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

Actor Carl Weathers, known for his role as Apollo Creed in the "Rocky" movies, died at 76.

Actor Carl Weathers, a former professional American football player who shot to stardom by playing the brash and charismatic boxer Apollo Creed in the "Rocky" movies, died on Thursday of undisclosed causes, his manager announced on Friday. He was 76.

Though he had other prominent roles, acting in the recent Star Wars spinoff series The Mandalorian and the 1987 science fiction horror movie Predator, Weathers was best known for playing Apollo Creed opposite Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa in the hit movies of the 1970s and 1980s.

Weathers' character was at first a rival and later an ally to the Rocky character in the first four movies of the series.

He also helped launch the career of Stallone, at that time a Hollywood unknown who wrote and starred in the 1976 film that went on to sweep the 1977 Oscars, snagging best picture and best actor for Stallone.

Stallone said in a video tribute he was "torn up" and "just trying to hold it in."

"When he walked into that room, and I saw him for the first time, I saw greatness," Stallone said, standing before a LeRoy Neiman painting of the two of them boxing. "But I didn't realize how great. I never could have accomplished what we did with Rocky without him."

Modeled after Muhammad Ali, the Creed character demonstrated smarts and flare, offering audiences a strong and positive Black character at a time when mainstream movie roles were just starting to break out of stereotypes.