Carl Weathers, the US actor who played boxer Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise, has passed away, his family said in a statement. He was 76.
"We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers," Deadline quoted his family as saying. "Carl 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."
The statement didn't give any cause of death, but added that he died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday (1 February).
Weathers was recently seen on the small screen in the Star Wars spin-off series The Mandalorian, a role for which he scored an Emmy nomination.
Weathers' career spanned five decades and included over 75 appearances in movies and TV, beginning with the Blaxploitation films of the mid-1970s.
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