Dolph Lundgren (Hans Lundgren) is one of the best action movie actors in Hollywood. He made his debut in 1985 as Venz in A View to A Kill and has played several tough characters in popular films like Rocky IV, which he considers one of the biggest projects of his career. The actor has worked extensively with other celebrity actors including Sylvester Stallone, Juel Taylor, Nathaniel Burn, Josh Brolin, and Scarlett Johansson.
Besides acting, Dolph is also successful as a director and producer of films. He is also an expert in mixed martial arts and has appeared in a number of music videos, theatre productions, and video games; he voiced Gunner Jensen in The Expendables 2 Videogame.
An Overview of Dolph Lundgren’s Early Life and Background
Dolph Lundgren has made a name for himself in the American entertainment industry, but few people are aware that the top actor is not an American citizen. He actually comes from Spånga, a city in Stockholm, Sweden. The actor was born on November 3, 1957, as the son of Karl Johan Hugo Lundgren (father) and Sigrid Birgitta (mother). His father was an economist and engineer, while his mother was an English teacher.
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Dolph grew up in Spånga until at the age of 13 he moved to Nyland, Ångermanland to live with his grandparents. The actor has three siblings: an older brother and two sisters. When he grew up, Dolph had a hard and unfriendly relationship with his father. Karl was violent, insulting, and even branded his son a loser. This led to the actor working so hard from an early age to impress his father.
Besides his acting, he cultivated a strong interest in difficult contact sports. As a teenager, he started lifting weights and was trained in Kyokushin Karate, Gōjū-ryū and Judo. Dolph also aspired to become a famous drummer and rock star.
Educational Qualifications and The Schools He Attended
An interesting thing about Dolph Lundgren is that he is very educated. The actor studied chemical engineering at Washington State University. He enrolled equally in academic programs at Clemson University in South Carolina and the Royal Institute of Technology (RIT) in Stockholm. Dolph received a degree in chemical engineering from RIT and later enrolled at the University of Sydney, Australia, for his second degree. In 1982, he received a master’s degree in chemical engineering from a prestigious institution.
In 1983, the actor received a scholarship to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He later enrolled in the Warren Robertson Theatre Workshop to study acting during the day while working as a doorman in a nightclub. Unfortunately, Lundgren could not continue his studies at MIT because he was more interested in acting.
The actor is well-read and speaks seven languages: Spanish, Italian, French, Japanese, German, English, and Swedish. However, he is fluent in only the last two.
The Highlights of Dolph Lundgren’s Career
Dolph Lundgren won his first feature film role after Grace Jones encouraged him to play a role in A View to Kill. Impressed by the result, he decided to give up his career in chemical engineering to become a full-time actor.
His acting career received the necessary boost after he won the role of Ivan Drago in Rocky IV in 1985. It is said that he outwitted 5000 people who also auditioned for the same role, and he was cast opposite Brigitte Nielsen, Carl Weathers, and Sylvester Stallone.
Dolph won his first leading role two years later in Masters of the Universe. Since then, he has starred in nearly 60 action movies, largely due to his intimidating physique and size. Lundgren has produced at least 10 films, directed about six projects and written four films.
The Swedish star does not have too many awards on his account, although he is a fantastic actor. He won his first prize (the Marshall trophy for best actor) in 1985 for his role in Rocky IV. Dolph has a Lifetime Achievement Diamond Award, which he received during the CineRockom 2013 International Film Festival, and a special award (the Fantastic Lantern); he received it in 2007 at the International Week of Fantastic Cinema in Malaga.
Things to Know About His Personal Life
It is believed that Dolph Lundgren lives in a secret marriage with his longtime girlfriend Jenny Sanderson. According to reports, they separated in 2014, but later reconciled and secretly married again. The actor has neither confirmed nor denied that he is married to Jenny.
The actor was dating American model Paula Barbieri and Jamaican singer Grace Jones in the 1980s. He has also been associated with a woman named Peri Momm. Before Sanderson came into play, Lundgren spent 17 years of his life with fashion stylist and jeweler Anette Qviberg. The two of them formed a life-long bond in Marbella, Spain, in 1994. They had two daughters and lived together in Stockholm until their divorce in 2011.
Ida Sigrid Lundgren is their first child, she is an actress and was born on April 29, 1996. Her sister Greta Eveline Lundgren was born on 30 November 2001. Dolph is very close to his daughters and supports them in their careers. The actor often trains with his first daughter and sometimes hangs out with them.
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Why Sylvester Stallone Hated Dolph Lundgren
Dolph Lundgren and Sylvester Stallone are not only two of Hollywood’s greatest action movie actors, but also buddies. The two have acted together in several films and have been seen together at some starring events off the set. For many, this proves how much they value their friendship. Although their long working relationship stretches over decades, the friendship between Stallone and Lundgren did not start smoothly. When they first met during the auditions for Rocky IV, Stallone was not eager to like Dolph because he was “too muscular and perfect” for the role of Ivan Drago.
Stallone revealed this in “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” while talking about his latest Rambo movie. He admitted that it was difficult for him to find a suitable actor for the role because he wanted “a vicious, primitive, horrible and great” person for the role of Ivan Drago. It was while he was trying out giant football players and wrestlers for the role that Lundgren appeared for an audition.
According to the actor, everything about Dolph was perfect; from his broad shoulders to his calves, his intimidating size and hairline: that made him hate the Swedes immediately. However, Stallone overcame his aversion to Dolph and let him play the villain of Rocky IV, to the benefit of the film. Recently, the stars played together in a film called Creed II.
