SYLVESTER Stallone has broken his silence after the death of Carl Weathers.
The two Hollywood actors were co-stars in the Rocky franchise.
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This week, it was revealed that Carl had died at the age of 76 “peacefully in his sleep” on Thursday.
On Friday, Sylvester, 77, released an emotional video to his Instagram profile.
In the long clip, the Expendables actor stood behind a bar at his home with a painting of himself and Carl – who played Apollo Creed – in Rocky.
“Hello everyone. Today is an incredibly sad day for me. I’m so torn up, I’m trying to hold it in because Carl Weathers was such an intricate part of my life, my success, everything about it,” he began.
Read More on Carl Weathers
“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 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. It’s a horrible loss.”
Sylvester went more into detail about his painting and how that was the last time they were in the ring together.
“I’ll never forget it. He was magic and I was so fortunate to be a part of his life. So Apollo, keep punching.”
The Creed star captioned his post, “We lost a legend yesterday. My life was forever changed for the better the day I met Carl Weathers. Rest in power and [keep] punching.”
In the comment section, fans sent Sylvester their condolences as one wrote, “Great homage, Sly. Carl was truly unique. RIP.”
“Horrible day. A devastating loss,” said another.
A third added, “He was a masterful actor, and an incredible athlete!!”
“There are no words to describe this loss the Rocky world will mourn his loss,” stated a fourth.
‘AN EXCEPTIONAL HUMAN BEING’
In a statement released to Deadline, Carl’s family was “deeply saddened” to share the news with the world.
“Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life,” the statement continued.
“Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations.”
“He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend,” the statement ended.
Before pursuing his acting career, Carl was a football star as a defensive end at San Diego State.
He played as a linebacker for the Oakland Raiders and retired from the sport in 1974, according to Sports Illustrated.
The Force 10 from Navarone star spent five seasons with Oakland, the B. C. Lions of the Canadian League, and the Detroit Lions, as reported by The Washington Post.
Carl, whose career spanned film and television, action and comedy, is best known for his role as Apollo Creed, as well as his performance in Adam Sandler’s comedy, Happy Gilmore.
The late actor landed roles in more than 75 movies and TV shows, including The Mandalorian, Predator, and Arrested Development.
ADAM SANDLER’S TRIBUTE
On Instagram, the Big Daddy star, 57, shared several photos of Carl and wrote, “A true great man. Great dad. Great actor. Great athlete.
“So much fun to be around always. Smart as hell. Loyal as hell. Funny as hell. Loved his sons more than anything. What a guy!! Everyone loved him.
“My wife and I had the best times with him every time we saw him. Love to his entire family and Carl will always be known as a true legend.”
‘A FULL LIFE’
In a 1979 interview with the publication, the Semi-Tough actor opened up about his future and legacy.
“God knows I don’t have it all together, but I’ve learned that not doing what you want to do will limit the success you can have,” Carl admitted at the time.
“I like to think old John Wayne knew that. He had his ups and downs, but there was a full life, a real career. He didn’t have to sign out full of regrets.”
“I’d rather die and go to hell right now than live and end up staring in the mirror someday and saying, ‘Were you ever full of . . . ! You blew it, man!” he concluded.
HIS FINAL MESSAGE
At the end of January, the actor-turned-director held a Q&A session with fans on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In his last tweet, Carl praised his late co-star Burt Reynolds and reshared behind-the-scenes footage from Semi-Tough.
“Burt was ‘the man!’ he tweeted.
“Had nothing but respect for his career success. And he always showed a great sense of humor whenever we crossed paths.”
About two weeks ago, Carl’s co-star, Sylvester Stallone, shared footage from their boxing rehearsal from Rocky II on Instagram.
“Practicing for the final fight in Rocky 2. Rare footage.”
“Thought it be fun to share. Keep punching,” the Rocky Balboa director wrote.
In 1977, the first Rocky installment earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay for Sylvester and won the awards for Best Picture, Best Directing, and Best Film Editing.
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