Pedro Pascal paid tribute to his The Mandalorian costar Carl Weathers after his death.
“Words fail 💔#CarlWeathers,” Pascal, 48, wrote via Instagram on Friday, February 2, alongside a throwback photo of Weathers.
Weathers and Pascal worked together on The Mandalorian, a Star Wars spinoff series which premiered in November 2019. Pascal stars in the titular role, while Weathers appeared as Greef Karga.
Weathers died at the age of 76 on Thursday, February 1.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers,” the actor’s family said in a statement to Deadline on Friday. “He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024.”
The statement continued: “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. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner and friend.”
In addition to Pascal, several other stars paid tribute to the late actor, including his Happy Gilmore costar Adam Sandler.
“A true great man. Great dad. Great actor. Great athlete. So much fun to be around always,” Sandler, 57, wrote via Instagram alongside several snaps of himself and Weathers in the 1996 comedy film, in which Weathers starred as Chubbs Peter. “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 entire family and Carl will always be known as a true legend.”
Another one of Weathers’ Happy Gilmore costars, Julie Bowen, also took to social media to honor him.
“Dearest Carl, you’ll always be my Chubbs. What a glorious spirit you had. Thanks for making me smile. I hope they golf wherever you are,” she shared via Instagram.
Before beginning his acting career, Weathers was a professional football player, playing defensive end in college. He later signed with the Oakland Raiders as a free agent in 1970 and played with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League until he retired in 1974.
After appearing in several small parts, Weathers landed his breakout role as Apollo Creed in 1976’s Rocky alongside Sylvester Stallone. He reprised the role in the following three sequels. Aside from Rocky, Weathers appeared in several notable films, including Predator, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Death Hunt and The Comebacks.
Weathers is survived by his two sons, Jason and Matthew, whom he shared with ex-wife Mary Ann Castle.
