Dolph Lundgren Reflects on Rocky IV and Launches New Vodka Brand

NEW YORK, NY – Actor Dolph Lundgren joined “FOX & Friends” to celebrate the anniversary of “Rocky IV” and share details about his new vodka brand, Hard Cut.

During the show, Lundgren looked back at a famous moment while filming the iconic boxing movie. He confessed that he still feels guilty for accidentally breaking his co-star Sylvester Stallone‘s ribs during a fight scene.

“I didn’t know it happened. We were both getting hit in that fight,” Lundgren recalled. After filming for two weeks in Vancouver, Lundgren learned Stallone was hospitalized when the producer informed him that he had two weeks off.

The actor, who portrayed Ivan Drago, expressed surprise and guilt over the incident. “I did feel a little guilty, you know, he hit me too. He was the boss, I did what he told me. I don’t know if it was my body or exhaustion or my punches, I don’t know, but he did get hurt. I’m sorry about that,” he said.

Before becoming Ivan Drago, Lundgren had a very different background. He was a Fulbright Scholar studying engineering at MIT. His acting career began following a chance encounter at Studio 54, where he met notable figures like Andy Warhol and Michael Jackson.

<p"Somebody said, ‘You should try acting,' because I was a karate champion in Europe," he added. This led to his first big role in "Rocky IV," and he has since starred in nearly 100 films.

Lundgren noted that his favorite role was in “Creed II,” where he revisited the character of Drago in a father-son context with Viktor Drago. “I like ‘Creed II’ actually. I got a chance to play that character again — an older version, kind of a father-son relationship,” he explained.

In addition to his acting career, Lundgren has ventured into entrepreneurship with the launch of Hard Cut Vodka. He was inspired to create his own vodka after he couldn’t find one he liked on the market.

“Five years back, I couldn’t find a vodka I liked, so my wife said, ‘You should make your own — you’re a chemical engineer. You’ve played a Russian a few times, you’re from Sweden,’” he shared. “I started that journey, and now here we are,” he concluded.