Carl Weathers talks about working on PREDATOR and how it was a constant competition to look badass

The classic sci-fi action film from 1987 Predator it was such a badass movie! It is a true masterpiece of action cinema and featured a stellar lineup of passionate tough guys including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Charles Weathers, Sonny Landham, Bill Duke, Riccardo Chávez, Jessie Ventura, Shane Black, and more. The actors played a group of characters that had an unforgettable dynamic.

The first is Schwarzenegger’s character Dutch. He’s the leader of the group, a tough-as-nails soldier who’s seen it all. But what sets Dutch apart is his resourcefulness and ingenuity. He’s not just a brute force; he is a strategic thinker who is able to outwit the Predator and use his environment to his advantage.

Then there’s Blain, played by Ventura. He is the muscle of the group, a giant man with a big personality. He’s always chewing on a cigar and has a quick wit that keeps things lively. Blain is also responsible for one of the film’s most iconic lines, “I don’t have time to bleed.”

Billy, played by Landham, is the tracker of the group. He is a Native American who is in tune with nature and has a sixth sense of danger. Billy is a stoic character who doesn’t say much, but when he does he is always impactful. He is also responsible for one of the film’s most memorable scenes when he takes on the Predator armed only with a machete.

Mac, played by Duke, is the emotional heart of the group. He’s a tough soldier, but he’s also deeply affected by the loss of his comrades. Mac is the one who delivers the film’s emotional punch when he yells, “You’re bleeding, man!”, after Blain is killed.

Hawkins, played by Black, is the team’s resident prankster. He is always wise and tries to lighten the mood, even in the most dire situations. At one point he tells a dirty joke that makes the rest of the team groan in disgust, which is kind of funny.

There is Anna, played by Elpidia Carrillo. She is a guerrilla who was captured by the team, but she soon proves to be an asset. Anna is intelligent and resourceful, and is able to help the team understand the Predator’s motivations and tactics.

Then, of course, Dillon, played by Carl Weathers. He is a CIA agent who recruits Dutch and his team for a mission in the jungle. Dillon and Dutch have a complicated history. He sincerely believes that the jungle mission is necessary to protect American interests and is willing to put his life on the line to make it happen. Dillon is also an elusive character who is willing to break the rules if it means getting the job done.

During a recent interview with GQ, Weather talked about working on this film and how it was a constant competition for the cast to be the baddest character in the film. When she was asked to share a few stories about her time on film, she said:

“You know, there’s a great line: what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. What happened during Predator stays in Predator. But yeah, it’s all true. There were nightclubs. We were a group of young guys. We were all in our own ways trying to outdo each other. Of course, with training, Arnold had a whole gym there, so we were going to the gym to train to bulk up before scenes. No one wanted to look weaker than the other boy. So, you know, there was competition constantly, competition in front of the camera, competition behind the camera, competition at night.

“Young kids around other young kids in a film about physicality with a lot of time on their hands in a beautiful location like Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. What do you expect, really? You expect a lot of fun, a lot of teasing, a lot of pranking each other, a lot of pranking each other, trying to prank each other. Everything existed. But I think he also added something to the film, this camaraderie, this sense of fun.”

There is no doubt that all of these actors had a great time working on this film. You can tell while watching the movie that they were loving every minute of it!