Who knew Super Bowl commercials had the power to make you cry? It’s easy if they end up being a tribute to the beloved, late Carl Weathers. When the news broke that “Rocky” and “Predator” star Carl Weathers had passed away,
It left many fans of the actor stunned. Weathers was 76 years old when he died, and he seemed to be in good spirits, being a working actor who had recently earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in “The Mandalorian.” “It looks like your guild rates have just gone up.”
The actor also recently appeared in a commercial for the sports betting and fantasy app FanDuel alongside former New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski. Weathers appeared in the spot as the former tight end’s motorcycle-riding mentor, rolling up to help Gronk in his quest to successfully kick a field goal.
“And this time you won’t miss.” Weathers’ presence as a mentor in Fanduel’s “Kick of Destiny 2” campaign recalled not only his work as Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” series, but it also served as a reminder that Weathers was once an NFL player himself.
Gronkowski performed his “Kick of Destiny” field goal prior to the Super Bowl, and naturally FanDuel was going to show a follow-up commercial that would address whether he made it or not. Spoiler alert: He didn’t. The problem is that Carl Weathers
Was supposed to appear in this follow up commercial too. So how was FanDuel going to handle the situation of the now-departed Weathers? Would the ad even address it? As it turns out, FanDuel managed to come up with the perfect solution to the tragic circumstances.
At the close of the commercial, the popular sports betting service added a nice, if short, “in memoriam” card for the actor, using some of this very expensive air time to pay a touching tribute. The ad itself is of a piece with Weathers’ rich history as a mentor figure on screen.
That was the case when Weathers famously played a frugal, acting coach version of himself in “Arrested Development” – not to mention his finest role of “Chubbs” Peterson in “Happy Gilmore.” “Oh, god that felt good, yeah!” “Come on, boy, cut that out. You’re making me sick!”
While it would be nice if his final work on screen was something like “The Mandalorian” and not a gambling advertisement, the ad is a reminder of how effective Weathers was on screen, even when he had little time or material to work with.
But as touching as it ended up being, this FanDuel commercial is not going to be the thing Weathers is remembered for. In years and decades to come, fans are going to remember his arc from showboating rival to best friend of Rocky Balboa in the “Rocky” films. They’re also going to
Think about his leading roles on the TV series “Street Justice” and “In the Heat of the Night.” He’ll also be forever enshrined in the “Star Wars” canon, a bridge project introducing Weathers to a new generation of fans. Perhaps most importantly, the Internet will always treasure the moment in “Predator” where he
And Arnold Schwarzenegger lock hands in the most testosterone-fueled greeting in movie history. All told, Carl Weathers was in the public eye as an actor for over five decades, and there is so much quality work to be cherished in his memory. It’s nice to see FanDuel found time
In one of the most expensive commercials of the year to acknowledge that legacy.
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