Carl Weathers shed light on his exceptional performance as Apollo Creed in the Rocky movie franchise, admitting he had no previous boxing experience.
The 75-year-old, who was plucked from acting obscurity following a slow-burning NFL career, famously landed the role of Creed after reportedly criticizing Sylvester Stallone.
Weathers was unimpressed by Stallone’s theatrical ability, leading to the pair forming a special working bond through four hit movies.
Taking on such a mammoth role as a world heavyweight champion was a daunting task for anyone. However, for someone with limited roles, such as Weathers, it has to go down as a masterstroke by Stallone.
It was as if Weathers was born to play the role, even if he had never thrown a punch. He picked up enough on set with “Sly” that his ring motions were seamless.
Carl Weathers was Apollo Creed
He looked every inch a boxer and played a significant role in the initial success of the first Rocky release in 1976.
Asked by a fan about his fighting capability during the auditions, Weathers answered: “Never boxed before.”
The Hollywood icon then added some of his musings from being part of a juggernaut of the silver screen.
“Not enough is said about Mike Westmore’s makeup, Bill Butler’s cinematography, or John Avildson’s direction [in Rocky]! Each brought masterful artistry and generous attitudes to the experience that created this classic.
“Talia [Shire], Burt [Young], Burgess [Meredith], Tony [Burton], Thayer [David], [Joe] Spinell, and so many others in the cast made the movie work.
“[Bill] Conti’s score and Halsey and Conrad’s editing all helped make the ROCKY classic a part of our collective film loves.”
On whether he liked working with Tony Burton and Sylvia Meals [They did such incredible jobs as Duke and Mary Anne Creed. Even when they had small roles, they showed how much they cared for Apollo and only wanted what was best for him]. He added: “Enjoyed working with both Tony and Sylvia.
“Each gave great performances and added to the success of the movie. We were lucky to have them.”
Stallone
Concluding by praising Stallone after a fan stated the franchise creator was good, Weather said: “You’re understating the obvious. Sly was GREAT!
Creed died in the fourth installment after an exhibition encounter with Ivan Drago. But such was his impact in the role, Weathers’ character spawned a whole new spin-off.
Furthermore, the introduction of ‘Creed’ in 2015 has brought about a lasting legacy of its own. Production of the fourth movie is already underway, with Michael B. Jordan capably steering the ship.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer and has been the Editor of World Boxing News since 2010.
