With his outstanding new documentary, Dolph: Unbreakable, now available to purchase, we recently sat down with Dolph Lundgren to reflect on his incredible life, his illustrious career, and his darkest moments, including his harrowing battle with cancer.
According to the official synopsis: "DOLPH: UNBREAKABLE is a raw and revealing portrait of action icon Dolph Lundgren. From a troubled upbringing in Sweden to global superstardom, the film explores Dolph’s hidden battles—including childhood trauma, chronic injuries, and a brutal cancer diagnosis—alongside his relentless drive to survive and inspire. Through a medley of nostalgic home videos, archival photos, endlessly quotable clips, and captivating interviews with iconic peers like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lundgren delves into his life before and after the spotlight. Through these personal accounts, the larger-than-life superstar illuminates the battles he waged in his head, heart, and body throughout his utterly fascinating lifetime on and off the big screen."
During our conversation, Lundgren walked me through some of the documentary's biggest moments, including reaching a dark mental state, reflecting on his past decisions, finding catharsis by returning as Ivan Drago in Creed II, building a lifelong brotherhood with his fellow action icons, and discovering what truly makes him unbreakable.
In addition to Lundgren, the documentary also features Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Randy Couture, Ida Lundgren, Greta Lundgren, Bert Lundgren, Tony Colagreco, Craig Baumgarten, Emma Krokdal, Avi Lerner, Bjorn Rosengren, Brian Fitkin, Dr. Ned Amendola, Johan Pramell, John Herzfeld, Kent Anderzon, Larry Witker, Warren Robertson, Dr. Alexandra Drakaki.
The film was written and directed by Andrew Holmes (The Lost Daughter; Lord Jones Is Dead).
Dolph: Unbreakable is available to watch now on AppleTV/iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Fandango and DirecTV!
Watch our full interview below and/or keep scrolling to read the full transcription. Plus, remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more exclusive content!
ROHAN: Near the end of the film, you mention reaching a very dark place before your treatment took a turn. How did going through that shape you, and what made you want to keep going and define yourself as unbreakable?
DOLPH: I think there's a built-in fighter side of me that I've used in martial arts and in show business. It came up during the cancer battle. I was told that it was over, more or less, but I just kept fighting out of instinct. I've been in real fights in the ring where they have to pick you up, tie your belt on, and throw you back in there. It's like a fog, and then suddenly you see the other guy has given up or is knocked out, and you're like, "Who did that? Oh shit, I won the fight."
It's never easy. The tough ones are always ten times harder than you think. Keeping that in mind, I just kept exploring new options. I found another doctor who found another treatment, and it saved my life. I don't think it makes me unbreakable, but all the fights I've had before showed me that you have to keep fighting no matter what.
ROHAN: Looking back at the doc and your interviews—like your TED Talk—it's clear you're a very introspective person. How difficult was it to look back at your life, own up to decisions you made when you were younger, and do the internal work to find this healthy place you're in now with your wife and daughters?
DOLPH: It wasn't easy, but it was something I wanted to do; I took it as a therapy session, basically. Not just all the interviews, but also the editing. I was involved in post-production. We had to hire different editors because the first couple didn't know how to integrate the cancer and make it all work, so I did that work.
Doing that work forced me to reexamine my life and the decisions I made. It made me forgive myself a lot and release a lot of the stuff I had worried about before. I still find myself today having to go back and forgive myself, because our self-talk tends to be negative and critical. I think it's a survival mechanism humans have, but it's not very healthy. This documentary was great for me—even if people didn't see it, I still would have done it for myself.
ROHAN: It’s very inspiring. Looking back at your career, you noted that when you auditioned for Ivan Drago, you played him differently than others. How did that note shape your approach, and were there other notes throughout your career that inspired your longevity?
DOLPH: I saw an interview with Johnny Depp where he talked about working with Marlon Brando. Brando asked him how many movies he made a year, and when Depp said three or four, Brando said, "That's too many. A man only has so many suits in his closet." Most actors are known for three or four characters out of 100 or 200 movies.
In my case, Drago was one because it was the right place at the right time. I had good advice, an acting coach who wanted me to play him internal, Stallone directing, the best lighting guys, and MGM behind it. Everything clicked. It happened again with Universal Soldier, which was the first time I played a character who was crazy and unhinged—the opposite of Drago. Then in Aquaman, when I was much older, I got to play a king and political figure, which reminded me of my chemical engineering background.
I apply myself to various characters, usually when there are more resources and time to practice, because acting is a skill that takes time. I have those milestone characters: Drago, He-Man (innocent, like I was as a kid), Universal Soldier, Aquaman, and Creed II, where I played a father based on my own father, who was quite harsh with me. Those are the pivotal roles that come to mind.
ROHAN: You gave a wonderful performance in Creed II. How cathartic was it for you to play that role and revisit Ivan Drago while reflecting on your real-life relationship with your father?
DOLPH: It was terrific. As soon as I read the script, I got very emotional because I immediately recognized that relationship. I saw my own dad: a bitter, old, failed guy feeling sorry for himself and lashing out at people. Vindictive and bitter—that was my dad. Drago was the character I portrayed. When my older brother saw the movie, he said, "He acts just like our dad."
It was really cool, especially getting to give my son a hug at the end and go running with him. Those scenes were emotional for me because I never got to do that with my dad. I've forgiven him, but he was never able to show me that kind of love because he was never loved as a kid. I never blamed him for it, but it was important for me to get to do that on screen.
ROHAN: The film also highlights your brotherhood with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. How did their support early on and throughout your career help guide you and make you the man you are today?
DOLPH: They've been very helpful. I met Arnold before I was in the movie business when I was dating Grace Jones. I was a fighter, and he was already a star. Stallone wrote Rocky IV, and Ivan Drago was written for me. Then in The Expendables, Gunner Jensen—a big, drunk Swede with a knife—was written with me in mind.
Arnold has been very helpful on a personal level. We've stayed friends, and when he was governor, he pointed me in the right direction to help my kids get green cards. We also work on a charity together that he started. Because I'm ten years younger, they were role models and mentors for me. There wasn't as much competition between me and them as there was between the two of them, so they took me on. They knew I was a decent guy who wasn't trying to use them or get something out of them. I've always been respectful, and they know I care about them.
Lately, I get the feeling they've looked up to me for being so open about my life and what I've gone through. I've noticed Stallone talking about his childhood now, and Arnold opening up too. I think they were surprised I did it and happy for me.
ROHAN: You trained heavily in karate growing up. How did that foundation give you the mental resilience and physical stamina for action roles, and what was the transition like moving into boxing and other fighting styles?
DOLPH: They're related. Martial arts involves moving in different patterns, using your legs, kicking, punching, and throwing. I used to do point karate, where you stop the punch very close to the face, and I did contact karate too. I was well suited for movie fights—not just boxing, but any fight. It's very easy for me to memorize choreography; I just watch it once or twice and I can do it quickly.
Physically and mentally, martial arts gave me resilience, discipline, and stamina. Where I struggled was the business side: marketing, self-image, publicity, and knowing how to sell myself. I was a bit embarrassed to be harsh with people or speak up when I should have. I was maybe too much of a people pleaser. Karate teaches you to bow to superiors, but in Hollywood, sometimes you have to go your own way. 80% of it was good, but 20% made me a bit of a target for people who wanted to use me.
DOLPH: UNBREAKABLE is a raw and revealing portrait of the action icon Dolph Lundgren. From a troubled upbringing in Sweden to global superstardom, the film explores Dolph’s hidden battles -- including childhood trauma, chronic injuries and a brutal cancer diagnosis -- and his relentless drive to survive and inspire. Through a medley of nostalgic home videos and archival photos, captivating interviews with comrades the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean Claude Van Damme and endlessly quotable clips, Lundgren delves into his life before and after the spotlight, and through his personal accounts, the larger-then-life superstar illuminates fans to the battles he waged in his head, heart, and body throughout his utterly fascinating lifetime on-and off the big screen.