‘Rocky’ star Carl Weathers’ official cause of death has been revealed.
According to his death certificate exclusively obtained by The Blast, Weathers passed away inside of his home in Venice, California. The legendary actor, who played Apollo Creed in the ‘Rocky’ films, died on February 2 at 12:18 am.
The document lists the actor as spending 51 years in the “entertainment industry” and divorced at the time of his passing. His son, Matthew Weathers, was listed as the person who notified authorities of his passing.
Carl Weathers Cause Of Death Revealed
The death certificate lists “atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease” as his official cause of death.
Specifically, the document says he suffered from heart disease for years. Investigators declared the manner of death as “natural.”
The “Happy Gilmore” star was cremated, and his family is taking home his ashes. He was 76 years old. The veteran actor’s family confirmed the devastating news via a statement:
“He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers.”
They continued, “[He] was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. 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 former professional football player got his acting start in the 1970s, appearing in crime dramas before landing his breakout role, Apollo Creed, in “Rocky.” The actor had made a name for himself, appearing in over 75 films and TV shows during his 50-year screen career — but he is best known for playing Apollo Creed in ‘Rocky’ alongside Sylvester Stallone. He went on to reprise the role in 1979’s “Rocky II” (1979) and 1982’s “Rocky III.”
He then made the switch to television shows, appearing in the Disney+ hit “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian,” which earned him a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
Fans were immediately thrown into mourning following the news of Weathers’ death. A heartbroken fan took to social media and penned, “RIP CARL WEATHERS. Lots of great roles but his exit in PREDATOR is especially memorable.”
Carl Weathers Makes Final Appearance In Super Bowl Ad
Before his heartbreaking death, Weathers had filmed a commercial set to appear in an upcoming Super Bowl, which will air on February 11. The late actor had been associated with the online sports-betting company FanDuel and its Super Bowl work for years.
Per reports, after former NFL tight-end Rob Gronkowski kicks a field goal to kick off the Super Bowl game FanDuel will then air a follow-up commercial during the game itself. It’s unsure what the ad would be about, but the unfortunate passing of Weathers has made FanDuel want to approach its ad with caution.
FanDuel’s executive vice president of marketing, Andrew Sneyd confirmed that the “Rocky” actor will still appear in the ad, thanks to the blessing of his family. “The family has been very supportive that they would still like to see Carl in the work,” Sneyd stated.
However, there will be some changes to the advert according to Sneyd. “We had built a master. One is an edit if he makes the kick and we have an edit if he misses. That content we had in those masters wouldn’t be appropriate for us to do anymore,” Sneyd said of the upcoming ad. “Since the news of Carl’s passing came, we have been working with editors to help us get back to something that does make sense.”
He added, “We have been viewing edits through tears. We really enjoyed the short time we had to work with him. He’s a wonderful man and he genuinely is an inspiration and had such a positive outlook on the world. We want to make sure we try to meet this moment with the respect it deserves.”
