Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Van Damme (Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg, born 18 October 1960) is an Belgian martial artist, actor, fight choreographer, filmmaker, and director. Nicknamed "The Muscles from Brussels", he is well known for his action films. Credited with helping popularize martial arts in film, Van Damme is widely regarded as one of the most iconic martial arts action stars of all time.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

Born and raised in Brussels, Belgium,[10][11] at the age of ten his father enrolled him in a Shotokan karate school.[12] From there, he went on to develop his fighting skills, both in Shotokan karate and kickboxing.[13] He also studied ballet.[14] He was a member of the Belgium Karate Team when it won the European Karate Championship on 26 December 1979.[15][16][17] With the desire of becoming an actor, he moved to the United States in 1982, eventually getting his break as the lead in the martial arts film Bloodsport (1988). Van Damme became a popular action film star and followed up with Cyborg (1989), Kickboxer (1989), Lionheart (1990), Death Warrant (1990), Double Impact (1991), Universal Soldier (1992), Nowhere to Run (1993), Hard Target (1993), Timecop (1994), Street Fighter (1994), Sudden Death (1995), The Quest (1996), Maximum Risk (1996), etc.
He was married to Maria Rodriguez from 1980 until they divorced in 1984. Then he was married to Cynthia Derderian from 1985 until they divorced in 1986. Then he was married to Darcy LaPier from 1994 until they divorced in 1997. Then he was married to Gladys Portugues from 1987 until they divorced in 1992; they remarried in 1999. He has three children. He lives in Los Angeles, California. Van Damme has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.[18]
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1979 | Woman Between Wolf and Dog | Movie Goer / Man in Garden | Uncredited extra | [19] |
1984 | Breakin | Spectator in First Dance Sequence | Uncredited extra | |
1984 | Missing in Action | Soldier | Uncredited extra; also stunt | |
1984 | Monaco Forever | Gay Karate Man | ||
1986 | No Retreat, No Surrender | Ivan "The Russian" Kraschinsky | ||
1987 | Predator | None | Uncredited body double only | |
1988 | Bloodsport | Frank Dux | Also uncredited editor | |
1988 | Black Eagle | Andrei | ||
1989 | Cyborg | Gibson Rickenbacker | Also uncredited editor | |
1989 | Kickboxer | Kurt Sloane | Also story, fight director and choreographer | |
1990 | Lionheart | Lyon "Lionheart" Gaultier | Also writer/story and fight choreographer | |
1990 | Death Warrant | Detective Louis Burke | ||
1991 | Double Impact | Alex Wagner / Chad Wagner | Dual role; also story/writer, producer and fight choreographer | |
1992 | Universal Soldier | Private Luc Deveraux / GR44 | ||
1993 | Nowhere to Run | Sam Gillen | ||
1993 | Last Action Hero | Himself | Cameo | |
1993 | Hard Target | Chance Boudreaux | ||
1994 | Timecop | Agent Max Walker / Agent Max Walker | Dual role | |
1994 | Street Fighter | Colonel William F. Guile | ||
1995 | Sudden Death | Chief Darren Francis Thomas McCord | ||
1995 | The Quest | Christopher Dubois | Also director and story | |
1996 | Maximum Risk | Detective Alain Moreau / Mikhail Suverov | Dual role | |
1997 | Double Team | Agent Jack Paul Quinn | ||
1998 | Knock Off | Marcus Ray | ||
1999 | Legionnaire | Alain Lefèvre | Direct-to-video; also story and producer | |
1999 | Universal Soldier: The Return | Private Luc Deveraux | Also producer | |
1999 | Inferno | Eddie Lomax | Limited release; also producer | |
2001 | Replicant | Edward "The Torch" Garrotte (Luc Savard) / The Replicant | Direct-to-video; dual role | |
2001 | The Order | Rudy Cafmeyer / Charles Le Vaillant | Direct-to-video; dual role; also writer | |
2002 | Derailed | Agent Jacques Kristoff | Direct-to-video | |
2003 | In Hell | Kyle LeBlanc | Direct-to-video | |
2004 | Narco | Jean's ghost by Lenny | ||
2004 | Wake of Death | Ben Archer | Direct-to-video | |
2005 | Second in Command | Commander Samuel "Sam" Keenan | Direct-to-video | |
2006 | The Hard Corps | Philippe Sauvage | Direct-to-video; also uncredited fight choreographer | |
2006 | Sinav | Charles | ||
2006 | Until Death | Detective Anthony Stowe | Direct-to-video | |
2007 | The Shepherd: Border Patrol | Detective Jack Robideaux | Direct-to-video | |
2008 | JCVD | Himself | Limited release; also executive producer | |
2009 | Universal Soldier: Regeneration | Private Luc Deveraux | Direct-to-video | |
2010 | Frenchy | Frenchy | Also writer, director, producer and editor | |
2011 | Kung Fu Panda 2 | Master Croc | Voice role | |
2011 | Assassination Games | Vincent Brazil | Limited release; also executive producer | |
2011 | Beur sur la ville | Colonel Merot | Cameo | |
2011 | Rzhevsky versus Napoleon | Himself | Cameo | |
2011 | Dragon Eyes | Jean-Louis Tiano | Limited release | |
2012 | The Expendables 2 | Jean Vilain | ||
2012 | Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning | Private Luc Deveraux | Limited release | |
2012 | Six Bullets | Samson Gaul | Direct-to-video; also executive producer | |
2012 | U.F.O. | George | Limited release | |
2013 | Welcome to the Jungle | Storm Rothschild | Limited release | |
2013 | Enemies Closer | Xander | Limited release | |
2013 | Swelter | Stillman | Direct-to-video | |
2015 | Pound of Flesh | Agent Deacon Lyle | Limited release; also executive producer | |
2015 | Jian Bing Man | Himself | Cameo | |
2016 | Kung Fu Panda 3 | Master Croc | Voice role | |
2016 | Kickboxer: Vengeance | Master Durand | Limited release | |
2017 | Kill 'Em All | Philip | Direct-to-video | |
2018 | Kickboxer: Retaliation | Master Durand | Limited release | |
2018 | Black Water | Agent Scott Wheeler | Limited release; also executive producer | |
2018 | The Bouncer | Lukas | Limited release | |
2019 | We Die Young | Daniel | Limited release | |
2021 | The Last Mercenary | Agent Richard Brumère / The Mist | Streaming releases | |
2021 | Haters | Unknown | ||
2022 | Minions: The Rise of Gru | Jean Clawed | Voice role | |
2023 | Darkness of Man | Russell Hatch |
Music video
Year | Title | Role | Performer | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1992 | "Body Count's in the House" | Himself | Body Count | Uncredited cameo | |
1994 | "Time Won't Let Me" | Himself | The Smithereens |
Video game
Year | Title | Voice role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1995 | Street Fighter: The Movie | Colonel William F. Guile | Live action full-motion video |
References
- "Above the Law: The Ultimate Action Introduction to Steven Seagal". 3 January 2020.
- "The Action Fix: Celebrating an Action Icon's Birthday van Dammage!". 19 October 2022.
- "Every Jean-Claude van Damme Movie Ranked from Worst to Best". Screen Rant. 5 June 2022.
- "FIGHTMAG | fight news, events, live results, photos, videos".
- https://www.eightieskids.com/25-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-jean-claude-van-damme/
- "See how 12 iconic action stars looked early in their careers". 4 November 2022.
- "Silent Kill: Jean-Claude van Damme to lead a treasure-hunting action movie set in the Congo". 31 October 2022.
- "Jean-Claude van Damme to Star in Action Film "Silent Kill"".
- "JCVD's Most Memorable Moments". 18 October 2017.
- "Jean-Claude Van Damme Biography (1960–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- "Jean-Claude van Damme- Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
- "How Jean-Claude van Damme Became a Real Martial Artist and Black Belt". 13 March 2023.
- "How Jean-Claude van Damme Became a Real Martial Artist and Black Belt". 13 March 2023.
- "How Jean-Claude van Damme Became a Real Martial Artist and Black Belt". 13 March 2023.
- "How Jean-Claude van Damme Became a Real Martial Artist and Black Belt". 13 March 2023.
- "Standardized Tournaments And Ratings System Historic Kickboxing Ring Records" Archived 1 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine. The Star System. 8 March 1980. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
- "CNK – Centre National de Karaté". Jcvandamme.net. Archived from the original on 23 April 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- 'I tried to play the system'
- Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Jean-Claude van Damme's library (19 November 2015). "Van Damme (JCVD) - First ever screen appearance in 1979" – via YouTube.
Other websites

