Carl Weathers is a renowned American actor, director, producer, and retired football player. He is best known for his roles in “Rocky” (1976–1985), “Predator” (1987), “Action Jackson” (1988), and “Happy Gilmore” (1996). In this article, we’ll be discussing Carl Weathers net worth, career, football career, and personal life.
Early Life
Carl Weathers was born on January 14, 1948, in New Orleans, Louisiana. His father worked as a day laborer. At an early age, Carl received an athletic scholarship to enroll at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. He excelled in numerous sports like football, soccer, wrestling, boxing, judo, and gymnastics.
The family later moved to Southern California, where Carl attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School. In 1966, he enrolled at Long Beach City College and later transferred to San Diego State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in drama in 1974.
Football Career
During his college days in San Diego State University, Weathers played on the football team as a defensive end. He was a letterman for the school’s football team, the Aztecs, in the late 1960s and helped them win the Pasadena Bowl in 1969. Carl was ranked #18 in the Final UPI Poll. In 1970, he signed a free agent contract with the Oakland Raiders for whom he played in seven games in 1970 and one in 1971.
After being released by the Raiders in 1971, Carl signed with the Canadian Football League team, the BC Lions in 1971 until 1973, playing in 18 games. Carl retired from football in 1974. His love for football never ended as he later narrated NFL Films’ season recaps (1999, 2000, and 2001) and appeared in pre-draft coverage on the NFL Network in 2017.
Acting Career
Carl Weathers’ acting career started with guest appearances in TV shows such as ” Good Times,” “The Six Million Dollar Man,” and “Kung Fu.” In 1976, he landed his breakthrough role as Apollo Creed in the movie “Rocky,” grossing $225 million at the box office. He reprised his role in the sequels “Rocky II” (1979), “Rocky III” (1982), and “Rocky IV” (1985).
During his acting career, Carl appeared in the films “Predator” (1987), “Action Jackson” (1988), and “Happy Gilmore” (1996). He played the title role on the 1986 crime drama “Fortune Dane.” Carl also played an MP Officer in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977), appeared in “Force 10 from Navarone” (1978), and “Death Hunt” (1982). He made guest appearances on popular TV shows such as “Starsky & Hutch,” “Barnaby Jones,” “Tour of Duty,” “In the Heat of the Night,” and “The Shield.”
Weathers reprised a fictionalized version of himself on four episodes of the critically acclaimed series “Arrested Development” (2004 & 2013), which was revived by Netflix. He came back to the limelight in 2019 with the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian,” portraying the character of Greef Karga. Alongside acting, Carl directed episodes of several TV shows, including “Silk Stalkings” (1993–1997), “Hawaii Five-0” (2019), and “Chicago Med” (2021), and served as a producer on various TV productions.
Carl Weathers Net Worth
As of 2021, Carl Weathers net worth stands at $8 million. With a career spanning over five decades, his income streams include acting, directing, and producing films and TV shows. He started his professional career as a football player before venturing into acting, which later became his main income source. Carl’s career earned him numerous NAACP Image Award nominations, Behind the Voice Actors Awards, and induction into the International Mustache Hall of Fame.
Personal Life
Carl Weathers has been married twice. He was first married to Mary Ann Castle, with whom he had two sons, Matthew and Jason. They divorced in 1983. In 1984, he married Rhona Unsell, but they divorced in 2006. He later married Jennifer Peterson in March 2007, but the marriage ended early in 2009.
Conclusion
Carl Weathers is an icon in American cinema in every sense of the word. With a net worth of $8 million, he is an actor, director, producer, and businessperson. Throughout his successful career, Carl has made an impact both on and off the screen. He has shown how passion, dedication, and hard work can lead to success. Carl Weathers Net Worth is a testament to that.