Dolph Lundgren: The Action Man Who Fell to Earth

And Red Scorpion was no picnic either. "That was the hardest shoot of all my movies," says Dolph, who is becoming almost animated now. "Five months in Namibia in South-West Africa. There was nothing to do at all. There was only a bar. Fortunately, I was training--I think some of the other actors became alcoholics! Every afternoon there were heavy tropical rains, and if you didn't make it off the set in time you'd get stranded because the water filled up the road and your car would get swept away and you'd have to stay there until 11 or 12 at night to get back to the hotel and then you'd have to get up again at five in the morning."

"Was it really a nightmare, or do you look back on it as an adventure?"

"Both. It was a nightmare at the time."

"The Punisher."

"Um," thinks Dolph. "What can I say about The Punisher?"

"Nothing?"

"I don't know what to say. I had a special Harley built for me?"

Naturally, just at this moment, a motley group of kids with cameras swoops over to get Dolph's autograph because of The Punisher. "Howya doon?" says one. "I loved you in The Punisher, man, that was a great movie! I can take your pitcha?" Dolph poses and signs politely, but is not as effusive or appreciative as I'd like him to be.

"Do you like when that happens?" I ask him when the fans have gone.

"Yeah, it's fun, because the U.S. is my weakest market theatrically. I'm pretty strong in Japan and Europe. So it's fun when some of these guys come up, because it makes me realize that there are people out there who watch my movies."

"Army of One," I continue.

"Uhhh..."

"Rocky IV."

"That, of course, was the big one, my first film. I didn't know anything, and Sly kinda coached me through it. We became friends and we've been friends ever since. There was something special in the fact that we sparred every day. That relation-ship has held together for 10 years; I think that's pretty good. A lot of other guys I've worked with I hardly ever see."

"I became a celebrity overnight because of Rocky IV. It was almost like I was picked off the street and sent flying around in planes, having people ask me questions about politics and stuff I'd never even thought about before. It was tough. I guess I've done OK, since I'm still around, still have a career after 10 years. I suppose I should be proud of that."

"It's a job like any other." I say. "Except it's one that gets reviewed in the Times. Do you read your reviews?"

"Sometimes. But action movies are made for the general audience, and they go to see them anyway--they don't have the same taste as the guy who reviews the movies for the newspaper. But if you have aspirations to be an actor, you can't help feeling disappointed or glad with the review."

I'm feeling really bad for Dolph. "Do your movies make a lot of money?"

"They all make money," he says cheerlessly. "The way I look at it... coming back to New York and getting a handle on my career is almost like a new beginning. When I look at the actors I work with in the theater group, who are my age or younger, I feel lucky that I've been able to make a living learning on the job. Instead of waiting tables, I made movies."

"Did you ever wait tables?"

"No. Just the door at Limelight. But. anyway, as an actor you can work into your 50s and longer. A lot of actors do their best work when they're older. And with Scandinavian genetics, you tend to mature late. I mean, people still think I'm young!"

"You're only 37."

"I have another 10 years."

"At least," I say. "And now you're producing."

"I co-produced one picture, Pentathlon, about the Olympic sport where you shoot, swim, fence, horseback ride and run. I'm actually involved with the U.S. team for the Olympics, to help the sport."

"You know," I say, "1 have to say that you seem really depressed."

"I seem depressed?" he says flatly. "Negative about my career?"

"Yeah, you seem so down on it. What the hell's the matter with you? Lighten up. You're making movies constantly, they make money, people recognize you in public places and tell you they love your work, you're married to a beautiful woman, you have houses in two countries, you're tall and handsome, you can buy anything you want..."

"Thanks. Stephen. I'll have to talk to you more often," he says, big smile. "But I'm Swedish! I saw too many [Ingmar] Bergman movies as a kid. It's the Bergmanesque gene! 'The winter, the cold winds will come soon, don't have too much fun,'" he says, capsulizing the Great Swede's dark philosophy. "But somebody once said that the best thing to have is a simple ambition; if you have that, you're fine--do the job, make the money, never worry. But, unfortunately, I guess part of me is an artist and I'd like to be more satisfied with my work as an actor. If I don't get that I don't care how much money the movie makes. Well, I do, but it doesn't make me totally happy."

"So, we've established that your big driving force is to get respect as an actor."

Dolph smiles a Dolphin' smile. "But I still wanna be a movie star and an athlete!" he says.

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Stephen Saban interviewed Aidan Quinn for the October '94 Movieline.

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