Carl Weathers posthumously receives Hollywood Walk of Fame star

HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- Actor Carl Weathers was posthumously honored Thursday with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for a nearly 50-year acting career best remembered for his portrayal of Sylvester Stallone's boxing nemesis-turned-friend and mentor Apollo Creed in four "Rocky" films.

The star is the second in the walk's sports entertainment category which was announced in 2021 by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which administers the Walk of Fame. The category honors individuals, not teams or sports affiliated groups, who have made significant contributions to the world of entertainment and demonstrated "longevity of excellence" in their sport, according to Ana Martinez, the Hollywood Walk of Fame's producer.

Pro Football Hall of Famer turned "Good Morning America" anchor and "Fox NFL Sunday" analyst Michael Strahan was the first recipient in the category.

Weathers was a first-team All-Pacific Coast Athletic Association linebacker as a San Diego State senior in 1969, then played seven games and two playoff games for the Oakland Raiders in 1970 and one regular-season game in 1971 before being cut, with coach John Madden telling him, "You're just too sensitive."

Weathers concluded his football career by playing 18 games for the Canadian Football League's BC Lions from 1971-73.

"I was an actor before I was an athlete," Weathers said in a 2021 interview with SDSU NewsCenter. "I started acting when I was in grade school, and I majored in theater while I was on a football scholarship.

"There was always a Jekyll and Hyde, well, actually I'll just say a 'split personality' between the artistic and the athletic, which I learned to love."

Weathers starred in several campus theater productions at San Diego State, including in 1970 when he played Pylades in "Orestes," a Greek tragedy written by Euripides.

Weathers' fellow actor-directors LeVar Burton and Bryce Dallas Howard also spoke at Thursday's ceremony. Weathers' son Matthew accepted the star on behalf of his late father.

"My father was an individual with dreams and aspirations, he knew what he wanted at a very young age," Matthew Weathers said. "He told me on numerous occasions that if he had some money in his pocket as a young man he'd go to the movies. He became a good football player, wanted an education, went to college, studied theater, got picked up by the Raiders, played for the BC Lions, finished his education and eventually made it to Hollywood.

"Not a lot of people have the opportunity to do what he did and he knew that. He really, really did. He was proud of what he created. So am I. It's hard to imagine he's not here. It was a sudden passing. But as much as I don't want to get emotional, this is a day of celebration. I'm really proud of the man he was most of all."

The star is the 2,787th since the completion of the Walk of Fame in 1961 with the initial 1,558 stars.

Weathers was selected to receive a star in 2023 and "was actively involved in preparing to receive his star" before he died Feb. 2 at age 76, Martinez said.

Born Jan, 14, 1948, in New Orleans, Weathers moved to Long Beach with his family while he was in high school, attending Long Beach Poly High. He attended Long Beach City College for two years before transferring to San Diego State.

Weathers received a bachelor's degree in drama and a master's degree in theatre arts from San Francisco State University.

Weathers' first credited role came in 1975 in the CBS comedy "Good Times," playing the husband of a woman (Betty A. Bridges) who commissions JJ (Jimmy Walker) to paint a picture of her to give to her husband for her birthday.

Weathers rose to fame for his portrayal of Creed, the flamboyant world heavyweight champion in "Rocky," which won the best picture Oscar in 1977.

"Carl Weathers was such an integral part of my life, my success," Stallone said in a video posted on Instagram after learning of Weathers' death. "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. And more importantly his heart and soul."

Weathers reprised the role in the next three "Rocky" films.

Weathers' other memorable film roles included Col. Al Dillon in the 1987 sci-fi/action film "Predator," and golf pro Chubbs Peterson in the 1996 comedy "Happy Gilmore."

Weathers starred in the 1991-93 syndicated action crime drama "Street Justice," co-starred on the final season of the CBS crime drama "In the Heat of the Night" in the 1993-94 season, and had a recurring role as an exaggerated version of himself in the Fox comedy "Arrested Development."

Weathers' recurring role as High Magistrate Greef Karga in the Disney+ "Star Wars" series "The Mandalorian" brought him an outstanding guest actor in a drama series Emmy nomination in 2021.

Weathers also directed episodes of "The Mandalorian," "FBI," "Chicago Med," "Hawaii 5-0" and "Law & Order."