Quotes

[Arnold Schwarzenegger] is my role model since he is successful but, as an actor, he is not [my role model]. I prefer Sean Connery, Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford. They, too, started as "beefcakes" but have since established themselves as acknowledged actors.

[in Empire (UK), January, 1996] When I started studying acting in New York, I didn't plan to be an action hero. I just wanted to learn acting because I felt it was something I needed to try to do for myself, to express something, my inner pain, or something I couldn't get out. Then I got caught up taking my shirt off and strapping a machine gun on to shoot people. There wasn't really much acting - you couldn't have done too much with those roles no matter how good you were.

[in Vanity Fair, 1995] I was a movie star before having the chance to become an actor, so now I'm trying to backtrack.

I was incredibly shy when I first got into the business, I still am to some extent. I've overcome that shyness through contact sports, but I wanted to find that same confidence interacting with people through acting instead of in the ring.

Action films are an extension of Greek myths which have been around since Homer's "The Iliad". Everybody's life has some mythical quality. You struggle against obstacles, you fight to get to a higher level and there are great loves. With an action film it's just more apparent. That's why people will always love action movies.

My problem is that people get intimidated by someone big and beautiful like me. They hate to think I can be smart as well.

I usually pick up a scar a movie.

Playing He-Man was pretty much my lowest point as an actor, it was a kids movie. How much could I do as an actor when I was running around in swim trunks and chest armor? There was talk of my doing a second one, but I wasn't available, and from what I understand, the whole idea of a sequel fell through.

It's still a strange experience to me when people come up to me at airports and bring pictures to be signed. It's kind of flattering but one way I like to stay focused is using my training. I can remember what it is like when you spar with somebody and he hits you and you go, "Oops, this is real life!"

Hollywood is great for entertaining people, it's a wonderful business but it's make-believe, you must remember that. That's one of the most important things to remember and the distinction in your own life, otherwise people get lost in their own fame, and it makes them unhappy.

[on his role in The Expendables (2010)] I play a mercenary who's part of Sly's team. He's kind of a victim of the violence. He ends up getting fired by Stallone. Later in the picture, some other sinister character trying to get back at Sly and his people, hires me to take him out. Because I need the money, I do it. There's a showdown between me, him and Jet Li.

I prefer to channel my problems and inner demons through a character. Another persona. That protects me and my family. I can get my frustrations out that way. Nowadays, it's changed. People like to lay their whole life, and all of their own secrets out in front of the world. They make money off of it, and find satisfaction that way. I personally don't believe in that. I think it can be hurtful to yourself and those around you.

I've just tried to play my own game and treat everybody with respect. No matter who they are. That is something I'm proud of and I feel it will always pay off.

[on his directing career] I'm influenced by Clint Eastwood. He's a guy who started as an actor, a television cowboy, one regarded lightweight. He's now a super heavyweight, and he's worked his way there by hard work. He's directed 29, 30 movies, you know. I'm at five. Sylvester Stallone is at 15-20.

[on Hollywood movies over the last 20 years] Hong Kong cinema hit big in the US. That means wires, back-flips, kung fu types, and not too realistic action, where someone gets kicked in the head 40 times and they're still running around. When you see real fights, every kid can see what happens when you get hit in the head once. That's it, it's over. So, that's why I think things are reverting back a little bit. Also CGI came in, and it could make anyone an action star. You didn't have to know karate, you didn't have to know kung fu, you didn't even have to have muscles, because they can enhance everything with a computer. Filmmakers fell in love with that, and then they didn't need the tough guy, the Steve Austin, the Sylvester Stallone. So, you bring in somebody who's just a good actor. That's commendable too, but you lose that special aura of an action star, where the person is closer to the character. I suppose things come round in circles, and the audience got tired of that. And now they're into old-school action again.

(on Masters of the Universe (1987)) I was just this kid who played this one role, this Rocky role, and was going to follow it up by playing an American hero. It was tough - the opportunity, the expectations. I had fun working on the actual movie. It was very physical, and I was just getting used to being another person, where what people perceive you as being is different than what you actually are. That's what stands out when I think of those years, and when I think of those roles.

(on The Punisher (1989)) That was fun. We shot that in Australia - there was a lot of fight training, and they brought in fighters from a dojo in Japan. Since I used to train, talking to those guys was a lot of fun. They didn't really understand about cameras, that it wasn't real, that you didn't need to hit the guy for real. There were two young Japanese fighters, and we had to teach them that you shouldn't kick the other guy in the face with any force. That was also an over-the-top role.

(on landing A View to a Kill (1985)) It was a "right place at the right time" kind of thing. I was there with my girlfriend at the time, Grace Jones. She was in the movie. I was just on the set. I was auditioning for Rocky IV (1985) at the time. But I was hanging out, and someone was missing who hadn't shown up, and the director pointed at me and said "Hey, would you like to be in the movie?" And I said "Yeah. What do I do?" And he said "You have to stand there and point a gun at Christopher Walken. When I tell you to, point the gun and stand there." I guess I hit my mark and didn't screw it up too bad, and the director said "Hey, kid, you have a future in the movies." I didn't know the extent of it, then. It was fun. It was great to watch Chris Walken working - I didn't know anything about acting at the time, but it was interesting to watch him work. It was very unpredictable. I remember during rehearsal, he would not do anything, just mumble. And people were just looking at him like "Jesus, this guy is awful." But when the camera rolled, it was night and day. I remember the actor he was playing opposite being so shocked - just standing there, not knowing what to do. Walken would come at him from every angle: with rage, with this, with that. He was just in shock, like "Wow, what a great actor." That was a great experience. Grace was there too, of course. She beat up a few people, I remember. In front of the camera, anyway.

[About working with John Woo on Blackjack] He was a nice guy. I learned so much from him about cameras. He's a perfectionist. It was cool to work with him.

(on Johnny Mnemonic (1995)) I enjoyed designing a character which was very different from me. He walked different and talked different, and used body language like a street preacher, and had a wig and a long beard. I remember my agent showing up on set, and he walked up to me and said "Hey, have you seen Dolph Lundgren?" I guess my outfit worked. It was fun. Keanu Reeves was in it, and we had a little fight scene. It was before Speed (1994) came out, so he was only sort-of well-known. But I enjoyed that experience. It was also fun to play a smaller role. It was the first time I played a supporting role and didn't have to carry the movie. It wasn't heavy, I didn't have to work almost every day, and then I was done with my part.

Back in the day, you had to do it all yourself: Rocky IV, The Punisher, Masters of the Universe, all the Expendables. I've jumped from a motorcycle to a truck; dangerous things I would never do now.

I guess part of being an actor is there's some immortality. That's why people are interested in show business, because you kind of live for ever.

[About working with Brandon Lee in Showdown in Little Tokyo] It was a pleasure. He was a good martial artist, a very good actor and very charismatic, just like his dad. It was very sad what happened. He would've been a huge star had he not gotten killed so early.