The Memorable Performances of Carl Weathers
Cairo, Egypt
For those who have followed Carl Weathers career over the years, it was sad to hear about his passing. Some of his roles, however, were so unique that they will insure that the late actor is remembered.
Apollo Creed
His most memorable performance was that of Apollo Creed in four Rocky films. Weathers played the role to perfection from 1976–1985. It was fascinating to learn that Stallone based the film off a fight he attended between Muhammad Ali and Chris Wepner.
The relationship between Rocky and Apollo was probably the most important of the entire film series. The first two films featured him as the principal adversary-the greatest fighter in the world. It was the classic underdog story.
In the third film, Creed became Balboa’s friend and mentor, helping him to recover the heavyweight championship from Clubber Lang, played by Mr. T.
In the fourth film, best viewed in Stallone’s Rocky Vs. Drago, Apollo met his end. He went out swinging.
The presence of the character was so powerful, however, that the Creed franchise was able to very successfully continue from where the Rocky series left off.
Dillon
One of his best performances was opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator. In 1987, two years after the noble death of Apollo Creed, Weathers took on the role of Dillon, a government agent running operations in Latin America. The film was unique for several reasons: story, setting, photography, and acting. Seeing it for the first time, one doesn’t know what to expect. In this film, he once again went out swinging against a superior foe.
The Magistrate
It seems that the great actor went missing for an entire generation. Many were undoubtedly surprised to see him alive and well. Weathers last great role was as the Magistrate in The Mandalorian. The first season saw him as something of an “agent” for bounty hunters. By the second season, however, he had become in charge of a planet. It was nice to see his character develop. Fans of the show will undoubtedly lament his absence.
Conclusion
Looking on the three performances collectively, one comes to realize that Mr. Weathers never got the title role. He was always a supporting character. Why is it? Perhaps, there was and still is a prejudice against casting African-American men in lead Hollywood roles. Nevertheless, his work continues to speak for itself.
