Dolph Lundgren and Grace Jones: why Hollywood's most unusual couple broke up
Grace Jones and Dolph Lundgren were an amazing couple who were closely followed by journalists. A handsome Swede, an athlete and an intellectual, he himself achieved great success in sports. But he became world famous precisely thanks to the woman who first gave him a job and then became a close friend. The relationship, which seemed incredibly strong, lasted for several years, but ended not in marriage, but in separation.
Hans Lundgren, which is the real name of the Hollywood star, was born on November 3, 1957 in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. He grew up as a frail and sickly child until he became interested in Kyokushin karate as a teenager. Martial arts transformed the guy, and after a few years Hans was unrecognizable.
Lundgren became the first at the Swedish Championship and held the championship title for three years. In 1979, he won the British Open and was appointed captain of the national team. Then there were many other, no less brilliant victories both at home and in other countries.
Professional sports did not prevent Lundgren from receiving an excellent education. Nature endowed him with outstanding mental abilities, and karate taught him to purposefully move towards his intended goal. After school, the guy entered the University of Washington, where he studied chemistry. Then he served his military service in the Swedish army and continued his studies. Hans graduated from the Stockholm Institute of Technology with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. Then he received a master's degree from the University of Sydney in Australia.
After finishing his studies in Sydney, Lundgren planned to go to the USA. He became a fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Boston and a brilliant scientific career lay ahead of him. But then everything didn’t go as the purposeful Swede planned. In 1983, while working as a bouncer in a Sydney bar, he met Grace Jones.
A dark-skinned American singer, actress and model came to Australia for concerts and noticed a handsome blond man in a bar. The star, impressed by his physique, offered Hans a job as a bodyguard. The business relationship quickly grew into love, and the Swede went to the USA with Jones. True, not to the university in Boston, but to her in New York.
Grace, who was 9 years older than her lover, loved to live brightly and do crazy things. She claimed that life without scandals and adventures was boring for her. The woman opened up a world to Lundgren that he knew nothing about. They attended events and parties together, interacted with celebrities and traveled a lot.
When Grace Jones was offered a role in one of the Bond films, she agreed on the condition that her boyfriend would get a small role in it. It was at this moment that Lundgren, on the advice of a friend, changed his name to a more sonorous one - Dolph. A tiny role in a famous film brought big changes to the Swede’s life. He realized that he wanted to act in films.
But the aspiring actor was not noticed at the castings. When he came to audition for the film "Rocky IV", Stallone's wife Brigitte Nielsen refused him simply because of his height. But Grace Jones came to the rescue. She sent her beloved to a photo shoot, where he starred in the most combative poses. The woman personally gave the photographs to Sylvester Stallone. He agreed to take Dolph for the role of Ivan Drago, but set a condition. Lundgren had to build muscle before filming.
The motivation was ironclad - Stallone promised that “Rocky 4” would make the aspiring actor famous. Lundgren trained all day long and achieved the required muscle volume in a short time. Preparing for filming was not easy. Extravagant Grace Jones could bring several girlfriends into the bedroom in the evening, and the company would have fun all night. And in the morning, Dolph, who did not get enough sleep, went to Stallone’s ring to rehearse.
Before the premiere of Rocky IV, no one paid attention to Lundgren. Everyone devoured his star companion with their eyes. But after the session, everyone forgot about her and it was Dolph who became the center of attention. The role of Ivan Drago, as Stallone promised, made him a real star. Yes, the film changed Lundgren’s life, including the reason for the start of the split with Jones.
The fee received for the role of Ivan Drago allowed Lundgren to gain financial independence. He moved to Los Angeles and rented an apartment there. Grace did not like this city and chose to stay in New York. At his new location, Lundgren hired an agent. He immediately set a condition for the rising star: no contact with Grace Jones. Her scandalous reputation could harm the actor.
Jones behaved, as usual, unpredictably. She, deciding that her beloved was being held in Los Angeles by force, went to save him. She took a loaded pistol with her. She later claimed that she took the weapon to feel more confident and did not intend to shoot. She knocked down the door of Dolph's apartment, caused a scandal and injured him. He did not proceed with the matter and report it to the police. But there was no longer any question of continuing the relationship.
The stars went their separate ways, but there were many photographs of Lundgren and John together. In them they are young, beautiful and, probably, happy. Despite everything, the actor says that he has only pleasant memories of his former lover. He remembers her and is grateful for what she did for him.