'A True Legend': Hollywood Reacts To Carl Weathers' Death

Sometimes it seemed like Carl Weathers could do anything. The football star-turned-actor also directed a fair number of television episodes (including two episodes of "The Mandalorian") and worked as a producer, extending his experience into all parts of entertainment. He worked with an incredible range of talent and touched many lives even beyond those he interacted with directly, making his passing a massive blow to anyone who loves movies or TV. The absolute titan sadly died yesterday at the age of 76, and many of the people who he worked with and who were inspired by him took to social media to share their feelings about the late, great man. 

The outpouring of love included words from co-stars like Pedro Pascal and Jesse Ventura, along with regular collaborators like Adam Sandler, whom Weathers worked with on movies like "Happy Gilmore," "Little Nicky," and "Eight Crazy Nights." There's a Carl Weathers-shaped hole in the world, and his loss is clearly felt by many. Rest in peace and may the Force be with you, sir. Let's see what the stars have to say. 

While some posts were rather brief, like "Mandalorian" star Pascal's simple-but-heartfelt "words fail" with a heartbroken emoji and a photo of Weathers on his Instagram, others had more to say, including Sandler, who took to his Instagram to say:

"A true great man. 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 played fictional former pro golfer Chubbs Peterson in "Happy Gilmore," showing that he had comedy chops as well as acting and athletic skills. Other comedians had kind words for the late actor, like Dane Cook, who said that a moment in "Rocky" with Weathers changed his life, and "Saturday Night Live" alum Leslie Jones, who said, "Say it ain't so!! Apollo Creed!! RIP TO MR. Carl Weathers!" with a crying emoji, alongside a photo of Weathers in "Predator." 

Former Minnesota governor, actor, and retired professional wrestler Jesse Ventura had kind words for Weathers, whom he saw on occasion throughout the years due to their connection in "Predator":

"We lost an icon. Carl Weathers was a phenomenal talent, a true professional, and a dear friend. All my sympathies and love to his family. I loved working with him on 'Predator' and then celebrating that film with him at various conventions in the ensuing years. Thank you, Carl."

At the time of publishing, fellow "Predator" co-star and former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger has not weighed in, though it's fairly likely that he will say something soon, as the two seemed to work together well with a friendly offscreen relationship. Many who worked with Weathers seemed to love the experience, as director Robert Rodriguez explained that he was fortunate to work with Weathers on multiple occasions and that he was "[a] very kind and generous person. His performances were always electrifying and he was also a terrific director of both stage and screen." The two most recently worked together on "The Mandalorian," where Rodriguez directed two episodes. 

Actor Ahmed Best, who first joined "Star Wars" as Jar Jar Binks but earned a kind of redemption playing a Jedi on "The Mandalorian," shared a beautiful tribute to Weathers on his Instagram:

"I'm struggling with this one today. This is hard. Carl has always been a hero of mine since I was a child. I never thought I would ever be directed by him let alone have the honor to call him a friend. As an artist he was so generous with his wisdom and respect for the art of acting. He gave me golden nuggets that I will treasure and use for the rest of my life. As a director he was the one who gave me the space, grace, time, and guidance to come to life. He saw how nervous I was to be back in #starwars and gave me the strength and confidence to perform. Every conversation and text message after was bathed in love, mentorship and support. Love you my brother #carlweathers. I will miss you. We will miss you. Rest in Power."

I'm not sure that anyone can say anything more poignant than that. Rest in Power and peace, Mr. Weathers.