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Actor Carl Weathers has one last role to play.
The popular actor, who made his name in the “Rocky” films and the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian,” among other projects, has long been associated with the online sports betting company’s Super Bowl work FanDuel. Weathers had appeared in trailers for FanDuel’s Super Bowl commercial, which will focus, as it did last year, on a live, real-time look at former NFL great Rob Gronkowski’s attempts to kick a goal. field. In 2024, that kick will take place right before the game begins, with a follow-up commercial appearing at the Big Game.
Weathers died Thursday in his sleep, and FanDuel later indicated it planned to make adjustments to its commercial. Weathers had been acting as a coach as the project progressed.
The actor will continue to appear, according to Andrew Sneyd, FanDuel’s executive vice president of marketing. After consulting with Weathers survivors, executive says Variety, FanDuel intends to make some changes to its commercial that will be appropriate, but, Sneyd says, “the family has been very supportive and would like to see Carl on the job.”
That will require some adjustments, the executive says. “We need to change what we are doing in the Bowl. The live event itself continues and as is. Rob will kick the field goal and will be even more inspired to make it. He really enjoyed getting to know Carl and found him to be a very optimistic and energetic person,” says Sneyd. What will change is how Weathers is portrayed in the actual game announcement.
“We had built a teacher. One is an edit if he makes the kick and we have an edit if he misses. The content we had in those masters would no longer be appropriate for us to do,” says Sneyd. “Since the news of Carl’s passing came, we’ve been working with editors to help us get back to something that makes sense.” FanDuel, he adds, is in contact with Weathers’ family “to make sure they are comfortable.”
This work has been difficult, he says. “We have been seeing editions through tears. We really enjoyed the little time we had to work with him. He is a wonderful man and truly is an inspiration and has a very positive view of the world. We want to make sure we try to approach this moment with the respect that he deserves.”