Sylvester Stallone persists in commemorating his Rocky co-actor Carl Weathers, purportedly succumbed to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease during slumber at 76 years old on February 1st.
Stallone, aged 77, elaborated on Weathers' audition for Rocky during his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, unveiling the process through which the late actor secured the role of Apollo Creed in the renowned film series.
The star of Rambo conveyed to Fallon that Weathers' demise was "startling" and lauded him as "magnificent" prior to reminiscing about Weathers' audition in the mid-1970s, during which Weathers, then an athlete for the Oakland Raiders, tried out for the part.
"Rocky featured an amalgamation of truly exceptional actors, seemingly destined for those roles," Stallone remarked. "I couldn't fill that vacancy [for Apollo Creed] because it demanded remarkable athleticism, intellect, vitality, proficiency, and agility. [Weathers] possessed all these qualities. I mean, he was endowed with them."
Stallone recalled Weathers arriving at the audition in a "foul mood," a circumstance deemed he advantageous given that Weathers would portray Rocky Balboa's boxing adversary.
Subsequently, Weathers purportedly removed his shirt, prompting Stallone to exclaim, "Oh, my goodness, am I in trouble, for I somewhat resembled Pooh Bear at that time, I did, whereas he resembled Adonis. He delivered about three blows to my forehead, and I thought, 'Hired!'" "
I esteemed him greatly. I could not have accomplished it without him," Stallone concluded, before presenting behind-the-scenes footage of the duo rehearsing the climactic fight scene in 1976's Rocky.
Weathers had previously recounted the audition experience in a 2015 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
"There was no one available to read with, and they said, ' You're going to read with the author [Stallone],' " Weathers recounted to the publication. "We went through the scene, and at its conclusion, I felt as though it had quite not reached its pinnacle, that the scene had not truly come alive. There was silence, and a moment of discomfort, as I perceived it, so I spontaneously uttered, 'I could perform much better if you procured a genuine actor for me to collaborate with.'"
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Weathers appended: "I inadvertently slighted the lead of the film without realizing it, and without intending to. Occasionally, blunders are the ones that secure you the role."