Carl Weathers Dead: Adam Sandler Honors Late 'Happy Gilmore' Co-Star

Sandler called the late actor a 'true legend.'

By Ashley Turner

Adam Sandler remembered his Happy Gilmore co-star Carl Weathers today in a tribute to the late actor.

"A true great man," Sandler wrote on X/Twitter. "Great dad. Great actor. Great athlete. So much fun to be around always. 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."

Weathers starred in the 1996 comedy as the one-handed Derick "Chubbs" Peterson, a former golf pro who became a golf coach in order to help Sandler's title character improve his game through his guidance. Returning the favor, Gilmore gives Chubbs the head of the alligator that bit off his hand, a surprise that goes disastrously wrong.

Last year, Weathers spoke with the podcast Stuck In The '80s about his relationship with Sandler and their chemistry together in Happy Gilmore.

"Well, you know what, we had a great time," Weathers said. "It worked really well and it continues. People just like those movies. And Adam was… Adam is fantastic human being anyway, really good guy. I just saw him actually about a week and a half ago." 

"And he had a black eye," he continued. "He'd been out playing basketball. He's such a macho dude. He's out there playing basketball and somebody smacked him and I mean, it just swole up he had this big black eye. But he is a cool guy. He is a really, really cool guy."

The Rocky and Predator star, passed away on Thursday at the age of 76 as confirmed in a statement from his family. "We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers," the statement reads. "He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. ... 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."

Weathers was most recently featured in the Kick of Destiny ads with Rob Gronkowski before Super Bowl LVIII. However, Weathers had a vast acting career full of memorable roles that marked his career and made him a household name.

In the 70s, he played Apollo Creed, the flashy champion boxer in the Rocky series that went on to become a fixture in the franchise. Creed's role is one of many highlights across a 50-year career, with new fans discovering him in roles such as those in The Mandalorian.

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