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Hollywood was dealt a heartbreaking blow on Friday with news of the passing of Carl Weathers at 76 years old.
Weathers, a one-time linebacker for the Oakland Raiders, transitioned to acting after a brief football career and became a star thanks to roles such as Apollo Creed in Rocky and Chubbs in Happy Gilmore.
Creed is the role he was best known for, however, and on Friday evening, co-star Sylvester Stallone posted a heartbreaking tribute to Weathers on his Instagram page.
Sylvester Stallone Mourns Passing Of Carl Weathers On Instagram
“Today is an incredibly sad day for me,” Stallone began. “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 him — I give him incredible credit and kudos because when he walked into that room, and I saw him for the first time, I felt greatness. But I didn’t realize how great. I never could have accomplished what we did with ‘Rocky’ without him. He was absolutely brilliant, his voice, his size, his power, his athletic ability, but more importantly, his heart, his soul.”
The video showed Stallone standing in front a Sly standing in front of a painting that was commissioned to recreate the end of ‘Rocky III,’ where he and Weathers (Rocky and Creed) square off in the ring.
“It’s a horrible loss,” he said. “And I’m standing here in front of this painting, because it was probably the last moment we were ever in the ring together and I’ll never forget it. He was magic. And I was so fortunate to be part of his life. So Apollo, keep punching.”
It’s easy to see how heavily Stallone felt the loss of his co-star and friend. And judging by the outpouring of reactions on social media, he’s far from the only one.