Hashim Asraff
Dolph Lundgren found himself throwing all the wrong punches as Ivan Drago in the fourth installment of the Rocky series. Lundgren even put the legendary Sylvester Stallone in the hospital and had an altercation with Carl Weathers, who played Apollo Creed. Rocky IV marked his breakthrough in Hollywood, and since then, he has appeared in more than 80 films, including the Rocky spinoff Creed and The Expendables franchise.
The Castle Falls actor recently reprised his action-packed role as Gunner Jensen in Expend4bles in 2023. Lundgren also played King Nereus, the father of Amber Heard’s character Mera in Aquaman. Even at 65 years old, the Icarus actor remains an intimidating figure.
Dolph Lundgren Warded Off Raiders’ Attack On His Home Without Even Being Present
Dolph Lundgren has always maintained his impressive physique by hitting the gym regularly. The Swedish actor got his Rocky role due to his imposing 6 feet 5 inches tall figure. In 2009, three masked raiders made the foolish decision to break into his home and tie up his wife to rob the place, while Lundgren was away on business. The criminals terrorized Anette Qviberg, a jewelry designer, and Lundgren’s wife of 15 years at the time.
But, once the raiders stumbled upon a family picture with the martial artist actor in it, they quickly abandoned their criminal mission. This incident traumatized the couple who lived in the Marbella district in Spain, home to celebrities like Antonio Banderas and Simon Cowell. An insider close to Lundgren told Daily Mail:
“Things might have turned out very differently if Dolph had been in. The criminals fled as soon as they realised the owner of the house they had raided was someone they wouldn’t want to come up against in a fight. They left Anette pretty traumatized. She’s Dolph’s angel and anyone who messes with her is messing with him.”
The Creed II actor holds a Karate black belt and the three raiders wouldn’t have had a chance against him. It was reported that Qviberg wanted to relocate after the incident, but The Mechanik actor persuaded her to stay and increased the security. However, their daughter, Ida, suffered from PTSD after the incident. The incident also had a detrimental impact on their relationship as the couple eventually divorced two years later, in 2011.
Dolph Lundgren Credits Sylvester Stallone As His Fitness Influence
While Dolph Lundgren possessed a naturally imposing physique, he credited Sylvester Stallone with introducing him to bodybuilding. Lundgren has adhered to a precise nutrition and exercise regimen for the last 40 years, which allowed him to maintain his fitness even in his senior years. During the 1980s, Stallone helped the Missionary Man actor plan his routine, emphasizing a higher protein intake and dividing his daily meals into five or six smaller portions.
Lundgren admitted that he was never really super strong before Rocky, with only his towering height and long arms as his major assets. However, once he came to the U.S. and met Stallone, he was training six days a week and built a reputed fitness that would eventually save his wife’s life. Currently, the Blackjack actor’s routine includes sparring and Karate practice. For muscle building, Lundgren practices and recommends exercises such as deadlifts and squats.
Lundgren’s latest release, Expend4bles, is receiving a mixed response from audiences in theaters. Lundgren is set to reprise his King Nereus role in the Aquaman sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The Universal Soldier actor is also busy in the post-production works of his documentary film, I Must Break You.
Source: Daily Mail
