Credit: LucasfilmTributes are pouring in from all over Hollywood in the wake of Carl Weathers’ death.
Weathers – who first made his name as antagonist-turned-ally boxer Apollo Creed in the first four Rocky films – passed peacefully in his sleep on February 1, his family confirmed in a public statement yesterday.
We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers. He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. 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.
Actors and creatives have since paid tribute to the actor, who had recently become most familiar to audiences as Greef Karga, the former leader of the Bounty Hunters’ Guild, in The Mandalorian.
The show’s star, Pedro Pascal, shared a simple statement on Instagram. “Words fail,” he wrote, alongside a picture of Weathers.
Mark Hamill – who never shared the screen with Weathers, but played Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise – posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), “It’s been really hard losing so many great Americans recently, but deeply grateful we had them as long as we did.” He then tagged Weathers alongside actress Chita Rivera and host and activist Joe Madison, both of whom also passed this week.
The Mandalorian creator and showrunner Jon Favreau said in a statement, “I am heartbroken by this devastating loss. He was a hero from my childhood who I was lucky enough to meet and then had the amazing good fortune to work with. He had the energy and curiosity of a young man paired with the wisdom that his rich life and career afforded him. My heart goes out to his family and countless admirers.”
Robert Rodriguez, a director who worked with Weathers on The Mandalorian, wrote, “Will miss the great Carl Weathers who I was very fortunate to work with on several occasions. A very kind and generous person. His performances were always electrifying and he was also a terrific director of both stage and screen.”
Another Mandalorian scene partner, Gina Carano – who was removed from the show after season two following controversial political comments – spoke about Weathers on X and Instagram, where she explained that he supported her after her departure. “I wasn’t in an emotional state where I could pick up the phone because of how upset I was, but we did end up speaking later on,” she said.
“He was gentle, and encouraging and didn’t want me to give up, he was letting me know that he wasn’t throwing me away, he was trying to keep my hope alive in what seemed like quite hopeless scenario, he showed me he cared. That is who he was. Jon Favreau felt he would be a good mentor for me because we shared the athlete turned actor bond, so John had him direct my first episode in season 2 of Mando. I believe had we gotten to Rangers of the New Republic, Carl would’ve directed me in much more. Jon F. was right, we were a great fit.”
Meanwhile, Weathers’ Rocky co-star Sylvester Stallone shared a video describing his grief. “Today is an incredibly sad day for me,” he said on Instagram. “I’m so torn up, I can’t even tell you. I’m just trying to hold it in because Carl Weathers was such an integral part of my life, my success — everything about it, I give him incredible credit and 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. I never could’ve accomplished what we did with Rocky without him.”
What’s your favorite performance of Carl Weathers? Let us know in the comments.