Carl Weathers, born on January 14, 1948, in the vibrant city of New Orleans, Louisiana, began his journey as a renowned football star at San Diego State. His impressive performance on the field earned him a spot with the Oakland Raiders, and he eventually retired in 1974 to pursue his true passion: becoming a successful actor.
Weathers started his acting career with small roles in two blaxploitation films, Friday Foster (1975) and Bucktown (1975),both directed by Arthur Marks. However, it was his breakout role as "Apollo Creed" in the iconic film Rocky (1976) that catapulted him to stardom. He went on to reprise his role as Creed in three more Rocky movies, and his on-screen rivalry with the character evolved into a heartwarming friendship.
After Creed's tragic death in Rocky IV (1985),Weathers collaborated with producer Joel Silver to star in the action-packed Predator (1987) alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. The following year, Silver produced Action Jackson (1988),Weathers' first starring role, although it received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike.
Throughout the 1990s, Weathers appeared in four two-hour TV specials of In the Heat of the Night (1988),which garnered widespread critical acclaim. In 1996, he played the memorable role of "Chubbs Peterson" in the hit comedy Happy Gilmore (1996). Weathers also returned to his action roots in two TV-movies alongside Hulk Hogan: Assault on Devil's Island (1997) and Assault on Death Mountain (1999).
In addition to his illustrious acting career, Weathers is an active member of the Big Brothers Association and the U.S. Olympic Committee. He has worked closely with athletes from various sports, including gymnastics, wrestling, swimming, and judo, handling their careers and providing guidance.
