Dolph Lundgren’s rise to fame can be credited with his notable performance in the 1985 hit Rocky IV. From being known as an action star, he has explored different aspects of the film industry and worked as a producer, screenwriter, and a director. Indeed, he has come a long way after starting out with a bit part in an old James Bond movie.
Named Hans Lundgren, he was born on November 3, 1957, to Swedish parents. As a young child, he saw his father as a physically-abusive figure who viewed him as a “loser.” This stuck to the young boy, who would, later on, attribute his ambitious streaks as a means to prove himself. The abusiveness present in the family was also one of the influencing factors as to why Dolph got into martial arts. Despite these circumstances, he had always maintained his love and admiration towards the old Lundgren. Dolph’s interest towards contact sports started when he was seven. He first tried judo and then moved on to karate and weight training when he reached his teens. While completing his college degree, he continued to train in Kyokushin karate and attained the rank of the second Dan black belt. He also won the Kyokushin European championship in 1980 and 1981. In 1982, he championed in a heavyweight tournament in Australia.
Even with blonde hair and blue eyes, Dolph cannot be dismissed as just another pretty face in the industry. In fact, he is very well-educated. During his high school years in Sweden, he received straight As. After finishing high school, he moved to America, as his father constantly told him that this was the only way for him to achieve something special in his life. He was on several academic scholarships during his undergraduate years. He completed his major in chemistry from the Washington State University. After a year serving in the Swedish Marine Corps, he entered the Royal Institute of Technology and completed a degree in chemical engineering. By 1982, he received his Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Sydney. And if that is not impressive enough, he was also granted a Fulbright Scholarship to MIT in Boston. Things were working academically and professionally well for the young Dolph. However, he met Jamaican singer Grace Jones while working as a nightclub bouncer in Sydney. He got hired as a bodyguard and later on, he became her boyfriend. She brought him with her to New York and his life changed.
In New York, he started trying his luck in modeling. However, with his 6’5” frame and heavy weight training physique, he was not too successful during castings. In the evenings, he worked as a bouncer for The Limelight, while studying drama during the day at the Warren Robertson Theater Workshop. With his stance and distinctive looks, drama school people often told him that acting might be a better fit for him. Although his first film debut was only a small part in the James Bond film “A View To Kill,” his name was credited and he earned some screen time. As the film industry was more lucrative than chemical engineering, he decided to pursue this new path.
When he learned that a role for “Rocky IV” was open and that it needed an imposing fighter, he sent pictures and videos to a contact connected to Sylvester Stallone. The move paid off and he was cast as the steroid-enhanced Russian fighter, Ivan Drago. It was a very memorable character with his physical appearance and unforgettable lines that are still being quoted in pop culture today. This role catapulted him into Hollywood’s newest and the hottest action star. In his interviews, he would often mention how at the beginning of the night’s film screening, he was just known as the boyfriend of Grace Jones. Ninety-minutes after the film, and as he went out of Westwood Theater, he suddenly created a persona as Dolph Lundgren, the action star.
After Rocky IV, Dolph starred in his first lead role as He-Man in the film “Masters of the Universe.” In 1989, he landed the role of a KGB agent sent to Africa in the “Red Scorpion” and as Frank Castle in the Marvel-based film “The Punisher.” The 90s was a busy decade for Dolph as he starred in movies such as “I Come in Peace” in 1990, “Cover Up” and “Showdown in Little Tokyo” in 1991, the box office hit “Universal Soldier” in 1992, “Joshua Tree” in 1993, “Pentathlon” and “Men of War” in 1994, “Johnny Mnemonic” in 1995, “Silent Trigger” in 1996, “The Peacekeeper” in 1997, “The Minion” and “Sweepers” in 1998 and “Bridge of Dragons” and “Jill Rips” in 1999. He went on to star in other films in the 2000s.
Dolph also dabbled into directing. His directorial debut was “The Defender” in 2004, after replacing its original director, Sidney J. Furie. Other movies which he starred and directed were “The Mechanik” in 2005, “Diamond Dogs” in 2007 and “Icarus” in 2009. In films such as “Missionary Man” in 2007, “Command Performance” in 2009 and “Icarus” in 2010, he took on another hat and was the screenwriter, director, and the main lead. He also explored the world of producing films through his movies such as “Pentathlon”, “Battle of the Damned”, “Ambushed”, “Puncture Wounds”, “Skin Trade” and “Shark Lake.” He also appeared in the popular spy-drama series, Chuck, on its Season 4 premiere.
One aspect of his life that Dolph seemed to have brought with him throughout the years was his focus on bodybuilding and fitness. He may never have been a professional bodybuilder, but he is consistently viewed as a role-model in the bodybuilding community. According to his interviews, he revealed that his workout sessions would span for an hour every day for six days a week. He wrote a fitness book which outlined his autobiography as a bodybuilder titled “Train Like An Action Hero: Be Fit Forever.” He also developed a line of organic supplements and vitamins.
From a star student to martial artist to bodybuilder to aspiring chemical engineer to model to being an actor, director, screenwriter and producer, it seems that Dolph Lundgren has created a life that explored all of his options.
