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| Real Name: Jean-Claude Van Varenberg | ||||
| Birthday: October 18, 1960 | ||||
| Place of Birth: Brussels, Belgium | ||||
| Nickname: The muscles from Brussels | ||||
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Taking different acting names like Frank Cujo and Jean-Claude Vandam, he survived by working various small jobs. Hired and cast in his first feature film, the 1983 French film "Rue Barbere", he argued with the production staff and either quit or was fired, depending on whose story you believe. After easily landing his first acting role, as a gay hitchhiker in the film "Monaco Forever" (1984), Van Damme was then cast in a crucial role as the Russian challenger to an American karate student in "No Retreat No Surrender" (1986). After meeting producer Menahem Golan at a Beverly Hills restaurant, Van Damme exhibited his unique offering to the martial arts world: executing a karate kick to his opponent's head during a astonishing 360-degree jump. Impressed, the producer hired him for "Bloodsport" (1988), which has gained a reputation as a minor classic. The film made a remarkable $40 million at the box office, helping Van Damme to live his dream of becoming a movie star and sexy celebrity. Different then the other current and popular action heroes, Van Damme showed a kinder personality. Van Damme was not as indestructible as Schwarzenegger, or as unrefined as Stallone. Also, his outstanding physical capability made him different. Yet, he was not as predictable as the others. There is a limit to the audience base for a Van Damme movie and while some of his parts have been financially successful, none have reached blockbuster status in the United States. On the other hand, worldwide his draw is huge. Van Damme's movies in the late 1980's and early 1990's were simple formulas, requiring him to speak little dialog, show as much of his muscular body as possible and kick the ass of the bad guys. At the same time, the actor was taking on more tasks during productions, working on second unit tasks and developing scripts, dialogs and storylines such as with "Kickboxer" (1988), and later producing "Double Impact" (1991) and directing "The Quest" (1996). Although smart enough to partner himself with Hong Kong masters, like John Woo ("Hard Target" 1993), Ringo Lam ("Maximum Risk" 1996) and Tsui Hark ("Double Team" 1997 and "Knock Off" 1998), the end results have all been small additions in his filmographies.
A good self marketer, Jean Claude Van Damme has always given extremely honest interviews, often associated with the release of new movies. His private life, including his four marriages and many lawsuits, have pieces found in soap operas played on a very public media and the tabloid obsessed world of Hollywood. Since the mid 1990's, Van Damme has made casual comments about his fight with drug abuse, saying he spent a decade addicted to drugs and sleeping pills, and many years abusing the drug cocaine. Despite being on the edge of becoming a sexy celebrity on many occasions, especially with the 1992 "Universal Soldier", and the more vivid "Nowhere to Run" (1993), he remained trapped in the action adventure world of type casting. Unlike Stallone or Schwarzenegger, Van Damme has not yet found that pivotal project. supposedly, he has kicked his drug addictions and is looking for that movie role that will gain the esteem of movie audiences and the Hollywood tabloid obsessed media army. Van Damme continued his action films with "Hard Target" (1993) about a woman who hires a drifter as her guide through New Orleans in search of her father. The actor then followed with "Timecop" (1994) about an officer for a security agency that regulates time travel, must fend for his life against a shady politician who has a tie to his past. He was then hired and cast in "Street Fighter" (1994) and "Sudden Death" (1995) about a disgraced former fireman who takes on a group of terrorists holding the Vice President and others hostage Jean Claude appeared in two action films during 2006 including "The Quest" (1996) starring Roger Moore, and "Maximum Risk" (1996) about a policeman who takes his twin brother's place and inherits his problems and a beautiful girlfriend. Van Damme started of the next year with "Double Team" (1997) featuring Mickey Rourke, and then appeared in the action thriller "Knock Off" (1988) with Saturday Night Live veteran and funny man Rob Schneider, about a fashion designer who must join forces with a CIA. agent to combat terrorism. The actors last film of that year was "Legionnaire" (1998) about a boxer paid by a Marseille mobster to take a dive.
Slowing down, but not stopping, Van Damme appeared in the expected sequel "Universal Soldier: The Return" (1999) before accepting a role in the thriller "Inferno" with Pat Morita. After taking a year away from the movie set, Van Damme moved into 2001 with "Replicant" (2001) and then "The Order" (2001) starring with Charlton Heston, where a mans father who is an archaeologist goes to Israel and mysteriously disappears. Next was "Derailed" (2002) about an out of control train holding hostages and high-tech bio-weapons. Van Damme had only one film released in 2003 titled "In Hell" about a man who must survive a prison where hardened criminals battle to the death for the warden's entertainment. The following year Van Damme sported his way through two films, "Narco" (2004) and "Wake Of Death" (2004) about an ex-cop who wages war against the Chinese authorities. Next was "Second In Command" (2004) where Jean Claude plays an official who's just been appointed as Second In Command to the U.S. Ambassador at an American Embassy in a small country. Moving into the next year the thrillers continued with "The Hard Cops" (2006) with sexy Vivica A. Fox, about a combat Vet who's just spent the last 3 years fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.
After another year off to let his body heal from years of action thriller movie making, Van Damme jumped into the next year with "Until Death" (2008) where Van Damme plays a dirty cop who is hooked on heroin, and everyone dislikes him. Next was "The Shepherd: Border Patrol" (2008) about a Texas cop who battles ex-navy seals who are trying to traffic drugs from Mexico into the United States.
Family
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