathers’ family. The family said in a statement, “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers. He died peacefully in his slip on Thursday, February 1st, 2024….Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through is 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, father, grandfather, partner, and friend.”
Weathers’ 50-year career found him starring and appearing in multiple films and television shows. The most recent project being Disney+’s The Mandalorian, in which he played Greef Karga, the head of a bounty hunter syndicate that Pedro Pascal’s Mandalorian used to work for and considers a friend. Older generations recognize him from the Rocky franchise, in which he played famed boxer and enemy-turned-friend Apollo Creed.
Weathers’ other iconic roles range from action to comedy to children’s fare, including characters like Action Jackson in the film of the same name, Dillon in Predator, Combat Carl in the Toy Story franchise, Mark Jeffries in Dick Wolf’s Chicago Fire/P.D./Justice universe, himself in Arrested Development, Jax in the video game Mortal Kombat X, Chubbs in Happy Gilmore, and various voice acting roles in Regular Show, Star vs. the Forces of Evil and more. These highlights only scratch the surface of Weathers’ prolific acting career across film, television, and video games.