By Megan Riedlinger
11:03am PDT, Nov 4, 2022
_
Dolph Lundgren turns 65 on Nov. 3, 2022! The action star first rose to fame in 1985 — the year he's seen here — after landing the role of Ivan Drago in "Rocky IV." He's continued to make a name for himself in the action space ever since — now more than three decades later — starring in big budget flicks like the "Expendables" franchise.
Keep reading to see more action stars at the start of their careers…
RELATED: Check out '80s pop stars early in their careers
_
Belgian star Jean-Claude Van Damme rose to fame in the late '80s, kicking off his career with the martial arts flick "Bloodsport." He's seen here in a photoshoot in 1989 — the same year his action flicks "Cyborg" and "Kickboxer" debuted. Now more than three decades later, he's still showing off his action star prowess: He appeared in 2021's "The Last Mercenary."
RELATED: See the most iconic rappers early in their careers
_
Prolific actor-director Clint Eastwood — who rose to fame in the late '50s on the Western series "Rawhide" — carved out a career for himself in the '60s in action-packed Spaghetti Westerns. He's seen here in 1956.
RELATED: Rock stars when they were young
_
Steven Seagal came by his action-star status honestly — he was a martial arts instructor in Japan long before he started acting. He scored his first big break with "Above the Law" in 1988 — the same year he's photographed here. Four years later, he starred as Casey Ryback in "Under Siege" — a career-making role.
_
From Han Solo to Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford has played some undeniably iconic characters over the years. The action stud — pictured here early in his career in the '60s — is still making movies nearly six decades later. He's set to star in the upcoming fifth installment in the "Indiana Jones" franchise in 2023, and the following year, he'll appear in "Captain America: New World Order."
_
Recognize this fellow? Tom Cruise is seen here flashing a smile in 1980 at the start of his blockbuster film career. As the frontman for fabulous franchises like "Mission: Impossible" and "Top Gun," he's continued to work for more than four decades and has become one of the highest-paid actors of all time.
_
A young Keanu Reeves is seen here posing for a photograph in 1989. The actor became an action hero in the early '90s thanks to smash hit films like 1991's "Point Break" and 1995's "Speed." More recently he's been entertaining audiences in the "John Wick" franchise, which kicked off in 2014.
_
Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the most iconic action heroes of our time. He's seen here in an undated photo from sometime in the early '70s — about a decade before he became a household name by taking on the title roles in 1982's "Conan the Barbarian" and 1984's "The Terminator."
_
A young Wesley Snipes is seen here in 1991, a few years before he starred in action-packed movies like 1993's "Demolition Man" and the "Blade" film trilogy, which kicked off in 1998.
_
Our next legendary action star got his start in the '60s in his native China! Here's Jackie Chan in the '70s rocking a newsboy hat, a vest and a bowtie. But don't let the look fool you: This guy's martial arts skills are unprecedented — and often spotlighted in his films.
_
Bruce Willis — seen here in 1985 — got his start on the television series "Moonlighting," but he became a household name after he starred as John McClane in the 1988 action flick "Die Hard," which spawned four sequels.
_
Check out this throwback picture of Sylvester Stallone at the 1976 premiere of "Rocky." The iconic sports drama, which launched a franchise, would kickstart his career as an action star.
