Actor Carl Weathers, who starred in 'Rocky' movies, dead at 76

NEW YORK (AP) — Carl Weathers, a former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies, facing-off against Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore,” has died. He was 76.

There is no greater fight entrance in film history than Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) coming down to”Living in America” performed by James Brown. pic.twitter.com/k81jIAMGGL

— Allan (@TheAllanAguirre) February 2, 2024

Matt Luber, his manager, said Weathers died Thursday. His family issued a statement saying he died “peacefully in his sleep.”

“There is no tomorrow.”

Rest in Peace, Carl Weathers (1948 – 2024) 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/tTsPDoYJr7

— Complex Pop Culture (@ComplexPop) February 2, 2024

Comfortable flexing his muscles on the big screen in “Action Jackson” as he was joking around on the small screen in such shows as “Arrested Development,” Weathers was perhaps most closely associated with Creed, who made his first appearance as the cocky, undisputed heavyweight world champion in 1976’s “Rocky,” starring Sylvester Stallone.

Apollo Creed and Rocky’s iconic training montage.

Rest in Peace Carl Weathers (1948 – 2024) pic.twitter.com/DWhRpTzPck

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 2, 2024

“It puts you on the map and makes your career, so to speak. But that’s a one-off, so you’ve got to follow it up with something. Fortunately those movies kept coming, and Apollo Creed became more and more in people’s consciousness and welcome in their lives, and it was just the right guy at the right time,” he told The Daily Beast in 2017.

RIP Carl Weathers. Find your Happy Place. pic.twitter.com/fVdS8rWlTP

— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) February 2, 2024

Most recently, Weathers has starred in the Disney+ hit “The Mandalorian,” appearing in all three seasons.

rip carl weathers 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/FsrgkwTLhR

— kev mahserejian (@RotoSurgeon) February 2, 2024

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