Carl Weathers, who played Apollo Creed in 'Rocky,' dies at 76

Carl Weathers, who played Apollo Creed in 'Rocky,' dies at 76.

Actor-director Carl Weathers, best known for his portrayal of boxer Apollo Creed in Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky film series, died Thursday at the age of 76, his family announced in a statement.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers...He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024,” the family said in the statement, “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. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner and friend,” the statement further read.

Weathers, who began his career as an NFL linebacker, "was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life", his family's statement added.

"Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations," said the family.

Born on January 14, 1948, in New Orleans, Weathers appeared in more than 75 films and TV shows during his 50-year screen career. He Greef Karga, the head of the Bounty Hunters Guild, in nine episodes of the Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian over its three seasons.

In addition to the first four Rocky films, Weathers appeared in movies like Predator (1987), Action Jackson (1988), The Comebacks (2007), Think Like a Man Too (2014) and Toy Story 4 (2019).

He also had a recurring role as Greef Karga in the Star Wars series The Mandalorian (2019–2023). In 2021, Weathers received an Emmy nomination for the role and he had also directed a pair of episodes in Seasons 2 and 3.

Weather's co-star in the first Rocky film, Sylvester Stallone, on Saturday shared a video on Instagram, mourning the death of the actor.

“We lost a legend yesterday. My life was forever changed for the better the day I met Carl Weathers. Rest in power and keeping punching,” wrote Stallone alongside his post, acknowledging the integral role Weathers had played in his life and his success.