Jean-Claude Van Damme

Skuespiller, Producer, Filmklipper, Forfatter, Instruktør

18. oktober 1960 (65 år)
Van Damme was born Jean-Claude Camille François van Varenberg in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Brussels, Belgium, to Eliana and Eugène van Varenberg, an accountant. “The Muscles from Brussels” started martial arts at the age of eleven. His father introduced him to martial arts when he saw his son was physically weak. At the age of 12, van Damme began his martial arts training at Centre National De Karate (National Center of Karate) under the guidance of Master Claude Goetz in Ixelles, Belgium. Van Damme trained for 4 years and earned a spot on the Belgium Karate Team. He won the European professional karate association's middleweight championship as a teenager, and also beat the 2nd best karate fighter in the world. His goal was to be number one but got sidetracked when he left his hometown of Brussels.

In 1976 at the age of sixteen, Jean-Claude started his Martial Arts fight career. Jean-Claude retired from martial arts in 1982, following a knockout over Nedjad Gharbi in Brussels, Belgium. Jean-Claude posted a 18-1 (18 knockouts) kickboxing record, and a semi-contact record of 41-4. He came to Hong Kong at the age of 19 for the first time and felt insured to do action movies in Hong Kong. In 1981, van Damme moved to Los Angeles. He took English classes while working as carpet layer, pizza delivery man, limo driver, and thanks to Chuck Norris he got a job as a bouncer at a club. Norris gave van Damme a small role in the movie Missing in Action (1984), but it wasn't good enough to get anybody's attention. In 1984, he got his first significant role as a villain named Ivan in the low-budget movie, No Retreat, No Surrender (1986). Then one day, while walking on the streets, Jean-Claude spotted a producer for Cannon Pictures and showed some of his martial arts abilities which led to a role in Bloodsport (1988). The movie, filmed in Hong Kong, was so bad when it was completed, it was shelved for almost two years. It might have never been released if van Damme did not help them to re-cut the film and begged producers to release it. They finally released the film, first in Malaysia and France and then into the US shot on a meager 1.5 million dollar budget, it became a US box-office hit in the spring of 1988. It made about 30 million worldwide and audiences supported this film for its new sensational action star, Jean-Claude van Damme.

His good looks led to starring roles in higher budgeted movies like Cyborg (1989), AWOL: Absent Without Leave (1990), Double Impact (1991) and Universal Soldier (1992). In 1994, he scored with his big breakthrough $100 million worldwide hit Timecop (1994). But in the meantime, his personal life was coming apart. A divorce, followed by a new marriage, followed by another divorce. It began to show up in his career when his projects began to tank at the box office: The Quest (1996), which he directed; Maximum Risk (1996) and Double Team (1997). The three films made less than $50 million combined. In 1999, he remarried his ex-wife, Gladys Portugues, and restarted his lost career to attain new goals. With help from his family, he faced his problems and made movies like Replicant (2001), Derailed (2002), and In Hell (2003).

Film og serier på Plex

  • Timecop
    Timecop1994
  • Kickboxer
    Kickboxer1989
  • Lionheart - The Streetfighter
    Lionheart - The Streetfighter1990
  • JCVD
    JCVD2008
  • Helten
    Helten1989
  • Fremmedlegionen
    Fremmedlegionen1998
  • Straffe Fanger
    Straffe Fanger2003
  • Knock Off
    Knock Off1998
  • Replicant
    Replicant2001
  • Until Death
    Until Death2007
  • Wake of Death
    Wake of Death2004
  • The Order
    The Order2001
  • Terror i høj fart
    Terror i høj fart2002
  • Black Eagle
    Black Eagle1988
  • Pound of Flesh
    Pound of Flesh2015
  • The Bouncer
    The Bouncer2018
  • Enemies Closer
    Enemies Closer2013
  • Kickboxer 2: The Road Back
    Kickboxer 2: The Road Back1991
  • Kickboxer: Retaliation
    Kickboxer: Retaliation2018
  • We Die Young
    We Die Young2019

Kendt for

  • Bloodsport: Kamp til døden
    Bloodsport: Kamp til døden1988
  • Universal Soldier
    Universal Soldier1992
  • Street Fighter - Det endelige opgør
    Street Fighter - Det endelige opgør1994
  • Timecop
    Timecop1994
  • Kickboxer
    Kickboxer1989
  • Hard Target
    Hard Target1993
  • The Expendables 2
    The Expendables 22012
  • Dobbelt Slagkraft
    Dobbelt Slagkraft1991
  • Lionheart - The Streetfighter
    Lionheart - The Streetfighter1990
  • JCVD
    JCVD2008
  • Sudden Death
    Sudden Death1995
  • Double Team
    Double Team1997
  • Helten
    Helten1989
  • Universal Soldier: The Return
    Universal Soldier: The Return1999
  • Udfordringen
    Udfordringen1996
  • Ryggen Mod Muren
    Ryggen Mod Muren1993
  • Fremmedlegionen
    Fremmedlegionen1998
  • Universal Soldier: Regeneration
    Universal Soldier: Regeneration2009
  • Maximum Risk
    Maximum Risk1996
  • Death Warrant
    Death Warrant1990

Filmografi

2025
The Gardener · as Léo
2024
Kill Em All 2 · as Philip
2024
Spaten · as Van Damme
2024
Darkness of Man · as Russell Hatch
2022
Minions: The Rise of Gru · as Jean Clawed (voice)
2022
2021
The Last Mercenary · as Richard Brumére
2021
Monsieur Jean-Claude · as (uncredited)
2019
We Die Young · as DanielPå Plex
2018
The Bouncer · as LukasPå Plex
2018
Black Water · as Wheeler
2018
Kickboxer: Retaliation · as Master DurandPå Plex
2017
2017
Kill 'Em All · as Philip
2016
Kickboxer: Vengeance · as Master Durand
2016
2016
Kung Fu Panda 3 · as Master Croc (voice)
2015
Pound of Flesh · as DeaconPå Plex
2014
2014
Swelter · as StillmanPå Plex
2013
Enemies Closer · as XanderPå Plex
2013
2012
Alien Uprising · as George
2012
2012
6 Bullets · as Samson Gaul
2012
The Expendables 2 · as Jean Vilain
2012
Dragon Eyes · as Tiano
2011
Arab on the City · as Colonel Merot
2011
Assassination Games · as Vincent Brazil
2011
Kung Fu Panda 2 · as Master Croc (voice)
2011
2010
The Eagle Path · as Frenchy
2009
2008
JCVD · as J.c.v.d.På Plex
2008
The Shepherd · as Jack Robideaux
2007
Until Death · as Anthony StowePå Plex
2006
Exam · as Charles
2006
Second in Command · as Cmdr. Samuel 'sam' Keenan
2006
The Hard Corps: Call to Action · as Phillip Sauvage
2005
The Hard Corps · as Phillippe Sauvage
2005
Robot Chicken · as Count Dracula
2004
Wake of Death · as Ben ArcherPå Plex
2004
Narco · as Jean-Claude Van Damme Fantasmé Par Lenny
2003
In Hell · as Kyle LeblancPå Plex
2003
2002
Derailed · as Jacques KristoffPå Plex
2002
2001
The Order · as Rudy CafmeyerPå Plex
2001
2001
Replicant · as Replicant / GarrottePå Plex
1999
Desert Heat · as Eddie Lomax
1999
1998
Legionnaire · as Alain LefevrePå Plex
1998
Knock Off · as Marcus RayPå Plex
1997
Double Team · as Jack Quinn
1996
Maximum Risk · as Alain Moreau / Mikhail Suverov
1996
The Quest · as Christopher Dubois
1996
1995
Sudden Death · as Darren Francis Thomas Mccord
1995
1995
Top Fighter · as Cast
1994
Street Fighter · as Colonel Guile
1994
Timecop · as Max WalkerPå Plex
1994
Kickboxer 4: The Aggressor · as Kurt SloanePå Plex
1993
Hard Target · as Chance Boudreaux
1993
Last Action Hero · as Jean-Claude Van Damme (uncredited)
1993
Nowhere to Run · as Sam Gillen
1992
Universal Soldier · as Luc Deveraux / Gr44
1992
1991
Double Impact · as Alex / Chad Wagner
1990
Death Warrant · as Louis Burke
1990
Lionheart · as Lyon GaultierPå Plex
1989
Kickboxer · as Kurt SloanePå Plex
1989
Cyborg · as Gibson RickenbackerPå Plex
1988
Black Eagle · as AndreiPå Plex
1988
Bloodsport · as Frank
1986
No Retreat, No Surrender · as Ivan Kraschinsky "the Russian"
1984
Missing in Action · as Soldier (uncredited)
1984
Breakin' · as Spectator In First Dance Sequence (uncredited)
1984
Barbarous Street · as Extra In Police Arrival Sequence (uncredited)
1984
Monaco Forever · as Gay Karate Man
1979
Woman Between Wolf and Dog · as Movie Goer / Man In Garden (uncredited)

2023
Van Damme: Split Personality · as Self - Portait Subject & Interviewee
2021
Haters · as Jean-Claude Van Damme
2021
Clique X · as Self
2019
2019
The UnXplained · as Self
2018
Collider Live · as Self
2018
2018
Route 66 · as Self
2017
2016
Quotidien · as Self - Guest
2015
Jian Bing Man · as Jean-Claude Van Damme
2015
Sense8 · as Self
2015
2014
2013
2012
2012
Corporal vs. Napoleon · as Himself
2012
28 minutes · as Self
2011
Les Anges · as Self (2020)
2010
2010
Conan (2010) · as Self
2010
Paul Murray Live · as Self - Actor
2010
It's Only TV · as Self
2009
C à Vous · as Self
2006
2005
2004
2004
2003
Las Vegas · as Jean-Claude Van Damme
2003
2003
2002
All the Love You Cannes! · as SelfPå Plex
2001
En aparté · as Self - Guest
2001
2001
2000
BBC Breakfast · as Self
2000
Sept à huit · as Self
2000
2000
You've Got Mail · as Self - Guest
1999
1999
Beckmann · as Self
1998
Roll on Sunday · as Self
1998
1998
El informal · as Self
1998
1996
Beyaz Show · as Self
1996
1996
1996
1996
1995
1994
Zig & Zag: Entertainment Cops · as Jean-Claude Van Damme
1994
Friends · as Jean-Claude Van Damme
1994
1994
1994
1993
1993
What's the Bet? · as Self
1993
1993
1993
Super Sunday · as Self
1992
1992
1992
1992
Soccer AM · as Self
1991
Maury · as Self
1991
1991
Voices That Care · as Self - Choir Member
1990
The Word · as Self
1990
1989
1981
13 heures · as Self
1981
1981
1976
César Awards · as Self - Presenter
1975
1962
1952
Today · as Self

2024
Kill Em All 2 · as Executive Producer
2024
Darkness of Man · as Executive Producer
2019
We Die Young · as Executive ProducerPå Plex
2018
Black Water · as Executive Producer
2018
Kickboxer: Retaliation · as Executive ProducerPå Plex
2016
Jean-Claude Van Johnson · as Executive Producer
2015
Pound of Flesh · as Executive ProducerPå Plex
2012
6 Bullets · as Executive Producer
2011
Assassination Games · as Executive Producer
2011
2010
2008
JCVD · as Executive ProducerPå Plex
1999
1999
1998
LegionnairePå Plex
1991

2010
1989
CyborgPå Plex
1988

2010
2001
The OrderPå Plex
1991
Double Impact · as Screenplay
1990
Lionheart · as ScreenplayPå Plex

2024
Darkness of Man · as Story
2018
Kickboxer: Retaliation · as CharactersPå Plex
2016
Kickboxer: Vengeance · as Characters
2011
Rani · as Adaptation
1998
Legionnaire · as StoryPå Plex
1996
The Quest · as Story
1991
Kickboxer 2: The Road Back · as CharactersPå Plex
1989
Kickboxer · as Action DirectorPå Plex
1989
Kickboxer · as StoryPå Plex