Filming the groundbreaking 1987 sci-fi action film Predator was a nightmare for the entire cast and crew. However, despite the horrible conditions, there are many interesting stories from the sets. Besides the infamous yet hilarious story of Arnold Schwarzenegger making Carl Weathers smoke stogies, the late actor had revealed another incident with a far more positive outcome.
In a resurfaced video of Carl Weathers appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, the actor spoke to Jay Leno. During their conversation, the late actor explained how Arnold Schwarzenegger had “the biggest arms” on the planet. Despite being in good shape, Apollo Creed from the Rocky films felt like he needed to put on some muscle. Thus began a silent competition.
Arnold Schwarzenegger vs. Carl Weathers: Bodybuilder vs. Football player
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Carl Weathers said that the actors got some time to work out regularly before filming ramped up. Arnold Schwarzenegger carried an entire mobile gym with him. This also helped the other actors stay in shape during filming. Weathers noticed the seven-time Mr. Olympia winner going to the gym at 4:30 am to train. So he thought he’d get there before the bodybuilding legend.
Instead of getting up at 6:00 like most of the cast and crew, the former NFL Linebacker started going at 4:00 am. However, he soon learned that Arnold Schwarzenegger saw Weathers going to the gym at 4:00 and changed his timing. “Arnold starts going in at 3:30,” Carl Weathers told Jay Leno. The Rocky actor thought to himself, “This is insane! This can’t go on.”
So, the former Oakland Raiders player decided to run regularly. “I’ll go run the hill which is three and a half miles down and three and a half miles back up,” said Carl Weathers. “The next day Arnold is out running the hill,” the actor told Jay Leno. Weather understood that the former Mr. Olympia was competing and matching him with every physical activity, so he finally spoke up.
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Carl Weathers went up to Arnold Schwarzenegger and said, “Come on! Truce, Arnold.” The pair continued to train, and Schwarzenegger’s silent competitiveness helped him reach his physique goal. Arnie getting Carl Weathers hooked on smoking cigars and sending over an entire box might get the most attention, but the bodybuilding icon also helped the late actor in this way.
After Weathers’ sudden demise at 76, the Austrian Oak had also taken to his social media to thank him. According to the former Mr. Olympia Weathers was instrumental in making Predator. Arnie admitted that making Predator would’ve been much more of a nightmare without Weathers.
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While they started as silent competitors on the set of Predator, Weathers and Schwarzenegger remained friends.