Jean-Claude Van Damme
| Jean-Claude Van Damme | |
|---|---|
 Van Damme at Cannes Film Festival (2010) |
|
| Born | Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg 18 October 1960 Sint-Agatha-Berchem, Brussels, Belgium |
| Occupation | Actor, martial artist, director |
| Years active | 1984–present (acting) |
| Spouse | Maria Rodriguez (m. 1980–1984) Cynthia Derderian (m. 1985–1986) Darcy LaPier (m. 1994–1997) 1 child) Gladys Portugues (m. 1987–1992) and (1999–present); 2 children) |
Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg (born 18 October 1960), professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor, best known for his martial arts action movies.[1] His most successful films include Bloodsport (1988), Street Fighter (film) (1994), Universal Soldier (1992), Hard Target (1993), and Timecop (1994).[2] Due to his physique and his Belgian background, he is known as "The Muscles from Brussels."
After studying martial arts intensively from the age of ten, Van Damme achieved national success in Belgium as a martial artist and bodybuilder, earning the "Mr. Belgium" bodybuilding title.[3] He immigrated to the United States in 1982 to pursue a career in film, and achieved breakout success with Bloodsport (1988), based on a story written by Frank Dux. He attained subsequent box office success with Timecop (1994), which grossed over $100 million worldwide and became his most financially successful film.
Contents |
Career
At the age of 12, Van Damme joined the Centre National De Karate (National Center of Karate) under the guidance of Claude Goetz in France. Van Damme trained for four years and he earned a spot in the Belgian Karate Team.
Jean-Claude made his debut in 1976, at the age of 16.[4] Competing under his birth name of Jean Claude Van Varenberg, Jean-Claude was staggered by a round-house kick thrown by Toon Van Oostrum in Brussels, Belgium.[5] Van Damme was badly stunned, but came back to knock out Van Oostrum moments later.
In 1977, at the WAKO Open International in Belgium, Jean-Claude lost a decision to fellow team mate Patrick Teugels. The experience left an impact on Claude Goetz and he felt that Jean-Claude needed more training before competing again.
After six months of intense training and sparring, Master Goetz decided to unleash his prized pupil on the European Full-Contact scene. Jean-Claude won his first tournament by scoring three knockout victories in one evening. However, in a 1978 match for the Belgium lightweight title, he again lost a decision to Patrick Teugels.[6] Once again, the loss left an impact on Claude Goetz and a few months later at Iseghem, Belgium, Van Damme came back and knocked out Emile Leibman in the first round. In 1979, Jean-Claude and the Belgium Team became European Team Champions.[7]
Next, Jean-Claude faced Sherman Bergman, a kick-boxer from Florida (USA) with a long string of knockout victories. For the only time in his career, Jean-Claude was knocked to the canvas after absorbing a powerful left hook.[5] However, Jean-Claude climbed off the canvas and with a perfectly timed ax-kick, knocked Bergman out cold in 59 seconds of the first round. Van Damme ended 1979 with a stoppage of Gilberto (Gil) Diaz in one round[8].
In 1980, Jean-Claude Van Damme defeated former Great Britain karate champion Michael J. Heming. Next, Van Damme scored a knockout over France's Georges Verlugels in two rounds. After these victories, Jean-Claude caught the attention of the European martial arts community. Professional Karate Magazine publisher and editor Mike Anders, and multiple European champion Geet Lemmens tabbed Jean-Claude Van Damme as an upcoming prospect. However, Jean-Claude's ambitions now focused in the direction of acting.
Van Damme ended his fight career at the Forest National in Brussels. He knocked Patrick Teugels down and scored a first round technical knockout victory. Teugels suffered a nose injury and was unable to continue.
Following the victory, Van Damme retired from martial arts competition. His final fight record was 18–2 (18 Knockouts), with all wins being knockouts and the loss being a decisions after two rounds.[9]
Hollywood
In 1982, Van Damme and childhood friend, Michel Qissi, moved to America in the hope of becoming action stars. They both were cast as extras in the film, Breakin'. After a small part in Missing In Action, Van Damme was next cast in the film No Retreat, No Surrender, as the role of the villain, Ivan the Russian. Van Damme worked for director John McTiernan for the 1987 film Predator as the titular alien, before being removed and replaced by Kevin Peter Hall. His breakout film was Bloodsport, based on the alleged true story of Frank Dux. Shot on a 1.5 million dollar budget, it became a U.S. box-office hit in the spring of 1988. He then starred in the higher budgeted film Cyborg. His last role for 1989 was Kurt Sloane in the successful Kickboxer. In this film, his character fought to avenge his brother who had been paralyzed by a Thai kickboxing champion (Qissi).[10]
Double Impact featured Van Damme in the dual role of Alex and Chad Wagner, two brothers fighting to avenge the deaths of their parents. This film reunited him with his former Bloodsport co-star, Bolo Yeung. He then starred opposite Dolph Lundgren in the action film Universal Soldier. While it grossed $36,299,898 in the U.S., it was an even bigger success overseas, making over $65 million, well over its modest $20 million budget, making it Van Damme's highest grossing film at the time.
Van Damme followed Nowhere To Run and Hard Target with Timecop in 1994. The film was a huge success, grossing over $100 million worldwide. In the film, Van Damme played a time traveling cop, who tries to prevent the death of his wife. It remains his highest grossing film to date.
After his role in the poorly received Street Fighter, his projects started to fail at the box office. The Quest (1996), which he directed; Maximum Risk (1996) and Double Team (1997) were box-office flops.
The 1999 film Universal Soldier: The Return, was his last theatrically released film until 2008.
In 2003, Van Damme employed his dancing training in the music video for Bob Sinclar's Kiss My Eyes.
Van Damme reprised his role as Luc Devereaux in the 2010 film Universal Soldier: Regeneration.
Van Damme was offered a lead role in Sylvester Stallone's latest film The Expendables. Stallone called Van Damme personally to offer him the role, but Van Damme turned it down, citing that he "doesn't want his career going down that route."[11]
Van Damme will make a return to fighting and is scheduled to fight former boxing Olympic gold-medalist Somluck Kamsing in October 2010, in Macau.[12] The winner of that match will face current world champion Jeffrey "The Squasher" Sun.[13] At the prospect of being the first man over the age of 50 to fight professionally in Macau, Jean-Claude Van Damme stated that "it's kind of dangerous, but life is short."[14]
Personal life
Van Damme was born in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe (Brussels), Belgium, the son of Eliana and Eugène Van Varenberg, who was an accountant and owned a flower shop.[15][16] He began martial arts at the age of ten, enrolled by his father in a Shotokan karate school.[17] His styles consist of kickboxing, Shotokan karate, Muay Thai, and Taekwondo.[18] He eventually earned his black belt in karate.[19] He started lifting weights to improve his physique, which eventually led to a Mr. Belgium bodybuilding title.[3]
At the age of 16 he took up ballet, which he studied for five years. According to Van Damme, ballet "is an art, but it's also one of the most difficult sports. If you can survive a ballet workout, you can survive a workout in any other sport."[20] In the French-speaking world, Van Damme is well known for the picaresque aphorisms that he delivers on a wide range of topics (personal well-being, the environment, etc.) in a sort of Zen franglais.[21] Most iconic and often quoted was his repeated use of the English word aware during an interview for a French channel, to convey the notion of self-awareness as a key to success.
In a 2009 interview in the British newspaper The Sun, promoting his film JCVD (of which Time magazine said "He deserves not a black belt, but an Oscar"), Van Damme indicated he experienced a period of homelessness "sleeping on the street and starving in L.A."[22]
Van Damme has been married five times, including two marriages with bodybuilder and fitness competitor Gladys Portugues. Van Damme is the father of three children: Kristopher (born 1987), Bianca (born 1990), and Nicholas (born 1995).
Health and addiction
Van Damme had troubles with cocaine that started during 1995. He entered a month-long rehabilitation program in 1996 but left it after only one week.[23][24] In 1996, he spent up to $10,000 a week on cocaine.[25] He is also reported to have experienced bipolar disorder.[23] A turning point in his health issues came in late 1997, after having signed divorce papers charging him with spousal abuse, and drug addiction.[23]
After the filming of the 1998 film Knock Off, Van Damme was diagnosed with rapid cycling bipolar disorder after becoming suicidal and started treatment on the bi-polar medication sodium valproate to stabilize his mood.[23]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Breakin' | Guy dancing in the background | Uncredited |
| 1984 | Monaco Forever | Gay Karate Man | as Jean-Claude Vandam |
| 1984 | Missing in Action | Extra | Uncredited |
| 1985 | No Retreat, No Surrender | Ivan Krushensky | |
| 1988 | Bloodsport | Frank Dux | Fight choreographer/Writer |
| 1988 | Black Eagle | Andrei | |
| 1989 | Cyborg | Gibson Rickenbacker | |
| 1989 | Kickboxer | Kurt Sloane | Writer |
| 1990 | Death Warrant | Louis Burke | |
| 1990 | Lionheart | Lyon Gaultier | Fight choreographer |
| 1991 | Double Impact | Alex Wagner/Chad Wagner | Double role
MTV Movie Awards nomination for Most Desirable Male |
| 1992 | Universal Soldier | Luc Deveraux/GR44 | |
| 1993 | Last Action Hero | Himself | Cameo |
| 1993 | Hard Target | Chance Boudreaux | MTV Movie Awards nomination for Most Desirable Male |
| 1993 | Nowhere to Run | Sam Gillen | MTV Movie Awards nomination for Most Desirable Male |
| 1994 | Street Fighter | Colonel William F. Guile | Based on the video game of the same name |
| 1994 | Timecop | Max Walker | Double role |
| 1995 | Sudden Death | Darren McCord | |
| 1996 | Maximum Risk | Alain Moreau/Mikhail Suverov | Double role |
| 1996 | The Quest | Christopher Dubois | Directional debut
Writer |
| 1997 | Double Team | Jack Quinn | |
| 1998 | Legionnaire | Alain Lefevre | Producer |
| 1998 | Knock Off | Marcus Ray | |
| 1999 | Universal Soldier: The Return | Luc Devereaux | Producer, last theatrical release till JCVD |
| 1999 | Inferno | Eddie Lomax | Film is also known as "Desert Heat" |
| 2001 | The Order | Rudy Cafmeyer/Charles Le Vaillant | Double role |
| 2001 | Replicant | Edward "The Torch" Garrotte/Replicant | Double role |
| 2002 | Derailed | Jacques Kristoff | |
| 2003 | In Hell | Kyle LeBlanc | |
| 2004 | Wake of Death | Ben Archer | |
| 2004 | Narco | Jean's Ghost by Lenny | |
| 2006 | The Hard Corps | Phillip Sauvage | |
| 2006 | Second in Command | Sam Keenan | |
| 2006 | Sınav | Charles | |
| 2007 | Until Death | Anthony Stowe | |
| 2008 | The Shepherd: Border Patrol | Jack Robideaux | |
| 2008 | JCVD | Jean-Claude Van Damme (himself) | Return to mainstream with limited theatrical release
2008: Toronto Film Critics Association Awards nomination for Best Actor 2009: Chlotrudis Awards nomination for Best Actor |
| 2009 | Universal Soldier: Regeneration | Luc Deveraux | Limited theatrical release |
| 2010 | The Eagle Path[26] | Frenchy | Producer, Director and Writer |
| 2011 | Kung Fu Panda 2: The Kaboom of Doom[27] | Master Croc | First voice over in a theatrical release |
| Weapon | Brazil | ||
| Karate | Pit's | ||
| Universal Soldier: The New Dimension | Luc Deveraux | Announced |
- Van Damme has been cast in "dual roles" in a single film many times during his career. Most cases involve two distinct characters, but others (such as Timecop) involve the same character from different periods of time-travel. These scenes often necessitate special editing or blue-screen cinematography to have two versions of the actor interacting in the same scene.
TV
| Year | Title | Episode | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Friends | "The One After the Superbowl" | Himself |
| 2006 | Las Vegas | "Die Fast, Die Furious" | Himself |
| 2009 | Robot Chicken | "Maurice Was Caught" | Rhett Butler, Dracula |
| 2010 | Ceska Miss 2010/Czech Miss 2010 | "TV Nova" | Head of Jury |
References
- ↑ "Will Van Damme Have Schwarzenegger's Kick?". LA Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1991-08-20/entertainment/ca-1454_1_van-damme/3. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
- ↑ "FILM; Jean-Claude Van Damme, the, uh, Actor?". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/04/movies/film-jean-claude-van-damme-the-uh-actor.html?scp=4&sq=jean%20claude%20van%20damme&st=cse. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Grobel, Lawrence (1 January 1995). "Playboy interview". Playboy.
- ↑ "PhimAnh — Jean-Claude Van Damme". Phimanh.vnexpress.net. http://phimanh.vnexpress.net/News/Dien-vien/2007/12/3B9AE65C/. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Jean-Claude Van Damme fan site". 123allcelebs.com. http://www.123allcelebs.com/biography_of_jean-claude_van_damme-683_eng.html. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ↑ http://www.flickr.com/photos/10814403@N06/3405201943/in/photostream/
- ↑ "CNK — Centre National de Karaté". Jcvandamme.net. http://www.jcvandamme.net/cnk/Anglais/CNKen/cnken.html. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ↑ http://www.flickr.com/photos/10814403@N06/3405201561/
- ↑ "Jean-Claude Van Damme at AllCelebs". http://www.123allcelebs.com/biography_of_jean-claude_van_damme-683_eng.html.
- ↑ "Van Damme Gains 'Franchise' Status". LA Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1994-09-23/business/fi-42149_1_van-damme. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
- ↑ Brunton, Richard (2008-11-29). "Van Damme turned down Stallone's The Expendables". Filmstalker.co.uk. http://www.filmstalker.co.uk/archives/2008/11/van_damme_turned_down_stallone.html. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
- ↑ "Jean-Claude Van Damme vs Somluck Kamsing Fight Poster". http://www.jcvandamme.net/EN/ENNews/ennews.html.
- ↑ "http://www.fiveknuckles.com/mma-news/Jean-Claude-Van-Damme-to-fight-Somluck-Kamsing-in-K-1.html". FiveKnuckles.com. http://www.fiveknuckles.com/mma-news/Jean-Claude-Van-Damme-to-fight-Somluck-Kamsing-in-K-1.html. Retrieved 14 December 2009.
- ↑ "Van Damme To fight again". http://gossip-stone.com/b-listers/144-jean-claudde-van-damme-in-kickboxing-fight.html.
- ↑ "Jean-Claude Van Damme Biography (1960-)". Filmreference.com. http://www.filmreference.com/film/93/Jean-Claude-Van-Damme.html. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ↑ "Jean-Claude van Damme Biography — Yahoo! Movies". Movies.yahoo.com. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800019806/bio. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ↑ "Why is he famous?". ASK MEN. http://uk.askmen.com/celebs/interview_300/311_jean-claude-van-damme.html. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
- ↑ Stanley, John (2 April 1989). "Belgian Bruiser Muscles Into B-Movie Scene". San Francisco Chronicle.
- ↑ Karate black belt
- ↑ Kim, Jae-Ha (14 April 1989). "Van Damme gets his kicks from acting now, not karate". Chicago Sun-Times.
- ↑ "Abstract Thinker". Blog.eurnet.fr. http://blog.eurnet.fr/index.php/2006/07/11/139-les-citations-du-jour-selon-jean-claude-van-damme. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ↑ Rollings, Grant (6 February 2009). "Jean-Claude Van Damme interview". Sun (London, England). Van Damme: "My eldest son doesn't know how to deal with society because I over-protect him because of my last life of being on the street and sleeping on the street and starving in L.A. I didn't want him to have that."
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 Purse, Marcia (20 July 2009). "Jean-Claude Van Damme - Actor / Bipolar disorder, Cocaine and Abuse Charges". About.com. http://bipolar.about.com/cs/celebs/a/jeanclaude.htm. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
- ↑ Bloch, Jon P.; Naser, Jeffrey A. (2006). The everything health guide to adult bipolar disorder. Everything Books. p. 47. ISBN 9781593375850. http://books.google.com/books?id=mbYD87izKHYC&pg=PA47. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
- ↑ Herald-Sun (Melbourne Australia): p. 24. 8 April 1997.
- ↑ "Jean-Claude Van Damme Official Website". Jeanclaudevandamme.be. http://www.jeanclaudevandamme.be/web/index_en.php. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ↑ Yeoh, Van Damme and Garber Join Kung Fu Panda Sequel comingsoon.net
Further reading
- Corcoran, John; Farkas, Emil (1988). Martial arts : traditions, history, people. New York City: Gallery Books. pp. 60, 265. ISBN 9780831758059. (Wako)
- Corcoran, John; Farkas, Emil (1988). Martial arts : traditions, history, people. New York City: Gallery Books. pp. 285-286. ISBN 9780831758059. (PKA World Heavyweight Title)
- Corcoran, John; Farkas, Emil (1988). Martial arts : traditions, history, people. New York City: Gallery Books. pp. 210, 393. ISBN 9780831758059. (Eku)
- Soet, John Steven (March 1990). "Jean-Claude Van Damme". Inside Kung-Fu Presents: Martial Artists One on One: pp. 16–25.
- Vandehey, Tim (April 1991). "Gunning for Van Damme". Karate Kung-Fu Illustrated.
- "Jean-Claude Van Damme". Tre Today News. 31 December 2007.
External links
Sites
- Official International website (English)
- Official channel at YouTube
- Official page at Facebook
- Rodin Entertainment (English)
- Fanbased website (English)
- Partner Official website (French)
- Fan site (English) (Russian)
- Jean-Claude Van Damme at the Internet Movie Database
Interviews