Carl Weathers was an American actor and was most recognised for his outstanding performance in the Rocky picture series. The incredible actor was once a professional football player who participated in several games in both the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the National Football League (NFL). His celebrity status skyrocketed after he played Apollo Creed in Rocky, as audiences recognised his excellent acting abilities. He played a strong, unchallenged boxing champion in the American sports drama movie.
Who Was Carl Weathers?
Carl Weathers was born on January 14, 1948, in New Orleans, Louisiana. His father was employed as a day labourer during this period. He started participating in sports at a young age. He received an athletic scholarship to attend St. Augustine High School. He participated in a variety of sports during his time in high school, including football, judo, and wrestling. He graduated in 1966. Later he got a BA in Drama from San Francisco State University.
Carl Weathers’ Football Career
He started playing professional football while he was still in college. He exhibited a strong interest in the game throughout his childhood. He started his career as a defensive end in the field at Long Beach City College. He eventually made the transfer to San Diego State University, where he played letterman for the Aztec team. The Oakland Raiders signed him in 1970 as a free agent. He participated in seven games that year and only one the following year as a member of the team. He joined with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League after being cut by the team, and he played eighteen games for them. He gave up this career in 1974.
Carl Weathers’ Acting Career
He had the opportunity to appear in a little part in the movie Bucktown back in 1975. He portrayed the lead in the movie Friday Foster that same year. His friend Arthur Mark produced and directed both of these flicks. He rose to fame in 1976 thanks to his part in Rocky. Rocky Balboa, a little-time club fighter who gets the opportunity to compete for the World Heavyweight Championship, is the main character of the movie. Carl plays boxing champion Apollo Creed, who is competing against Balboa to defend his world championship. Due to its strong box office performance and three Oscar victories, this movie was a huge hit.
He had already starred in a variety of TV series and films before 1979, when he returned to Rocky II, including Quinn Martin’s Tales of the Unexpected, Semi-Tough, The Bermuda Depths, Force 10 from Navarone, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Part two of the movie, which he and the Rocky crew completed in 1979, ended up becoming one of the highest-grossing movies of that year. Part three of the movie came out in 1982, and part four came out in 1985. Predator was his next endeavour, and it was a successful commercial release.
Even when he hadn’t given his acting career any thought, he had always been noticed. This is demonstrated by the fact that he was selected to star beside the renowned Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie Predator. These are extremely uncommon occasions, therefore the fact that he was deemed deserving of this once-in-a-lifetime chance indicates that he had demonstrated his ability to perform well, which he did.
Carl Weathers’ Personal Life
In 1973, Carl Weathers married Mary Ann Castle. They had two boys, Jason and Matthew, prior to their 1983 divorce. He went ahead and married Rhona Unsell in 1984. In 2006, their marriage came to an end. In 2007, he tied the knot with Jennifer Peterson. The couple’s marriage did not last long and in 2009, they got divorced too.
Carl Weathers’ Death
Carl Weathers died at the age of 76 on 1st February, 2024. His family said in a statement that he “died peacefully in his sleep.” The statement did not give a cause or say where he died.
