Clash Sylvester Stallone Dolph Lundgren

Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren's friendship dates back to Rocky IV, maintaining their bond despite a near-death experience and on-set tension.

Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren have been close friends since their Rocky IV days, and their bond has only strengthened over the years. Despite a near-fatal incident during the filming of Rocky IV, where Lundgren's character Ivan Drago ended up hospitalizing Stallone's Rocky Balboa, the two have maintained a strong friendship.

Stallone, the writer and director, urged Lundgren to deliver real shots in the ring, resulting in a punch so hard that Stallone's heart rebounded inside his chest cavity. This left Stallone genuinely fearing for his life, waking up surrounded by nuns, but they were able to put the incident behind them and remain close friends.

When Stallone was assembling a team of aging action heroes for The Expendables, Lundgren was one of the first names on his list. This marked Lundgren's return to the big screen after a 15-year stint of straight-to-video movies, following a role in Johnny Mnemonic.

However, tensions arose during the filming of The Expendables when Stallone pushed Lundgren to the point of tears during a scene, causing him to consider walking away from the film. Stallone's harsh words in front of the entire crew and international press left Lundgren rattled and upset, to the point of calling his wife and contemplating walking off the set.

Fortunately, Stallone apologized, and the two were able to put the incident behind them. They remain close friends to this day and even reunited in Creed II. Despite the rocky moments during the filming of The Expendables, their friendship has endured, showing that even the toughest situations can be resolved with understanding and forgiveness.