Sports make ya grunt and smell. See, be a thinker, not a stinker.

February 3, 2024 12:55 AM

Carl Weathers has passed away (1948-2024). Here he was on stage 10 months ago at Star Wars Celebration. From MGM on Youtube, the best of Apollo Creed. Col. Dillon's death scene from Predator. Carl Weathers on the Rich Eisen Show about his football career. "Carl Weathers" meeting Tobias Fünke at Burger King. And Din Djarin meeting with Greef Karga in the first episode of The Mandalorian.

Getting started in college football in 1966, he went pro in 1969 and retired from sports in 1974. Moving into acting, his career saw him playing Apollo Creed (Rocky franchise) and Col. Dillion (Predator), and as an extremely thrifty version of himself on Arrested Development. Most recently in The Mandalorian, he was Greef Karga, the bounty hunter guild leader turned High Magistrate of frontier planet Nevarro. Weathers directed two episodes of The Mandalorian.

posted by JHarris (36 comments total)

I saw that there hadn't been an obituary post a couple of days after his death, and I always enjoyed him on The Mandalorian. It wasn't hard finding more clips from his roles on Youtube. He was an actor for five decades, and he'll be a familiar face for many years more.
posted by JHarris at 1:05 AM on February 3 [3 favorites]

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posted by Pendragon at 1:24 AM on February 3

To me he'll always be Action Jackson (and not Lando!). Take care, Carl.
posted by chavenet at 1:39 AM on February 3 [8 favorites]

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what an amazing dude.
posted by Carillon at 2:15 AM on February 3 [1 favorite]

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An actor like no other in teaching me how to get a stew going.
posted by bigendian at 2:25 AM on February 3 [20 favorites]

I guess he finally beat Rocky to death.
posted by adept256 at 2:39 AM on February 3 [3 favorites]

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posted by cupcakeninja at 3:01 AM on February 3

I had really been enjoying him on The Mandolorian. It was a fun character arc. (And there are so damn many characters in the show it was nice that one of the important ones was a familiar actor so I could keep him straight.)

Also his turn on Arrested Development was amazing! And the cheapskate jokes were Weathers' idea:

“So I called Carl, and said, ‘Hey, I don’t know if you’ve seen the show but we wanna use you for it, and you’d be working with David Cross.’ And he goes, ‘Great, but let me ask you something. It’s not going to be just a bunch of Rocky jokes is it?’ I laughed, ‘No! No! Give me a little credit, Carl. Of course not! It’s a multidimensional character.’ And he was like, ‘Because I direct and I’m a funny guy and I don’t wanna just do a bunch of Rocky jokes. Nobody wants that. Maybe I could be really cheap or something?’ And I said, ‘Whaaaat?’ ‘Maybe I could be really cheap?’ ‘Really? You’d like to do that?’ ‘Oh, absolutely, that’s what I’m saying. I want to play someone funny, not just be a sight gag.’ It was so much better. I went back to the writers room and said, ‘You’re not going to believe this. Carl Weathers wants to be incredibly cheap.’ All credit to Carl on that.”

posted by hydropsyche at 4:10 AM on February 3 [29 favorites]

My dream of a third Predator star turned governor dies with him.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:23 AM on February 3 [3 favorites]

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posted by dragonplayer at 4:24 AM on February 3

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posted by fizzix at 4:58 AM on February 3

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posted by jedicus at 5:10 AM on February 3

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posted by riruro at 5:11 AM on February 3

I haven't seen Action Jackson since I was a kid, but I was a fan of it then. It was great to see Carl Weathers as the lead.

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posted by zardoz at 5:13 AM on February 3 [2 favorites]

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posted by TwoStride at 5:20 AM on February 3

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posted by mersen at 5:39 AM on February 3

A friend of mine who had the pleasure of working with Weathers said, “He was a champ. Loved working with him. He was exactly who you'd want him to be.”

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posted by Fleebnork at 5:39 AM on February 3 [12 favorites]

Though Chubbs Peterson died many years ago, this news really brings it home.
posted by MorgansAmoebas at 5:58 AM on February 3 [1 favorite]

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posted by gauche at 6:01 AM on February 3

May the Force be with him always.
posted by briank at 6:47 AM on February 3 [1 favorite]

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posted by oozy rat in a sanitary zoo at 6:59 AM on February 3

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posted by The Great Big Mulp at 7:17 AM on February 3

Ah man. :-(

I hate getting old, watching all the stars in my sky wink out.
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 7:29 AM on February 3 [11 favorites]

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posted by Windopaene at 7:57 AM on February 3

I really appreciated how he both had great presence but didn't feel like he was pulling all the focus in a scene. And he was really delightful in the behind-the-scenes features for the Mandalorian. He was just alight with enjoyment, and it seemed like that was infectious.
posted by EvaDestruction at 9:08 AM on February 3 [2 favorites]

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So glad he got his turn in Star Wars. I haven't been watching the new shows but I'm really delighted an action star of his caliber from my youth got a late-life bow that introduced him to the younger generations.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 10:35 AM on February 3 [2 favorites]

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posted by Saxon Kane at 11:27 AM on February 3

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posted by eustatic at 12:38 PM on February 3

My dream of a third Predator star turned governor dies with him.

Well, he was High Magistrate.
posted by rp at 1:26 PM on February 3 [2 favorites]

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posted by adekllny at 4:43 PM on February 3

I've admired him for years. His loss really hurts. RIP Mr. Weathers. You were brilliant.

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posted by annieb at 4:51 PM on February 3 [1 favorite]

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posted by mcbeth at 5:09 PM on February 3

Rocky would have been nothing without him.
posted by kinnakeet at 6:50 PM on February 3 [1 favorite]

Also half of the Epic Handshake. RIP.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 8:37 AM on February 4 [2 favorites]

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posted by LobsterMitten at 8:59 AM on February 4

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posted by kitten kaboodle at 2:05 PM on February 4