If you need proof that you never know what’s going on in people’s lives before you get a look behind the beaded curtain, I’ve got a story for you. Rocky IV and The Expendables franchise star Dolph Lundgren revealed he’s been battling cancer for the past eight years. During a nationally syndicated interview on In Depth With Graham Bensinger, Lundgren said he’d been diagnosed with lung cancer in 2015.
While Lundgren says he went into remission, the cancer returned with a vengeance in 2020. His doctor gave him a terminal diagnosis, saying he only had 2-3 years to live. When the actor’s cancer returned, Lundgren’s fiancée Emma Krokdal said the doctors found tumors in his lungs, spine, and kidneys. Dolph made peace with the diagnosis, thinking he would die within a finite period.
Thankfully, this report has a silver lining. Lundgren sought a second opinion from Dr. Alexandra Drakaki, who worked alongside the Swedish behemoth to shrink the tumors. Lundgren is open about his use of steroids several years ago and questions if the muscle-enhancing drugs played a part in his condition.
Known for playing the Russian Wrecking Ball Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, Lundgren is more than a towering talent on the silver screen. In addition to his acting chops, Lundgren is an accomplished scholar. He earned a degree in chemical engineering from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology and has a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Sydney. Lundgren is also multilingual. In addition to being fluent in English and Swedish, and is good with German. He also speaks a bit of Spanish, French, and Japanese.
Lundgren’s upcoming Hollywood projects include acting roles in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, The Expendables 4, Come Out Fighting, and Wanted Man, which he also directs from a script he co-wrote with Michael Worth. He’s also the subject of an upcoming documentary titled I Must Break You. Andrew Holmes directs and writes the doc, with Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jean-Claude Van Damme appearing in the in-depth presentation.
We here at JoBlo wish Mr. Lundgren the very best in his ongoing battle with cancer and better health in the days ahead.