Dana White, Sylvester Stallone and other celebrities pay tribute to the “great” Carl Weathers

By Chris Taylor - February 2, 2024

Tributes are pouring in for the beloved actor Carl Weathers following his death at age seventy-six.

Carl Weathers, Apollo Creed, Boxing, Dana White

Weathers, who is best known for his role as Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise, “died peacefully in his sleep” on Thursday morning according to his family.

“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,” said his family in a statement obtained by TMZ. “He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend.”

Carl Weathers first gained national spotlight as a college football player before eventually turning pro and playing for both the Oakland Raiders of the NFL, and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.

Weathers retired from professional football in 1974 in order to pursue a career in acting.

That move proved to be a good one, as Carl was quickly booked in rolls in ‘The Six Million Dollar Man’, ‘Starsky & Hutch’ and ‘Good Times’. Those gigs were followed by his first major role as Apollo Creed in the hit series of ‘Rocky’ opposite Sylvester Stallone. Weathers would appear in the first three movies of the eventual six-series franchise.

In addition to his fame for playing Apollo Creed, Carl Weathers also gained popularity with his roles in ‘The Predator’ and ‘Happy Gilmore’. He had most recently appeared in the Star Wars hit series ‘The Mandalorian’.

Following news of Weathers’ passing, tons of fans, friends and celebrities paid tribute to the late actor on social media.

Carl Weathers is survived by his ex-wife Mary Ann and the former couple’s two sons, Matthew and Jason.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Weathers family at this time.

What was your favorite memory of Carl Weathers?


Topics:

Carl Weathers Dana White UFC