With roles in films like "Rocky IV," "He-Man: The Movie" and "The Expendables," Swedish actor Dolph Lundgren has been a name in Hollywood since the 1980s. But his success has come at a price - all the big jobs in the film industry meant he was not a present father to his daughters Ida, 29, and Greta, 24.
In SVT's new reality series "Dolph and the Lundgrens", Greta Lundgren moves to Los Angeles to try to get closer to her world-famous father. Her older sister Ida and, of course, Dolph and his wife Emma Krokdal, 29, already live in Los Angeles.
Hesitant
However, inviting viewers to his own shortcomings and failures was not something that came naturally to Dolph Lundgren.
"I was very hesitant to participate at first. I haven't always been very popular in Sweden, and in a way I'm worried about what people will think. I was also worried that this wouldn't be good for our family," he says.
But when he saw a pilot episode, he, as a film professional, was impressed. After some persuasion from his daughters, he finally agreed.
In the series, viewers see how the family tries to repair broken relationships, something that wasn't always easy, Dolph Lundgren says. But when he has previously dared to be personal, including in "Summer in P1", it has turned out well.
"I've had a crazy life. I've made a lot of mistakes, but when I've told them about them, I've gotten a nice response, which has made me feel better," he says, continuing:
"I realized that this series could be a chance to work on my relationship with my youngest daughter. I felt like I was ready and that maybe it could be something to share with the rest of Sweden."
Be yourself
During the filming of the series, the daughters got to see their father Dolph, who was declared cured of kidney cancer in 2024, being completely himself in front of the cameras. That's something he is not used to.
"He knows how to act and how to make a film, but now he needed to be himself. I think that's great for people to see. Everyone thinks he's really tough like Ivan Drago (the character in "Rocky IV", editor's note), but in reality he's actually a pretty sensitive person," says Greta Lundgren.
Sara Haldert/TT
Facts: Dolph Lundgren
TT
Born: 1957 (age 68).
Place of birth: Spånga, Stockholm.
Lives: Los Angeles, USA.
Family: Wife Emma Krokdal, daughters Ida and Greta Lundgren.
Profession: Actor, screenwriter, producer, director.
Selected films: "Living Target" (1985), "Rocky IV" (1985), "He-Man – Master of the Universe" (1987), "The Punisher" (1989), "Showdown in Little Tokyo" (1991), "Universal Soldier" (1992), "Johnny Mnemonic" (1995), "The Expendables" (2010), "Aquaman" (2018).
Current: In the reality series "Dolph and the Lundgrens", premiering on SVT on February 13.
