I discovered martial arts, first judo and then karate, and I became quite good at it, because I had something to prove. And more than anything, I needed to feel safe.
In my career, whether it’s a big or a small movie, when I’ve worked on something for a long time, like [Ivan] Drago in Rocky IV, they start to take on a life of their own.
I like being the villian. I don’t know if it has to do with my personality. You get to have a lot more fun as a villian. You don’t have to stick to the rules. You can be a lot crazier. You can go off the rails.
People like to lay their whole life, and all of their own secrets out in front of the world. They make money off of it, and find satisfaction that way. I personally don’t believe in that. I think it can be hurtful to yourself and those around you.
I’m not going to freeze my body. One life is enough for me. Some people take this gamble. That someone will be able to bring them back in the future. I’m not going to do it.
When I was a teenager, my dad used to put a lot of pressure on me to be successful, and I’d really beat myself up about things like losing martial arts competitions.
My sensei was a British karate champion named Brian Fitkin. He was my mentor and because I had a hard relationship with my dad, he became a father figure to me.
First the movie, the actual playing of the role and trying to deliver what everybody wanted. Then, when the film came out, there was instant fame. I was just a kid from Sweden, I didn’t know what was going on.
You can’t give someone five hundred punches in a film anymore. You beat on them, and they continue to stand there staring at you. That doesn’t work. People just don’t buy that anymore.
![Dolph Lundgren Quote - In my career, whether it’s a big or a small movie, when I’ve worked on something for a long time, like [Ivan] Drago in Rocky IV, they start to take on a life of their own.](https://minimalistquotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/in-my-career-whether-its-a-big-or-a-small-movie-wh-683x1024.jpg)
