Dolph Lundgren joins to talk about the making of Rocky IV and the creation of one of the most iconic villains in movie history – Ivan Drago! Dolph shares the story of getting dismissed at his first audition for being “too tall,” how he eventually landed the role, and how Sylvester Stallone completely reimagined Drago after meeting him. He breaks down his screen test, the acting choices that made Drago so cold and calculated, and how lines like “I will break you” became part of the pop culture lexicon. Dolph talks about training for the film, taking real hits in the ring, and the subtle layers he brought to Drago that made the character more than just a machine. He also discusses his early days as a karate champion and chemical engineer, his decision to walk away from a Fulbright scholarship at MIT to pursue acting, and the wild journey from a small role in a James Bond film to overnight fame after Rocky IV. Plus, Dolph has stories about Universal Soldier, working with Jean-Claude Van Damme, his run in direct-to-video action films, directing his own movies, and his return to the big screen with The Expendables and Creed II. And… he introduces his new Hard Cut Vodka, and explains what he’s learning about being CEO of his own business!
For more Talk Is Jericho episodes, please visit our archives, and for future episodes, you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
