Sylvester Stallone pays tribute to Rocky star Carl Weathers

Weathers went on to star in the legendary ’80s action film Predator and the Adam Sandler comedy Happy Gilmore, while he parodied himself in the TV series Arrested Development and earned an Emmy nod for his recurring role on The Mandalorian.

Following the announcement that he had died “peacefully in his sleep,” a tearful Stallone took Instagram to celebrate his former co-star’s talent and legacy in a moving video.

“Today is an incredibly sad day for me,” he began. “I’m so torn, I can’t even tell you. I’m just trying to hold it together because Carl Weathers was such an integral part of my life, my success, everything about it.

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“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 much .”

Stallone continued: “I could never have accomplished what we did with Rocky without him. He was absolutely brilliant. His voice, his size, his power, his athletic ability – but most importantly, his heart, his soul .”

The actor was dressed in black, but stood in front of a colorful painting depicting a boxing match between Rocky and Apollo.

He added: “It’s a horrible loss. And I’m standing here in front of this board because it was probably the last moment we were together in the ring and I’ll never forget it. It was magical and I I was so lucky to be a part of his life, so Apollo, keep knocking.”

In the comments section, one could find a number of other recognizable names paying tribute to Weathers.

Boxer Antonio Tarver, who played Mason Dixon in 2006’s Rocky Balboa, said: “We all dreamed of being the next Apollo Creed.”

Meanwhile, actress Katee Sackhoff, who worked with Weathers on The Mandalorian, commented on the show’s famous catchphrase: “It is what it is.” In a separate jobshe said she was “completely shocked” by the news.

Looking away, another of his former co-stars, Arnold Schwarzenegger, said on X (formerly Twitter): “Carl Weathers will always be a legend. An extraordinary athlete, a fantastic actor and a wonderful person.

“We couldn’t have made Predator without him. And we certainly wouldn’t have had such a wonderful time making it.”

In his tributeAdam Sandler described Weathers as a “great man” and said “everyone loved him.”

Weathers is survived by two sons.