Dolph Lundgren is a renowned Swedish and American actor, director, and producer, as well as an athlete, chemist, and martial artist. He rose to fame for his role as Ivan Drago in Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky IV." He has also directed and starred in several action films. Lundgren mostly plays "masculine" roles in action movies: assassins, soldiers, and athletes.
Dolph Lundgren
Childhood and Youth
Dolph Lundgren was born on November 3, 1957, in the suburb of Stockholm, Spånga, to a typical middle-class family. He grew up with his younger brother Johan and two sisters, Annika and Katarina.
Dolph Lundgren as a child
In his childhood, Dolph had poor health. He was neither strong nor well-built and was often teased by his peers because of this. His relationship with his father was also strained. According to the actor, he would frequently endure his father’s outbursts of anger towards him and his mother, often being called a loser.
Dolph Lundgren's family
These humiliations only strengthened the boy’s resolve to prove himself. Dolph began attending karate classes and eventually took up Kyokushin. His persistence and hard work soon paid off. By pushing himself through grueling training, Dolph became stronger, gained weight, and improved his fighting skills.
Education
Dolph Lundgren excelled in his studies and aspired to become a chemical engineer like his father. After finishing school, he went to study in the USA, where he studied chemistry at the Washington State University and Clemson University. However, he was unable to complete his education because in 1979 Lundgren was called to serve in the Marine Corps.
Young Dolph Lundgren
After his service, he continued his education in Sydney and got a Master Degree in chemistry. There, he met the rising star, the flamboyant singer Grace Jones (known for her vocal performance of Astor Piazzolla's Libertango), whom he accompanied to America as her bodyguard. By the way, before this, Dolph did indeed graduate from the Sydney institution and earned a master's degree in chemical sciences.
Acting Career
Upon arriving in Hollywood, Dolph landed a small part in the film "A View to a Kill" (1985) thanks to his acquaintance with Grace Jones.
Dolph Lundgren's Moment in A View to a Kill
The actor's real success came that same year after playing the role of Russian boxer Ivan Drago in Sylvester Stallone's film "Rocky IV." This role became pivotal and iconic for Lundgren's career, and he would later return to the role of Drago and portray tough soldiers, athletes, and mercenaries."}~
Rocky vs Drago (Stallone vs Lundgren)
After such a breakthrough, he starred in "Masters of the Universe," "Red Scorpion," "The Punisher," and "Dark Angel." These films did not enjoy much success with audiences, and Lundgren was met with negative criticism from film critics. Despite the unfavorable reviews, Dolph continued his acting career.
Sylvester Stallone And Dolph Lundgren Revisit Rocky IV Fight
In 1991, the film "Showdown in Little Tokyo" was released, which helped Dolph "redeem" himself. During the filming, the actor met Brandon Lee, who played one of the main roles.
Dolph Lundgren in Showdown in Little Tokyo
In 1992, the film "Universal Soldier" was released, which was popular with audiences but not with critics, who thought the Swedish actor was too "wooden." On set, Dolph worked alongside the famous Jean-Claude Van Damme and the charming Ally Walker.
Dolph Lundgren in Universal Soldier
Afterward, the actor's career declined, despite participating in commercially successful films like "The Shooter" and "Blackjack." Dolph Lundgren managed to achieve success again only in the early 2000s. In 2005, he made his directorial debut with the action film "The Mechanik," in which he also played the lead role.
Dolph Lundgren in The Mechanik
In 2010, the Swedish actor starred in "Universal Soldier: Regeneration" and Sylvester Stallone's new successful action film "The Expendables." Working on the film with Dolph were genre masters such as Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Terry Crews. The exciting action series continued with sequels in 2012 and 2014. During the same period, Lundgren delighted fans with his appearance in the popular TV series "Arrow" with Stephen Amell.
Dolph Lundgren Universal Soldier 1992 - Bobbie Wygant Archive
In addition to film roles, in 2017 Dolph Lundgren participated in the shooting of the music video for "Believer" by the popular rock band Imagine Dragons.
Imagine Dragons - Believer
Sports Achievements
Dolph achieved a lot in sports. In 1977, he won a challenging fight at the Swedish Championship and then defended his champion title for three years. Additionally, he had a successful performance at the World Championship in 1979 and earned a 2nd dan black belt in karate.
Dolph Lundgren holds a black belt in karate
After meeting Sylvester Stallone, the actor took up bodybuilding. He conducts hour-long morning workouts six times a week
In 2007, on the Russian show 'King of the Ring,' Lundgren fought Oleg Taktarov but was defeated.
Dolph Lundgren's Personal Life
Dolph Lundgren once dated his "boss" Grace Jones, and they are still on good terms now.
Dolph Lundgren and Grace Jones
In 1994, the actor married Anette Qviberg, a Swedish jewelry designer. After their wedding, the couple moved to Spain, where they later raised their daughters Ida (born in 1996) and Greta Lundgren (born in 2001).
Dolph Lundgren: The more I cheated, the more my wife spent my money
The couple admitted they wanted to give their children a normal upbringing away from Hollywood (although in 2009, Ida played a small role in the movie "Command Performance" alongside her father). In 2011, the couple publicly announced their divorce.
Dolph Lundgren and Anette Qviberg Announce Divorce
Dolph Lundgren Now
It seems that the actor's career has taken a new turn: he is in demand again in Hollywood. In December 2018, the science fiction movie "Aquaman" starring Jason Momoa was released, where Dolph played the villainous role of King Nereus, who plots to kill Aquaman.
Dolph Lundgren is now in demand again in Hollywood
Around the same time, the action movie "Black Water" was released, featuring Dolph Lundgren in one of the key roles. He reprised his role as Ivan Drago in "Creed II," a sequel about a young athlete trained by Rocky, with Michael B. Jordan in the lead role. In 2023, he returned to the role of Gunner Jensen in the fourth installment of "The Expendables" and to the role of King Nereus in the "Aquaman" sequel.
Drago meeting with Rocky - Creed II
