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| Birth Name(s) : Jean-Claude Camille Francois Van Varenburg |
Date of Birth: October 18, 1960 |
| Status:
Married
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Partner:
Gladys Portugues |
| Profession:
Actor/Athlete |
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Full Jean Claude Van Damme Biography
| Jean-Claude Van Damme is a former European karate champion who, like predecessors Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, stars in action pictures highlighting his martial arts talent. Nicknamed "The muscles from Brussels", his accent and physical prowess add to feature films such as "Sudden Death" (1995), "Knock Off" (1998) and "Double Team" (1997). |
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Additional Jean Claude Van Damme Biography
Jean-Claude Van Damme (born October 18, 1960) is a Belgian-born martial artist and actor who is best known for his large catalogue of action movies. His Belgian background combined with his physique gave rise to his nickname "The Muscles from Brussels". Van Damme has also been called the "King of the Belgians" due to his international superstardom.
Jean-Claude's karate teacher and coach was Claude Goetz in Brussels, Belgium. Under Goetz's guidance, Van Damme developed an impressive array of kicks and strikes. Van Damme has also studied Taekwondo and Muay Thai, along with Shotokan Karate. A young man by the name of Salim fought by his side, and rumor has it that Salim is his twin brother.
In 1978, at the age of 18, Jean-Claude made his full-contact karate debut under his birth name, Jean Claude Van Varenberg. Entering a tournament in Antwerp, Belgium in the Novice Division, Jean-Claude scored three victories;an 18 second knockout over Germany's Eric "Basel" Strauss, a default over Michel Juvillier, and a 26 second stoppage of Orlando Lang. A few months later at a tournament in Iseghem, Belgium, Van Damme knocked out both Emile Leibman and Cyrille Nollet in the first round.
After fighting on the under-card of the main event between France's Dominique Valera and the U.S.A.'s Dan Macaruso in Brussels, Belgium, in which he knocked out a fighter named Verlugels in 2 rounds, Van Damme started to catch the attention of the Martial Arts World. According to Mike Anders, founder of Professional Karate Magazine, and multiple European Champion Geet Lemmens, Van Damme was definitely an upcoming prospect.
In 1979, the nineteen year old Jean-Claude (fighting under his birth name of Van Varenberg) won the European Full-Contact Championship in the middleweight division. A series of quick knockouts over Andre Robaeys, Jacques Piniarski, and Rolf Risberg, prepared Jean-Claude for the up-coming world championships in the United States.
Controversy arose after Jean-Claude's film career took off because none of his fights were found. The basic fact seems to be that his entire full-contact career was fought under his birth name of Van Varenberg, thus there are no fights listed for a Jean Claude Van Damme.
- Additional controversy surrounds the fact that he admitted on the Arsenio Hall Show to being only a yellow belt in Shotokan and improvised his movies with his dance technique in ballet. The question of his real training is further debatable by watching some of his techniques in films, he drops his hands when he kicks high and he brings his elbow away from his body to throw a straight punch. Both of these technical mistakes are uncommon in both kick boxers and Shotokan karateka alike.
Van Damme was scheduled to play the part of the camouflaged extraterrestrial monster in the Arnold Schwarzenegger action film Predator, but wearing the heavy alien costume in the jungle was too difficult, and Van Damme, unhappy with his role, left the production. How he left the picture is disputed: some sources say he quit, others say he was replaced when the character was revised. Van Damme claims he intentionally got fired so he could move on to other movies by intentionally injuring a stuntman according to Jesse Ventura's autobiography.
Van Damme became well known for his ability to do full splits while performing stunts, and his better than average flexibility, even for a martial arts practitioner. Many of his movies feature scenes showcasing him performing such splits.
Van Damme had troubles with cocaine, pot, ecstasy, and glue during 1993, entering a month-long rehab program in 1996 but leaving it only after a week. He is also reported to have experienced bipolar disorder. A turning point in his health issues came in late 1997, after having signed divorce papers charging him with spousal abuse, drug addiction and bizarre sexual practices.“The former action hero says he had bipolar disorder but didn't know it until he became suicidal. He was diagnosed with rapid-cycling bipolar disorder and was placed on sodium valproate, which he calls "that simple salt".”
Van Damme has had nude appearances in many of his films, though his nudity has only been shown from the rear. He first appeared nude in Bloodsport, with numerous such appearances in his subsequent films, including a lengthy one in Universal Soldier.
In the French-speaking world, Van Damme is well known for the picturesque aphorisms that he delivers on a wide range of topics (personal well-being, ecology, etc.) in a strange mixture of French and English. He is especially well known for his use of the English word aware when speaking French. While delivering an interview for a French channel, he used the English word "aware" in order to introduce the notion of self-awareness as a key of success. |
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Jean Claude Van Damme Quote(s)
| In an action film you act in the action. If it's a dramatic film you act in the drama. |
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