There are popular franchises, and then there's Star Wars. The galaxy far, far away has entertained fans for decades, and continues expanding thanks to movies and shows that are available with a Disney+ subscription. The first of these was the megahit The Mandalorian, which featured the iconic Carl Weathers as Greef Karga. Weathers recently died at age 76, with Dave Filoni sharing his favorite aspect of the late Mandalorian actor. And it's so perfect.
Since his passing, a number of tributes have been pouring in for Carl Weathers, including both fans and those who worked with him. While fans wait for information about The Mandalorian Season 4, sadly the Happy Gilmore actor won't be around. Dave Filoni spoke to ET about his experience working with Weathers, saying:
My best memory of him is when we were at [Star Wars] Celebration for Mando Season 1, and he came out on stage like Apollo Creed and said, ‘I want you, I want you.’ And just the energy, the power that he carried in his stature, in his voice and everything. I mean, it’s rough. We’re going to miss him dearly, but knowing he was such a great person and that he gave so much of himself to so many people, his legacy will continue on in ways we can’t even imagine.
Talk about a core memory. One of Carl Weathers' most iconic roles was as Apollo Creed in the first four Rocky movies. And it sounds like he brought the energy of that character to Star Wars Celebration when promoting the first season of The Mandalorian. Pretty iconic, no?
Weathers had roles in a number of beloved properties, including the original Predator movie. And it sounds like Dave Filoni absolutely loved collaborating with him for the creation of Greek Karga.
Later in that same conversation, Dave Filoni further spoke about Carl Weathers as both a collaborator and a person. He still seems thrilled that he even got to meet the late icon, saying:
He was the best. I don’t know how to describe it. Just the fact that I got to meet him, to know him. He’s one of the first people [when] I was directing the first episode, one of the first people I directed. And he’s such an exceptional director. So I’m learning on the job from, again always, some of the greatest people. He’s great on and off camera. Jon [Favreau] and I were thrilled with what he did as Greef Karga and then as a director for us. It made us so happy that he could be a part of our team on that side of the camera. He was so enthusiastic about it all every day.
Of course, Filoni isn't the only one who was impressed with what he brought to The Mandalorian. In fact, Carl Weathers earned a 2021 Emmy nomination for his performance in the acclaimed Star Wars series. One can only imagine how he would have factored into future Star Wars projects like the new season of Mandalorian and recently announced movie The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Our thoughts are with Carl Weathers' loved ones during this difficult time. But one thing is clear: his legacy will live on thanks to his acclaimed work and gentle spirit.
