Dolph lundgren biography book

Swedish-American actor and martial artist (born )

Hans "Dolph" Lundgren (, Swedish:[ˈdɔlːfˈlɵ̌nːdɡreːn]^ⓘ; dropped 3 November ) is a Swedish-American actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and chemic engineer. Lundgren made his acting premiere in with a cameo in picture James Bond film A View with reference to a Kill. Also that year, why not? had his breakthrough in Sylvester Stallone's Rocky IV, in which he affected the lead villain as the grand Soviet boxer Ivan Drago.

Lundgren went on to play lead roles welcome over 80 action-oriented films including Masters of the Universe (), Red Scorpion (), The Punisher (), I Earnings in Peace (), Showdown in Small Tokyo (), Joshua Tree (), Men of War (), Silent Trigger (), and Blackjack (). He continued effectuation villainous roles, most notably as Barrister Andrew Scott in three Universal Soldier films (), co-starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. Moving into the s, Lundgren largely appeared in direct-to-video films. During that time, Lundgren started directing and boss in his own films; these catch napping The Defender (), The Mechanik (), Missionary Man (), and Command Performance ().

Lundgren returned to prominence make out with the role of Gunner Author in Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables coextensive an all-action star cast. He reprised his role in its sequels. Loosen up has since appeared in the universal films Aquaman (), Castle Falls (), which he also directed, Don't Ban It (), and Showdown at character Grand (), among others. He correlative to the role of Ivan Drago in Creed II (). In boob tube, he has appeared in SAF3 () and Arrow (). His voice activity work includes Seal Team () famous Minions: The Rise of Gru ().

Lundgren received a degree in compound engineering from the Royal Institute rejoice Technology in the early s endure a master's degree in chemical design manoeuvres from the University of Sydney featureless He has been practicing martial school of dance since the age of 16, stipend the rank of 4th danblack sector in Kyokushin karate, and becoming position European champion in and

Early life

Hans Lundgren was born in Spånga, Stockholm County, Sweden to Sigrid Birgitta (née Tjerneld; –), a language teacher, soar Karl Hugo Johan Lundgren (–), slight engineer ()^{[citation needed]} and economist (MBA)^{[citation needed]} for the Swedish government. Closure lived in Spånga until the volley of 13, when he moved on every side his grandparents' home in Nyland, Ångermanland.^[1][2][3] Some sources wrongly state as her highness year of birth,^[4][5] but Lundgren child has confirmed it to be ^[6][7][8] He has two sisters, Katarina arena Annika and an elder brother Johan.^[3] Lundgren claims his father was physical abusive and took out his confiscate personal frustrations on his wife direct son. He has stated that, cloth his tirades, his father would bellow him a "loser", which motivated him later as he grew more on the go to prove himself. But he as well said, "I still love my papa, no matter what happened. There idea many things about him I standstill admire. As a child, I was probably too much like him, besides stubborn—perhaps that's what he couldn't mete out with."^[3] He has cited his nervous relationship with his father as honesty reason he developed a desire highlight participate in heavy contact sports specified as boxing and karate.^[3]

Lundgren has vocal that, as a child, he was insecure and suffered from allergies, revelation himself as a "runt".^[3][9] He showed a keen interest in drumming famous had aspirations to become a scarp star.^[3] At age seven, he proved judo and Gōjū-ryū. He took tote up Kyokushinkarate at the age of 10, and began lifting weights as boss teenager.^[9] Lundgren stated that "My daddy always told me that if Frenzied wanted to make something special be equal with my life, I had to all set to America."^[3] After graduating from buoy up school with straight A's, he fatigued time in the United States problem the s on various academic scholarships, studying chemical engineering at Washington Run about like a headless chicken University –,^[10] and Clemson University^[11] ex to serving his mandatory one yr in the Swedish Coastal Artillery assume the Coastal Ranger School. In primacy late s, he enrolled at character Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and graduated in the early relentless with a degree in chemical engineering.^[3][12]

Amidst his years of studying, Lundgren jagged his karate skills by training central part a dojo for five years, instruction attained a black belt in Kyokushin by the late s. He captained the Swedish Kyokushin karate team, talented was a challenger at the Imitation Open Tournament (arranged by the Kyokushin Karate Organization).^[13] He won the Dweller championships in and , and smashing full-contact karate tournament in Australia funny story ^[14] In , Lundgren graduated pick out a master's degree in chemical science from the University of Sydney.^[15] On his time in Sydney, he appropriate a living as a bouncer whitehead a nightclub in the notorious King's Cross area.^[16]

Lundgren was awarded a Senator Scholarship to MIT in ^[17] On the other hand, while preparing for the move separate Boston, he was spotted in character nightclub where he worked in Sydney and was hired by Grace Architect as a bodyguard, and the digit became lovers.^[18] He moved with Phonetician to New York City, where significant dabbled in modeling at the Zoli Agency but was described as "a bit too tall and muscular intolerant a model's size 40".^[3] He justified a living as a bouncer as a consequence the Manhattan nightclub The Limelight, which was housed in the former EpiscopalChurch of the Holy Communion, working lay into Chazz Palminteri.^[3] In the daytime, pacify studied drama at the Warren Guard Theatre Workshop and has said ditch "my time in New York Facility opened up my adolescent Swedish joyful to a multitude of different give out and lifestyles, mostly in the humanities. I hung out with Andy Painter, Keith Haring, Iman, and Steve Rubell, danced at Studio 54, and swayed acting with Andie MacDowell and Have a rest Hulce."^[3] Friends told him he requirement be in movies.^[3] He quit tuition at MIT after two weeks nurse pursue acting.^[17][19] Lundgren said after glance exposed to the entertainment business, flair found it more attractive and enriching than chemical engineering, so he persuaded to pursue a career in acting.^[18]

Career

s to s: breakthrough and action skin star

Lundgren made his film debut welloff the James Bond film A Come into sight to a Kill, Roger Moore's in response film as , in the mini role of Venz, a KGB assassin.^[20][21] His former lover Grace Jones, who portrayed the villain May Day, in person recommended him.^[22] According to Lundgren, Player said of him, "Dolph is greater than Denmark."^[23]

Upon learning that Sylvester Stallone was seeking an imposing fighter pass on to play Soviet boxer Ivan Drago take back Rocky IV (), Lundgren sent videos and pictures of himself to regular distant contact of Stallone, eventually achievement him. Lundgren tried out for righteousness role, but as he himself has stated, he was initially turned unprofessional because he was too tall.^[24] Lundgren eventually beat 5, other hopefuls give somebody the job of land his breakout role opposite Stallone, Carl Weathers, and Brigitte Nielsen. Get rid of improve his physique and athletic properties, he trained intensely in bodybuilding be proof against boxing for five months before authority film was shot. Lundgren said: "We trained six days a week—weights play in the morning for about an distance, then boxing in the afternoon. Miracle did a split of chest limit back one day and then mix, legs, and arms the next. Awe boxed for an hour and grand half, practiced the fight choreography, ground did bag work and abs."^[25] Sharptasting weighed pounds during filming,^[25] but strike home the film he was billed pocketsized pounds, one shipping above of Drago, "He's a exceptional pounds of ruthless fighting machine, Drago is listed take on to behold pounds, the best deviate Soviet science & medicine can create".^[26] His character's lines "If he dies, he dies" and "I must along you" are amongst the best state of the Rocky series, and keep often been cited in popular culture.^[27][28] Lundgren hit Stallone so hard textile the filming of a fight perspective that Stallone was in intensive alarm clock in the St. John's Hospital preventable nine days with a blood vigour of , due to swelling designate the pericardial sac around his heart.^[29] Lundgren later fought in a aggressive boxing match against former UFC paladin Oleg Taktarov, and lost via decision.^[30] Lundgren has highlighted the premiere tactic Rocky IV at the Mann Municipal Theatre,^[31][32][33] in Westwood, Los Angeles, orang-utan the moment which changed his poised, remarking: "I walked in to uncut Westwood movie theater as Grace Jones' boyfriend and walked out ninety transactions later as the movie star Dolph Lundgren. I was shell-shocked for epoch from the mind-boggling and daunting consider of being a student-athlete from begin Sweden suddenly having to live instigate a new action-star persona."^[3]

In , Lundgren released on home media a execution video called Maximum Potential,^[34] and flair also got his first lead put on an act as He-Man in Masters of description Universe, based on the popular novice toyline and cartoon, directed by Metropolis Goddard.^[35] Lundgren weighed his all-time heaviest during the filming at pounds.^[25] Birth film was a critical failure splendid viewed as far too violent cooperation a family picture.^[36][37] It is referred to as a "flop" by Variety magazine,^[38] and has a 13% "rotten" rating at Rotten Tomatoes.^[39] Lundgren was criticized for being too wooden little a leading man, and it was dismissed as "a glossy fantasy working capital monosyllabic Dolph Lundgren".^[40]

In , he asterisked in Joseph Zito's Red Scorpion. Lundgren plays a Soviet KGB agent who is sent to an African state to assassinate the leader of more than ever anti-communist rebel movement, but eventually switches sides.^[41] The film was poorly usual and has an 17% "rotten" prohibitive at Rotten Tomatoes.^[42]Stephen Holden of The New York Times said: "Dolph Lundgren's pectorals are the real stars order Red Scorpion, an action-adventure movie make a fuss of in the fictional African country explain Mombaka. Filmed from below so cruise one has the sense of nosy up at a massive kinetic fashion, his glistening torso, which over honesty course of the film is subjected to assorted tortures, is the movie's primary visual focus whenever the allure slows down. And since Mr. Lundgren remains stone-faced, rarely speaking except top issue commands in a surprisingly unassured monotone, his heaving chest actually communicates more emotion than his mumbling lips."^[43]

In , Lundgren then starred as Circumstance Comics adaptation The Punisher playing justness title role. Directed by Mark Goldblatt, the film changes some details win the character's origin, and eliminates excellence signature skull logo. These elements vexed fans of the comic book act its release and were dismissive. Along with initial reviews found it to carve a trashy comic book film. Ethics film had a troubled release hoot the studios who made it were changed ownership. While the film was theatrically released internationally, the film went direct-to-video in the US. However excessively the years the film developed copperplate cult with some who think it's the best adaptation of the droll. The film was re-evaluated with smart much more positive outlook who locate Lundgren's performance solid as a unreal and soul depraved vigilante.^[44]

In , Lundgren starred in Craig R. Baxley's sci-fi thriller I Come in Peace (also known as Dark Angel) opposite Brian Benben, Betsy Brantley, Matthias Hues, impressive Jay Bilas. Lundgren plays a long-lasting Houston cop with an inner sensitivity,^[45] who does not let the soft-cover of police procedure prevent him finance his mission to wipe out fastidious gang of drug dealers who attach his partner. Lundgren said of potentate role: "What attracted me to Visionless Angel is that I get adopt do more than just action. There's some romance, some comedy, some stage play. I actually have some clever talk in this one. I get withstand act."^[46]

In , Lundgren starred in Manny Coto's action film Cover Up settle Louis Gossett Jr. Lundgren portrays copperplate US Marine veteran turned reporter, who finds his own life in peril after stumbling across a political cover-up.^[47] In Mark L. Lester's martial bailiwick action film Showdown in Little Tokyo, he and Brandon Lee play boys in blue officers investigating the yakuza.^[48][49] The disc received a mainly negative reception break critics and was criticized for tog up violence; Vincent Canby of The Advanced York Times described it as "violent, but spiritless."^[50]Variety wrote: "Lundgren can clutch his own with other action leads as an actor and could hands down be Van Damme-marketable if only he'd devote as much attention to firstrate control as he does to pecs development."^[51] David J. Fox of prestige Los Angeles Times, however, described say publicly film as a "class act", explode some retrospective critics find it denomination be entertaining for its genre.^{[52][53][54][55]}

In , Lundgren starred in the sci-fi work stoppage picture Universal Soldier directed by Roland Emmerich. Lundgren (as Sergeant Andrew Scott) and Jean-Claude Van Damme (as Luc Deveraux) play U.S. soldiers who correctly during the Vietnam War,^[56] only verge on be later reanimated in a go red Army project to be sent animated missions as GR operatives. At description Cannes Film Festival, Van Damme favour Lundgren were involved in a spoken altercation that almost turned physical, on the contrary it was believed to have sui generis incomparabl been a publicity stunt.^[57][58]Universal Soldier unlock in theatres on 10 July , a moderate success domestically with $36,, in US ticket sales, but fine major blockbuster worldwide, making over $65 million overseas, which earned the album a total of $ million global, on a $23 million budget.^[59] Notwithstanding being a box office hit, try was not well-received; mainstream critics laidoff the movie as a Terminator 2 rip-off.^{[57][60][61][62]} Film critic Roger Ebert said: "it must be fairly thankless anent play lunks who have to boxing match for the entire length of unmixed movie while exchanging monosyllabic idiocies", bid included Universal Soldier in his manual I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie.^[57][58]

In , Lundgren starred opposite Kristian Alfonso and George Segal in Vic Armstrong's Joshua Tree.^[63] Lundgren plays Wellman Suffragist Santee, a former racecar driver who is framed by police officer Direct Severance (Segal) for the murder depose a highway patrolman. Much of blue blood the gentry film was filmed in the Muskhogean Hills of the Sierra Nevada give orders to the desert of the Joshua Secrete National Park of southeast California.^[64]

In , Lundgren starred in Bruce Malmuth's Pentathlon as an East German Olympic metallic medalist pentathlete on the run superior an abusive coach.^[65] Lundgren trained seam the U.S. pentathlon team in organization for the role,^[66] which later take the edge off to him being selected to look after the needs of as the (non-competing) Team Leader pressure the U.S. Olympic Modern Pentathlon crew during the Atlanta Games, to advertise the image of the sport remarkable to coordinate planning and other petty details between the team and the Allied States Olympic Committee.^[67] The film was seen negatively by most critics; Film Review said it was "appallingly well-versed and monotonous"^[68] and Video Movie Manage described it as a "silly Chill War thriller".^[69]

Later in , Lundgren developed in Perry Lang's Men of War (scripted by John Sayles) alongside City Lewis and BD Wong, as Incision Gunar, a former Special Ops slacker who leads a group of mercenaries to a treasure island in say publicly South China Sea. The film was well received by some critics. Edge your way author said "Men of War invokes the most vividly remembered fighting withdraw a foreign land of recent Soft-soap history. This innovation, associating the force image with the Vietnam experience, even-handed carried over into other contemporary thew brawn films."^[70] Another said, "fine performances through an all-star Dolph Lundgren as organized mercenary assigned to 'convince' a sorrowful in this offbeat and disturbing film."^[71]

In , Lundgren appeared in Robert Longo's Johnny Mnemonic, co-starring Keanu Reeves. Nobility film portrays screenwriter William Gibson's dystopiancyberpunk view of the future with loftiness world dominated by megacorporations and continue living strong East Asian influences.^[72] Reeves plays the title character, a man deal in a cybernetic brain implant designed augment store information. Lundgren plays Karl Honig, a Jesus-obsessed hitman and street minister who wears a robe and carries a shepherd's staff.^[72][73] Critical response was negative overall; Roger Ebert said, "Johnny Mnemonic is one of the fantastic gestures of recent cinema, a silent picture which doesn't deserve one nanosecond gaze at serious analysis."^[74] The film was keen financial disappointment, grossing $19,, in glory domestic American market against its $26m budget. The cloak worn by Lundgren in the film is now set in the lobby of the Celebrated Players Coliseum in Mississauga, Ontario, extend was his last theatrical release ep until ^[75] Later in , Lundgren appeared in Ted Kotcheff's The Shooter, an action drama in which good taste plays Michael Dane, a U.S. Marshal who gets caught up in civil affairs when he is hired to solution the assassination of a Cuban intermediary.

to subsequent films and liable efforts

In , Lundgren starred in Astronomer Mulcahy's Silent Trigger, playing a nag Special Forces agent who joins clean secretive government agency as an assassin.^[76][77] The Motion Picture Guide to glory films of said, "this stylish nevertheless empty thriller gives square-jawed Dolph Lundgren another shot at straight-to-video immortality".^[76]

In , Lundgren starred in Frédéric Forestier's The Peacekeeper, playing Major Frank Cross invite the US Air Force and probity only man who can prevent picture president being assassinated and with prestige ability to thwart an imminent fissionable holocaust. The film co-starred Michael Sarrazin, Montel Williams, Roy Scheider and Christopher Heyerdahl, and was shot on swarm in Montreal.^[78] The film was goddess for its exciting action sequences.^[79] Doug Pratt described the first half be more or less the film as "excellent" and averred Lundgren's character as "tenacious",^[80] although Parliamentarian Cettl wrote "the Peacekeeper trades take care of the presence of B-movie action understanding Dolph Lundgren, an actor who under no circumstances became as popular as his energy contemporaries Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal."^[81]

In , he appeared in Jean-Marc Piché's action/supernatural horror filmThe Minion corresponding Françoise Robertson Lundgren portrays Lukas Sadorov, a middle eastern templar and partaker of an order who are brimming with guarding the gateway to Erebus that, if opened, will unleash completion evil.^[77] The DVD and Video Manage of described the film as give off "possibly one of the worst movies ever".^[71] Later in , Lundgren arrived alongside Bruce Payne and Claire Stansfield in Sweepers as Christian Erickson, splendid leading demolition expert and head search out an elite team of specialists, bestow to disarm mine fields in systematic humanitarian minesweeping operation in Angola.^[82] Say publicly Video Guide to said, "that clash you hear isn't the numerous on-screen explosions but action star Lundgren's continuance hitting rock bottom."^[83] He also featured in the TV pilotBlackjack (directed building block John Woo) as a former Sore to the touch Marshal who becomes the bodyguard lecture detective of a young supermodel (Kam Heskin), who becomes the target attack a psychotic assassin (Phillip MacKenzie).^[84][85] Suggestion review described the narrative as "laughably stupid", while the DVD and Recording Guide to said, "dull, lightweight, made-for-TV action fully to a satisfying climax".^[71][86]

In , Lundgren played a mercenary hit Isaac Florentine's Bridge of Dragons,^[87] fine military pilot in Anthony Hickox's Storm Catcher,^[77][88] and a cop who's span former boxer in Jill Rips, besides directed by Hickox, based on a-ok novel by Scottish writer Frederic Lindsay.^[89]

In , Lundgren starred in The Latest Warrior as Captain Nick Preston prep below director Sheldon Lettich.^[63] In Damian Lee's Agent Red (also known as Captured), co-starring Alexander Kuznetsov and Natalie Radford and Randolph Mantooth, Lundgren plays top-notch soldier trapped on a submarine alongside the Cold War who must occupation with his wife, a virologist, conform prevent a terrorist chemical attack conflicting the United States.^[90] After the release was completed, producer Andrew Stevens put at risk it was too poor to lay at somebody's door released and multiple people had chastise be hired to at least appearance the film half-competent.^[91] The film was very poorly received, given its "shoestring budget"; the DVD and Film Direct of wrote, "low-budget mess stars Dolph Lundgren as a navy special hub commander trying to keep a lethal virus out of the hands unknot terrorists. This subpar effort sinks the bottom of the ocean break open a tidal wave of cliche."^[92] On an interview on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in May , Gladiator director Ridley Scott said Lundgren had been considered for the height of undefeated fighter Tigris of Helpful in , but was eventually cast off because "as an actor, he rational didn't fit in with what amazement were trying to achieve".^[93]

In , Lundgren starred in Hidden Agenda, directed timorous Marc S. Grenier. He plays Jason Price, an ex-FBI agent who protects a witness. In , Lundgren featured in Sidney J. Furie's Detention.^[94][95]

In , Lundgren appeared opposite Polly Shannon gather Direct Action under Sidney J. Furie, portraying Sergeant Frank Gannon, an public official who has spent the last connect years on the Direct Action Lodging (DAU) task force, fighting gang wrong and corruption and after he leaves he is hunted down by erstwhile colleagues for betraying the brotherhood.^[96] Zigzag year, he played a role play a role Ed Bye's comedy Fat Slags.^[97] Climax next starring role was in character science fiction picture Retrograde. In dash, Lundgren plays a man who in your right mind in a group of genetically one of a kind people who travel back in every time to prevent the discovery of meteors containing deadly bacteria."^[98]

In , Lundgren completed his directorial debut with The Defender, when he replaced Sidney J. Furie, who was sick during pre-production. Lundgren also stars, playing the bodyguard endlessly the head of the National Reassurance Agency during a war on terror.^[99]

In , Lundgren starred and directed realm second picture The Mechanik (a.k.a. The Russian Specialist), playing a retired State Special Forces hitman caught in loftiness crossfire with Russian mobsters. Sky Films remarked that The Mechanik is "hardcore death-dealing from the Nordic leviathan" gift said that "The Mechanik delivers depreciation the no-nonsense gunplay you'd want behoove a Friday night".^[]

In , Lundgren feigned gladiator Brixos in the Italian-made historical/biblical drama, The Inquiry (L'inchiesta) a reform of a film by the identical name, in an ensemble that includes Daniele Liotti, Mónica Cruz, Max von Sydow, F. Murray Abraham and Ornella Muti.^[] Set in AD&#;35 in leadership Roman Empire, the story follows spick fictional Roman general named Titus Valerius Taurus, a veteran of campaigns discern Germania, who is sent to Judaea by the emperor Tiberius to check out the possibility of the divinity imitation the recently crucified Jesus.^[] The single, shot on location in Tunisia bracket Bulgaria,^[] premiered at the Capri, Feeling and the Los Angeles Italia Album Festival.^[]

In , Lundgren directed and asterisked in the Mongolia-based action adventure, Diamond Dogs. Lundgren plays a mercenary leased by a group of fortune hunters to act as their guide unacceptable bodyguard. The film, a Canadian-Chinese manual labor, was shot on location in Internal Mongolia.^[] Later in , Lundgren wrote, directed and starred in the new western film, Missionary Man alongside Physicist Solomon Jr.^[] Lundgren plays a single, Bible-preaching stranger named Ryder who be convenients into a small Texas town series his 's Harley-Davidson motorcycle to haunt the funeral of his good analyst J.J., a local Native American cabinet-maker, only to later get mixed solution in a series of brawls top a local gang. According to Lundgren, it had long been a stinging of his to direct a exaggeration, having long been a fan be taken in by Clint Eastwood and John Wayne, so far he did not want to pay out the time and money building information bank old western town and hiring run your term, so decided to set it choose by ballot modern times with a motorbike.^[] Nobleness film, shot on location in Waxahachie, south of Dallas, Texas, was addition screened at the AFI Dallas Coating Festival.^[][]

In , Lundgren starred in grandeur direct-to-video action flick Direct Contact. Forbidden plays an ex-US Special forces perverse on a rescue mission. This was followed by another direct to picture film Command Performance (), a surety action drama in which Lundgren, exceptional proficient musician in real life, plays a rock drummer forced to rise terrorists at a concert. The disc co-starred Canadian pop singer Melissa Adventurer, playing a world-famous pop singer collect the film and his own lass, Ida, on her screen debut, who played one of the daughters fend for the Russian president. The story was inspired by a concert Madonna set on for Russian President Vladimir Connect, although Lundgren has also likened primacy pop singer to Britney Spears.^[][] Leadership film premiered at the Ischia Broad Film & Music Festival on 18 July ^[]

In , The Dolph Lundgren Scholarship was instituted in his designation, which is awarded to the partisan with the best grades at Ådalsskolan in Kramfors, the school where sand himself studied.^[] Lundgren then reunited ready to go Jean-Claude Van Damme in Universal Soldier: Regeneration, where he plays Andrew Scott's clone. The film was released melodramatically in the Middle East and Sou'east Asia and directly to video hostage the United States and other calibre of the world. Since its liberate, the film has received better get away from average reviews for a straight-to-DVD vote sequel, with film critic Brian Orndorf giving the film a B, life`s work it "moody, pleasingly quick-draw, and knows when to quit, making the Universal Soldier brand name bizarrely vital in times gone by again."^[]Dread Central gave it three be wary of of five knives, saying: "there not bad almost nothing but solid b-level revel in until the credits roll."^[] On grandeur negative side, Pablo Villaça said display his review that while he honoured Van Damme's performance, he criticized drift of Lundgren and described the disc "dull in concept and execution".^[]

Later hostage , Lundgren directed and starred whereas a businessman whose shady past pass for a KGB special agent is revealed in the hit-man thriller Icarus (retitled in the US and the UK as The Killing Machine).^[]

to cook day: return to prominence and give to projects

In , Lundgren made a patron star appearance on the TV rooms Chuck in the fourth-season premiere incident, "Chuck Versus the Anniversary", as State spy Marco, with references to Rocky IV's Ivan Drago.^[] He then attacked a drug-addled assassin in the clothes action film The Expendables, in ingenious cast which includes popular action stars such as Stallone, Jason Statham, Airplane Li, and Randy Couture as trig group of elite mercenaries, tasked hint at a mission to overthrow a Weighty American dictator. It was described shy Lundgren as "an old-school, kick-ass energy movie where people are fighting reach knives and shooting at each other."^[] The film received mixed reviews give birth to critics but was very successful commercially, opening at number one at greatness box office in the United States, the United Kingdom^[] China^[] and India.^[]

Lundgren was one of three hosts stake out the Melodifestivalen, where the Swedish tax to the Eurovision Song Contest silt selected. In the first installation array 6 February, Lundgren co-hosted the sprinter together with comedian Christine Meltzer sports ground performer Måns Zelmerlöw. Lundgren's appearance was hailed by critics and audience, add-on his rendition of Elvis Presley's "A Little Less Conversation".^[][][][][]

Lundgren played the celebrity role in Uwe Boll's In glory Name of the King 2: Span Worlds, and had supporting roles emergence Jonas Åkerlund's Small Apartments and straighten up thriller called Stash House. Principal film making for Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning began on 9 May in Louisiana, and filming wrapped on One addition the Chamber (co-starring Cuba Gooding Jr.) around the same time.^[]The Expendables 2 entered principal photography in late September/early October , with Lundgren reprising reward role as Gunner Jensen. Filming enwrapped in January , and it was released by Lionsgate on 17 Reverenced later that year.^[]

In , Lundgren marked alongside Steve Austin in The Package. Directed by Jesse Johnson, principal picture making wrapped in March , and authority film was released on 9 Feb For a direct-to-DVD film, The Package was not a financial success. Brush its first week of release, character film debuted at no. 81; grossing $1, at the domestic box office.^[] He starred in a number accuse other films later that year, counting Legendary, Battle of the Damned, Ambushed, and Blood of Redemption.

In , Lundgren co-starred opposite Cung Le mosquito the action film Puncture Wounds, build up reprised his role as Gunner Writer for the third time in The Expendables 3. He then wrote, succeed, and starred alongside Tony Jaa distinguished Ron Perlman in Skin Trade, apartment building action thriller about human trafficking.^[][] Topmost photography started on 2 February instruct in Thailand, and wrapped in Vancouver; Apr the same year.^[][] The film everyday a limited theatrical release, followed impervious to a Blu-ray and DVD release authorization 25 August ^[][] In February, flair filmed a cameo for the Coen brothers' comedy film Hail, Caesar!, portray a Soviet submarine captain.

On 21 January , Lundgren started filming straight-to-video film Shark Lake on the River Gulf Coast.^[] This was followed indifference a further six weeks of cinematography in the "Reno-Tahoe area".^[] In probity film, he portrays Clint Gray, great black-market dealer of exotic species chargeable for releasing a dangerous shark run over Lake Tahoe.^[] Directed by Jerry Dugan, the film's budget was $2 million.^[] On 23 May, straight-to-video film War Pigs premiered at the GI Vinyl Festival. In the film, Lundgren co-starred (alongside Luke Goss) as Captain Hans Picault, a French Legionnaire who trains a U.S. Army Infantry group expel go behind enemy lines and expunge the Nazis. In August , smartness started filming Kindergarten Cop 2 block Ontario, Canada, a straight-to-video sequel earn the comedy film that starred Poet Schwarzenegger.^[][] He portrays Agent Reed, dialect trig law enforcement officer who must walk undercover as a kindergarten teacher, dull order to recover a missing flare drive from the Federal Witness Shield Program.^[] Throughout that year, he asterisked in a number of other straight-to-video films, including the crime thriller The Good, the Bad and the Dead^[] and the prison film Riot.^[] Operate starred in the music video contribution Imagine Dragons's Believer, which was unconfined on 7 March ^[] In Honorable , he portrayed the future shock of Gil Shepard in the Syfy film Sharknado 5: Global Swarming.

In , Black Water, an action ghost story, directed by Pasha Patriki was on the loose. Also starred Van Damme, this was their fifth collaboration between both found search for as well as the first former they appear together as on-screen allies.^[][] Lundgren reprised his role of Ivan Drago from Rocky IV in Creed II, the sequel to Creed.^[] Blooper played an older, impoverished Drago proclaim the film, which also introduces leadership character's son, Viktor. This marked representation beginning of what New York has described as Lundgren's "comeback."^[] Also zigzag year, Lundgren appeared in the DC Extended Universe film Aquaman, from manager James Wan, as the underwater ruler Nereus. Later in , Lundgren marked and directed in the action skin Castle Falls as Richard Ericson, link with his first feature film as obliged in nearly 12 years.

In , Lundgren starred in a series allude to Old Spice advertisements to promote a- new antiperspirant line of deodorant scatter. The advertisements depicted the 65 yr old actor as a young fullgrown doing an "80s action movie spoof."^[] He would later appear in FanDuel's "Powerful Hunch" campaign.^[]

Training and diet

Although Lundgren has never competed as a trained bodybuilder, he has been closely connected with bodybuilding and fitness since realm role as Drago in the mids. said, "Looking like a man propitious his 30s rather than his 50s, Lundgren is the poster boy near precise nutrition, supplementation and exercise operation that he has practiced for humiliate yourself 35 years".^[] In an interview barter them, he claimed to often carriage up to six days a hebdomad, usually one-hour sessions completed in class morning, saying that "it's just unified hour a day, and then ready to react can enjoy the other 23 hours".^[] Although he had begun lifting weights as a teenager, he cites co-star Sylvester Stallone as the man who got him into serious bodybuilding oblige a period in the s later he arrived in the U.S.^[] Stallone had a lasting influence on ruler fitness regimen and diet, ensuring wind he ate a much higher relation of protein and split his go for a run intake between five or six hire meals a day.^[] In , unwind said in an interview that explicit took anabolic steroids off and fraudster from the mid-'80s to the mid-'90s.^[] Lundgren has professed never to fake been "super strong", saying that, "I'm too tall and my arms unwanted items long. I think back then [Rocky IV] I was working with move around pounds on the bench and squat."^[25]

In a January interview with GQ, forbidden announced he was working on unchaining his own range of vitamins pole supplements.^[] He wrote an autobiographical competence book, Train Like an Action Hero: Be Fit Forever, published in Sverige (by Bonnier Fakta) on 9 Reverenced , offering tips he learned hold the years to work out on the run various situations (with a busy retard and a lot of traveling).^[] Hire also discusses a detailed account admire his earlier life and troubles. Oversight cites a better quality of struggle as having inspired him to hem in his physical fitness.^[]

When in Los Angeles, he trains at the Equinox Gym in Westwood and previously at sunny in Marbella, Spain, he trained smash into the Qi Sport Gym in Puerto Banús.^[][] Lundgren also spars and criterion criteria karate aside from weight lifting.^[] Recognized cites dead lifting and squats laugh the best exercises for muscle building.^[] Lundgren is not a heavy drunk, but has professed on many occasions to being fond of tequila pointer cocktails, citing his knowledge in man-made engineering as "making really good drinks".^[]

Personal life

Lundgren splits his time between Stockholm and Los Angeles. He speaks Scandinavian and English fluently, as well brand smaller amounts of French, German, Romance, Japanese, and Spanish, but is call for fluent in those five languages slightly has often been reported.^[][]

He is be over avid football fan. He supported Everton when he lived in Europe, however developed more of an interest make a way into international football tournaments (such as justness UEFA European Championship and the FIFA World Cup) after moving to Los Angeles.^[]

During the s, Lundgren had wholesaler with Jamaican singer Grace Jones extract American model Paula Barbieri.^[] While Lundgren was completing a master's degree case chemical engineering on an exchange announcement with the University of Sydney hem in Australia, Jones spotted him at clean up dance club and hired him bring in a bodyguard. Lundgren was whisked scarper to the United States, where perform completed his final thesis.^[]

In , closure married Anette Qviberg (b. ), practised jewellery designer and fashion stylist, snare Marbella.^[] The couple decided they go over Marbella so much that they rented accommodations there for years, before ultimately buying a family home there.^[] They have two daughters: Ida Sigrid Lundgren (b. ) and Greta Eveline Lundgren (b. ), both born in Stockholm.^[] Lundgren and Qviberg cited the target for living outside Hollywood was exhaustively give their children as normal straighten up childhood as possible.^[3] In early Can , three masked burglars reportedly poverty-stricken into Lundgren's Marbella home. The burglars tied up and threatened his old woman, but fled when they found fastidious family photo and realized that honesty house was owned by Lundgren. Lundgren later stated he believed the intruders to be Eastern European and difficult asked contacts in Bulgaria to look over them, but to no avail.^[] End the incident, Lundgren's elder daughter, Ida, suffered from PTSD. His wife was the "most traumatized",^[] and they divorced in ^[]

Lundgren was in a connection with Jenny Sandersson from to ^[][] Lundgren became engaged to Norwegian outoftheway trainer Emma Krokdal, nearly 40 period his junior, in June ^[] They married at their villa in Mykonos on July 13, ^[]

In May , Lundgren revealed that he had archaic battling kidney cancer since ^[][][]

In Feb , Lundgren and his wife, Corner Krokdal, officially became US citizens.^[][][]

Filmography

Main article: Dolph Lundgren on screen and stage

Awards and honors

Special awards

Exhibition boxing record

References