5 Things You Didn’t know About Dolph Lundgren

1. He’s an Olympian 

Kind of. In 1994, he starred in a movie called Pentathalon. In the hopes of gaining a little recognition for the penthalon program, the U.S. Olympic commitee named Lundgren the official Team Leader of their Modern Pentathalete team for the 1996 Atlanta Games.

2. He Put Sylvester Stallone in the ICU 

(via quotesgram.com)

While filming Rocky IV, Sylvester Stallone had the idea to stop faking it and fight for real for a few seconds. Stallone said that during that 15 seconds of filming, Dolph Lundgren ended up putting him in the intensive care unit for nine days with life-threatening heart injuries.

3. He’s a Genius 

He has a degree in chemistry and chemical engineering from the Institute of Technology. Plus, he speaks seven languages (three fluently). There are rumors that his I.Q. is above 160 (which he denies).

4. He Almost Co-Starred in Gladiator

According to Gladiator’s director, Ridley Scott, Dolph Lundgren was up for the role of the undefeated Gladiator, Tigris. He said Lundgren didn’t fit in with their vision for the movie.

5. THIS 

(via Gage Skidmore flickr)

In 2009, burglars broke into Dolph Lundgren’s home, tied up his wife and started ransacking the place. When they saw a family photo of Lundgren on the mantle, they realized who’s house they’d broken into, dropped everything and ran away.