Dolph Lundgren says the bond he shares with Sylvester Stallone has endured for four decades, strengthened by gratitude, collaboration, and an understanding rooted in similar childhood pain, as reported by Fox News.

The actor discussed their relationship while promoting his documentary, "Dolph: Unbreakable."

During an interview with Fox News Digital, Lundgren said their experiences with childhood abuse helped him better understand the "Rocky" star. He described Stallone as a complicated person whose background felt familiar to him.

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Lundgren also expressed gratitude for the role Stallone played in his career. He credited Stallone not only with "Rocky IV," but also with bringing him into four "The Expendables" movies, which Lundgren said resurrected his career.

The return carried particular weight because Lundgren had spent decades away from movie theaters. "I hadn't been on the big screen for 25 years when I did 'Expendables.'"

Their relationship has experienced difficult periods, but Lundgren said he has consistently shown Stallone appreciation and affection. He also said he has continued paying his respects to Stallone because of the opportunities the actor created for him.

That appreciation is tied to a personal understanding between the two men. "I know he's a complicated guy, but we have a similar background, so I always knew where he was coming from, which I think he knows."

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Lundgren said Stallone has opened up over the years about his upbringing and the experiences he endured. Lundgren believes those revelations added another emotional dimension to a friendship that began while they were making "Rocky IV."

The similarities extend beyond their abusive childhoods and action careers. Lundgren pointed to their roles as fathers, their injuries and the uncommon nature of their lives as reasons they can relate to each other.

"We have daughters; he has three, I got two," Lundgren said that for action stars with abusive childhoods, daughters and numerous injuries, there are not many people who can fully understand those experiences.

Lundgren identified Arnold Schwarzenegger as the only other person left who could possibly understand the upbringing and life story shared by him and Stallone.

The connection, as Lundgren described it, rests on experiences that few others around them possess.

Stallone and Lundgren have faced ups and downs since meeting during "Rocky IV."

During a 2019 appearance on "The Tonight Show," Stallone told Jimmy Fallon that he initially disliked Lundgren because the actor seemed too perfect, though the pair eventually became friends.

They later reunited through "The Expendables" films. In a September interview with Los Angeles Magazine, Lundgren said they experienced a brief falling out over the proposed "Drago" spinoff.

According to Lundgren, Stallone reached out after learning he had cancer, and the two are now close again. Lundgren has since beaten cancer and is placing his personal history at the center of "Dolph: Unbreakable."

The documentary gives viewers a look at the person behind Lundgren's imposing screen image. He said he wanted audiences to understand why he played certain characters and why he came to seem unbreakable.

Lundgren described that exploration as deeply personal. "It was all my personal journey. And I think hopefully other people may be able to relate to some of that."

Stallone, Schwarzenegger, and Jean-Claude Van Damme appear in the documentary. According to its synopsis, interviews with the three men join home videos and archival photographs to create a raw and revealing portrait of Lundgren.

"Dolph: Unbreakable" was released on VOD and digital platforms on Oct. 6, 2026. The film connects Lundgren's childhood, career, health, and relationships while showing the man underneath the armor.