The “Rocky” franchise lost a key player on Friday when Carl Weathers, the actor who will be forever known to many as Apollo Creed, died at the age of 76. Shortly after the news broke, Rocky Balboa himself weighed in on the passing of his longtime boxing foil.
In a video posted to his personal Instagram account February 2, Sylvester Stallone opened up about the role that Weathers played in his life. He recalled meeting Weathers for the first time while casting “Rocky,” and emphasized that Weathers’ talent was an integral part of the boxing franchise’s massive success.
“Today is an incredibly sad day for me,” Stallone said. “I’m so torn up, I can’t even tell you. I’m just trying to hold it in because Carl Weathers was such an integral part of my life, my success — everything about it, 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 great. I never could’ve accomplished what we did with ‘Rocky’ without him.”
Stallone went on to speak about his personal relationship with Weathers, explaining that he’ll remember his late co-star for his heart and soul as much as his acting talents.
“He was absolutely brilliant — his voice, his size, his presence, his athletic ability, but, most importantly, his heart, his soul. It’s a horrible loss,” Stallone said. “He was magic. I was so fortunate to be part of his life. Apollo, keep punching.”
