Dolph Lundgren fires back at critics of his 39-year age-gap marriage, ‘We’re all gonna be dead’ in 100 years

Dolph Lundgren doesn’t care what people have to say about his marriage to his younger wife.

In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, the 68-year-old actor discussed his new vodka brand, Hard Cut Vodka, and addressed criticism about his marriage to Emma Krokdal, who is 39 years his junior.

“You always get haters and people say negative things about you if you’re in the public eye,” he said, while attending A Throwback Party at Puzzle in West Hollywood. “To me, age is just a number. It doesn’t really matter. I mean we’re all gonna be dead a hundred years from now — most of us anyway — and nothing will matter.”

He continued: “All that matters is that you enjoy your life, you enjoy your partner. And I think the choice of partner is one of the most important choices you can make in life. I’ve realized that. And I think Emma is the best choice for me, and I don’t care what people say.”

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In a separate interview with Fox News Digital, Krokdal also spoke about their relationship, saying it’s “so special because we come from a similar place with a very similar upbringing,” with Lundgren coming from Sweden and her coming from Norway, adding that that is something they “connected on very early.” She elaborated by saying they are both “creative people” and can help each other with their different strengths and weaknesses.

When speaking about his relationship with Krokdal, the “Expend4bles” star credited her with helping “save my life with the cancer journey and turn my life around.”

Lundgren was first diagnosed with cancer in 2015, when doctors found a tumor in his kidney. While the tumor was successfully removed via surgery, doctors found new tumors on his liver and kidneys in 2020.

Despite receiving a grim prognosis, the actor sought out a second opinion and in November 2024 he announced he was cancer free.

“Going through cancer is a life-changing experience,” he explained. “So I’m NED — it’s called No Evidence of Disease — for like three years now, actually. And you know, it’s a gradual process. You at first don’t believe it. You’re still kind of in that fight-or-flight mode.”

To “get used to a new baseline,” Lundgren shared, he did “survivorship therapy,” and now has a “new way of looking at” his life and the world.

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“Every day is a blessing, and you’re grateful for being here and for all the wonderful things my life has given me,” he said. “So yeah, it does change your outlook on life, for sure.”

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Part of his new outlook on life includes being kinder to his body, which he admits he’s “mishandled” throughout his life, “many times in movies and martial arts.”

He recalled ignoring signs from his body in order to complete stunts, but says he now knows he has “to be kind to myself, not just physically but also mentally and emotionally,” and in addition to getting proper rest and eating right, he has to “give myself credit for what I’ve done.”

One thing he can give himself credit for is his role in “Rocky IV,” which celebrated its 40th anniversary in November. Looking back, Lundgren says making the movie “was a great experience.”

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“It was scary and exciting at the same time, tremendous. It changed my life. I walked into a theater, you know, being but virtually unknown, and ninety minutes later I walked out and everybody was taking pictures of me like this. It took me about five years to recover. So I think, yeah, on all levels it was a great experience.”

Lundgren spoke with Fox News Digital about his new vodka brand, Hard Cut Vodka, comparing the spirit to an action star, saying, “It’s hard on the outside and kind of soft and mushy on the inside.”

“I really want people to taste it ’cause it tastes so much better,” he said. “It doesn’t have that harsh taste in the back of your throat like a lot of the other vodkas do. It’s very smooth, even though it’s 90 proof, so it’s forty-five percent alcohol. So it has a nice bite to it. So I think the main thing is we have a great product, everybody loves it. And then I think the presentation is a little tougher. It’s a little more bada– than the other vodkas.”

The movie star launched the vodka brand in March 2025.

When speaking about the brand, Krokdal said she wants people to feel “a bit nostalgic” when they drink it.

“I know how I feel when I drink it. It’s a different feeling than drinking other vodkas or other liquors, where I feel more like down,” she said. “It gives you a nice energy, it gives you a little bit of a kick. And I always have fun when I have a drink or two. You don’t have to drink that much because it’s 90 proof. So it’s a little stronger, but it’s very smooth. So it’s a nice drink. It tastes really good as well. So you can enjoy it, and it gives you a little bit of an upper, like an up feeling.”

WATCH: DOLPH LUNDGREN DISCUSSES HIS VODKA BRAND HARD CUT VODKA

In addition to changing his career, getting to work on the film also led him to finding a friend in Sylvester Stallone, who Lundgren says he “was obviously looking up to” while making the movie.

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“He was my boss. I did what he told me to, hit him when he told me to,” he said. “And I think in the beginning, it was more professional and slowly developed to friendship where you know, we kind of appreciate each other’s struggles.”

Their friendship remains strong today, with Lundgren noting that Stallone was very supportive during his cancer battle, adding, “He’s a special guy, very, very talented, and I love him.”

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