Adam Sandler is remembering a “legend.”
On Friday, actor Carl Weathers’ family confirmed to ET that he died in his sleep the day prior. He was 76.
Weathers and Sandler famously starred in the 1996 comedy Happy Gilmore. Sandler portrayed the hockey player-turned-golf pro, while Weathers took on the role of his golf instructor, Derick “Chubbs” Peterson, a pro golfer who had to retire after his hand was bitten off by an alligator.
Upon hearing the news of his co-star’s death, Sandler took to Instagram to praise Weathers. “A true great man. Great dad. Great actor. Great athlete,” the 57-year-old comedian captioned a series of photos of the late star. “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.”
Sandler added, “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.”
Julie Bowen, who played Virginia Venit in Happy Gilmore, also remembered Weathers on Instagram. “Dearest Carl, you’ll always be my Chubbs. What a glorious spirit you had. Thanks for making me smile. I hope they golf wherever you are. ❤️❤️❤️,” she captioned a photo of him in the role of Chubbs.
Weathers’ death comes just a few months after the death of Bob Barker, who had a famous cameo in Happy Gilmore. The Price Is Right host died on Aug. 26, 2023. He was 99.
In addition to Happy Gilmore, Weathers was known for a slew of other roles. He portrayed Greef Karga for three seasons of Disney+’s The Mandalorian, and also lent his voice to the character Combat Carl in the Oscar-winning Toy Story 4. Additionally, Weathers starred in the 1988 film Action Jackson and shared the screen with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1987 hit Predator. But perhaps his most iconic role is that of Apollo Creed, the charismatic and powerful heavyweight champion in the Rocky film series.
Weathers is survived by his ex-wife, Mary Ann, and their two sons.
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