Carl Weathers, the actor well-known for enjoying Apollo Creed within the Rocky movies, has died aged 76.

In a press release, his household stated he died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday.

They known as him "an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life" and stated he was a "beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend".

"Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognised worldwide and across generations."

Weathers, a former NFL linebacker who went on to develop into an motion and comedy star, featured in such classics as Predator reverse Arnold Schwarzenegger and Happy Gilmour with Adam Sandler.

Sandler paid tribute to his co-star on X, saying: "A true great man. Great dad. Great actor. Great athlete.

"So a lot enjoyable to be round all the time. 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 complete household and Carl will all the time be often called a real legend."

In the film, he performed Happy Gilmore's golf coach Chubbs Peterson, a former pro-golfer who was pressured to retire after an alligator bit off his hand.

His most well-known movie function was that of Apollo Creed within the Rocky franchise.

"It puts you on the map and makes your career, so to speak. But that's a one-off, so you've got to follow it up with something.

"Fortunately these films saved coming, and Apollo Creed turned increasingly more in folks's consciousness and welcome of their lives, and it was simply the best man on the proper time," he told The Daily Beast in 2017.

More recently, he starred in the sitcom Arrested Development and the Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian.

Growing up in New Orleans, Weathers started performing in performs in main college.

In highschool, athletics took him down one other path however he would reunite together with his old flame later in life.

He performed American soccer at San Diego State University - the place he majored in theatre - and went on to play one season within the NFL, for the Oakland Raiders, in 1970.

"When I found football, it was a completely different outlet," Weathers advised the Detroit News.

"It was more about the physicality, although one does feed the other. You needed some smarts because there were playbooks to study and film to study, to learn about the opposition on any given week."

After the Raiders, he joined the Canadian Football League, taking part in for 2 years whereas ending his research through the low season at San Francisco State University.

He graduated with a drama diploma in 1974. Two years later, he landed the function as Creed and went on to star in 4 movies within the Rocky franchise, till his dramatic onscreen dying in 1984's Rocky IV.

Married and divorced thrice, Weathers is survived by two kids, Jason and Matthew.

Content Source: information.sky.com