Weathers’ acting career started in the mid-1970s, when he appeared in the Blaxploitation films “Bucktown” and “Friday Foster,” as well as a season 2 episode of “Good Times.” The following year, he appeared on “Starsky and Hutch” and “Barnaby Jones,” furthering his familiarity with the masses. But it was, of course, his casting as Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” films that would change his life forever. He would reprise the role in “Rocky II,” “Rocky III,” and “Rocky IV,” where his heartbreaking loss to Captain Ivan Drago would set the stage for the rest of the series, including the follow-up trilogy of “Creed” films starring Michael B. Jordan.
His prowess as Apollo Crews made him a shoo-in for action films like “Force 10 from Navarone,” “Action Jackson,” “Hurricane Smith,” and notably, “Predator.” In 1996, he played Chubbs Peterson in Adam Sandler’s “Happy Gilmore,” a phenomenal showcase of his comedic chops and a role he’d reprise in “Little Nicky.” Weathers frequently played funnymen, with an incredible turn on “Arrested Development” as a parody of himself. He leaned into his reputation even further by voicing the Combat Carl action figure in the “Toy Story” franchise.
In addition to acting, Weathers was a celebrated and decorated director of TV. He directed episodes of “The Siege,” “The Foundling,” and even two episodes of “The Mandalorian,” the series that earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
Carl Weathers was an actor who played countless characters that we’d describe as “iconic,” but it also feels like Hollywood never fully appreciated the totality of his abilities. He was charming, captivating, hilarious, and could inspire tears with just a glance at the camera. He was a legend of the screen, and he will be sorely missed.