Karl Weathers is an American actor, producer, director, professional athlete who has been involved in American football for a long time. Fame and fame brought him the role of Appolo Creed in four films "Rocky", and the first part received several "Oscars" and became the highest grossing in the late 70s. Also worth noting is his work in the films: "Predator", "Lucky Gilmore", "Nikki, the devil Jr.", "Arrested Development".
Before fully committing himself to his creative career, Weathers played American football for several years and played first for a local club, and later became part of the Canadian national team. After graduating from a sports career, he devoted himself entirely to theater and cinema. He also has three directing, producing and dubbing video game characters.
The beginning of the biography
Karl was born in the early winter of 1948 in New Orleans. He grew up in an area that was considered not very prosperous, and early began to understand that if he did not engage in his own development, then he would not be able to achieve something worthwhile in life. Weathers began to actively engage in sports. Among his hobbies were boxing, judo, wrestling, gymnastics and football. It was football that the boy ultimately preferred.
Back in his school years, Karl began to compete and by the eighth grade, thanks to his sporting success, received an invitation to continue his education at a private school. For his achievements in sports, Karl received a sports scholarship by graduation, the opportunity to continue his studies in college and play for one of the football teams as a defender.
After college, Weathers begins his studies at the university and continues to play for a sports club, but already in the role of an attacker. Unfortunately, following the selection of players for the national club, he was not selected and joined the Oakland Raiders as a free player who could be fielded to replace the leading squad. For several seasons, he only manages to enter the field a few times and ultimately the club breaks off the contract with him. But Karl does not leave football and soon becomes a player in the British Columbia Lions Canadian Football League.
In the same period, the young man begins to get involved in art, study acting and perform on the stage of the student theater. He also starred in small-budget films that gave him the opportunity to begin to prove himself as an actor and get his first filming experience.
By the time he graduated from university, Weathers stopped his football career and devoted himself entirely to theater and cinema. From that moment on, the creative biography of the future actor started.
Film career
After completing his sports career, Karl began looking for work in the cinema. Soon he was invited to take part in the filming of several films: "Streets of San Francisco", "Starsky and Hutch", "S. W. A. T.", where he performed cameo roles.
Two years later, Weathers is casting for the film "Rocky", participation in which made the actor famous and brought worldwide fame. The main character of the picture was Rocky Balboa, played by Sylvester Stallone. The idea of the film was that a little-known boxer challenges a champion and defeats him in the ring. Weathers played the role of Rocky's opponent - Apollo Creed. The film names a huge success with audiences and film critics and was nominated for an Oscar. In the future, three more sequels of the story were filmed, where Weathers again appears on the screen, but already in the role of Rocky's friend and assistant.
After worldwide success, Karl begins to receive invitations from directors and soon appears in the film "Serpico", then in "Close Encounters of the Third Degree", "Half Cool". But the films did not become popular and did not add new merits to Karl.
A few years later Weathers starred in the movie "Predator", in one of the central roles - George Dillon. Arnold Schwarzenegger became his partner on the set. The picture instantly became popular and received recognition from viewers and in the world of cinema, and was nominated for an Oscar.
In the early 2000s, Weatherst's career began to decline. He starred in several more projects and tries himself as a producer and director. Despite his age, the actor continues his film career, voicing the characters of video games and cartoons.
Personal life
Karl's first wife is Mary Ann Castle. The family existed for more than ten years, they had two children, but the union broke up in 1984.
The second time Weathers married almost immediately after the divorce, to actress Ron Ansell, but this union was not durable either.
Karl's third marriage with actress Jennifer Peterson was registered in 2007, but the couple separated two years later.
