"Carl Weathers will always be a legend": Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and others pay their tribute to Carl Weathers

Tributes have been pouring in ever since the news of the death of Carl Weathers was announced by the actor's family, with fellow actors such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Pedro Pascal remembering Weathers and his contributions to films and TV Shows. Known for his work on numerous classic films such as Predator and Rocky, Weathers passed away at the age of 76.

On Friday, February 2, 2024, Weathers' family put forward a statement announcing that the actor had died in his sleep on February 1. The news has naturally saddened many in the film industry, with Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger posting a picture of the actor on Instagram and calling him a legend.

Arnold Schwarzenegger also mentioned that without Weathers, there would be no Predator. Looking back at his experience with the actor, he wrote:

"Carl Weathers will always be a legend. An extraordinary athlete, a fantastic actor, and a great person. We couldn’t have made Predator without him. And we certainly wouldn’t have had such a wonderful time making it. Every minute with him - on set and off - was pure joy. He was the type of friend who pushes you to be your best just to keep up with him. I’ll miss him, and my thoughts are with his family."

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Tributes pour in as Carl Weathers passes away at 76

Born on January 14, 1948, Carl Weathers started his career as an athlete, gaining admission to a private school in New Orleans (his hometown) due to a sports scholarship. Born to working-class parents, Weathers would go on to become a professional football player and signed with the Oakland Raiders as a linebacker.

After retiring from football in 1974, he made a name for himself in Hollywood, particularly after playing the role of Apollo Creed in Sylvester Stallone's Rocky series. He was also the voice for Combat Carl in Toy Story, and more recently, bagged a Primetime Emmy nomination for his role as Greef Karga in Disney's Mandalorian.

As a tribute to Weathers, his Mandalorian co-star Pedro Pascal uploaded a short statement on Instagram with a photo of a the actor from his younger days. The post was captioned, "words fail."

Sylvester Stallone, who spent a long time with Carl Weathers during the filming of Rocky and its sequels, posted an emotional video on Instagram in tribute to the actor as well. Stallone Praised Carl's work, and revealed that meeting the actor changed his life:

"Carl Weathers was such an integral part of my life, my success. Everything about it, I give him incredible credit, kudos. Because, when he walked into that room, and I saw him for the first time, I saw greatness. But I didn't realize how great."

Echoing Arnold Schwarzenegger's thoughts on Weathers' contribution to Predator, Sylvester Stallone went on to claim that without him, he could not have made Rocky.

"I never could have accomplished what we did with Rocky without him. He was absolutely brilliant. His voice, his size, his power, his athletic ability. But more importantly his heart, his soul. It's a horrible loss."

Stallone also said that he was standing in front of a painting of his time with Carl Weathers in Rocky, and sadly noted that it probably depicts the last time they were in the ring together. The veteran actor concluded his emotional speech by stating:

"He was magic and I was so fortunate to be a part of his life. So Apollo, keep punching."

Other big names in the industry, such as Adam Sandler, Giancarlo Esposito, and more also posted their tributes and reactions to the news of Carl Weathers' death.

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Carl Weathers touched many lives through his films and TV show portrayals of strong characters through the years. He is survived by his two sons, as per The Guardian.