Star Wars' Mandalorian actor Brendan Wayne reveals a a touching moment he had with Apollo Creed... we mean Carl Weathers, on the set

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When you’re working in the Star Wars universe, it is difficult not to get a little starstruck. Brendan Wayne, who was Pedro Pascal’s body double through all three seasons of The Mandalorian, was in such awe of Carl Weathers during their first scene together that the acting legend had to request that Wayne switch to his outdoor voice.

The story was shared during MCM London in May 2024 after a fan asked about the limitations of delivering their lines when everyone was wearing Mandalorian helmets.

“This is when I learned that I had to be a bit more clear when I was in the helmet. I was sitting across from who, at the time, was just Apollo Creed to me, and he was giving me the Calamari flan and baiting me into going to see the client. And I spent an hour looking at him saying the lines. And I don’t get starstruck. I’ve been around all kinds of people, but this was different. This was Carl Weathers.”

You’d think with his face covered, Brendan Wayne might have gotten away with being a bit distracted, but he apparently needed a little encouragement to give Weathers what he needed.

“For a good hour of doing the shoot, I’m just like…” he explained as he trailed off quietly. “And finally he goes, ‘Hey! Mando! Any chance you can speak up for me?’”

“I just had to come clean,” Wayne said with a shrug. “I was like… ‘I’ve been sitting here for an hour going ‘Apollo Creed Apollo Creed Apollo Creed!’’ And we laughed about it... and what you see on that screen is very much informed by the way Carl took me under his wing and taught me how to be a Man in the Mandalorian.”

We honestly can’t blame Brendan Wayne for this one – coming face-to-helmet with a film icon like Carl Weathers would be intimidating for anyone. The Temptation to ask him if he still wears the American flag shorts would be too strong for us.

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