Sylvester Stallone Breaks Silence Following ‘Rocky’ Co-Star Carl Weathers’ Death

Sylvester Stallone shared an emotional statement about the passing of Carl Weathers. Stallone and Weathers were on-screen rivals that become friends in the Rocky franchise, but the bond is deeper after listening to Stallone’s words.

The Rambo icon shared a video and comment to his Instagram account, honoring his late co-star and crediting Weathers with helping launch their careers to the heights they reached.

“Hello everyone. Today is an incredibly sad day for me…I’m so torn up, I can’t even tell you. I’m just trying to hold it in because… Carl Weathers was such an integral part of my life, my success,” Stallone says in the video. “Everything about it, I give him incredible credit and kudos. Because When he walked into that room and I saw him for the first time, I saw greatness. But I didn’t realize how great.

“I never could have accomplished what we did with Rocky without him. He was absolutely brilliant. His voice, his size, his power, his athletic ability…but more importantly his heart, his soul,” Stallone continued.

Weathers passed away on Thursday according to a statement from his family, dying peacefully in his sleep surrounded by loved ones. He was 76 and is survived by his ex-wife and their two sons.

The action star is best known as Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise but enjoyed a wide variety of success well into his later years thanks to roles in The Mandalorian and Arrested Development. Fellow co-stars like Adam Sandler and Arnold Schwarzenegger also paid tribute to Weathers after the news broke.

“It’s a horrible loss. I’m standing here in front of this painting because it was the probably last moment we were ever in the ring together, and I’ll never forget it. He was magic,” Stallone continued. “I was so fortunate to be part of his life. So, Apollo, keep punching.”