Jean Claude Van Damme Bio (Biography)
Real name:
Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg
Date of birth:
October 18. 1960
Place of birth:
Brussels, Belgium
Astrology Sign:
Libra
Height:
5'10
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Biography
Born on October 18, 1960, this Belgian martial arts champion and actor is known for his large list of action movies. He is an international superstar which is also known as "King of Belgians".
Van Damme began martial arts when he was 10 years old, and had achieved many great titles in world of martial arts after finishing his black belt in Shotokan, karate. He is European Professional Karate Association's middleweight Champion. He also won Mr. Belgian bodybuilding title and at the age of 16 he selected ballet as his career sport. He studied it for 5 years considering it a very difficult sport.
When he was 18, he started a gym in Brussels which he named California Gym. Van Damme was first introduced on screen in a French movie Rue Barbare and in the same year he was seen in movie Monaco Forever, where he was given credit as a gay karate man.
He left America in early 1980s and went to Hong Kong where he spent his nights sleeping in rented car and was doing odd job until he got break into movies. Van Damme studied Taekwondo and Muay Thai in Hong Kong. In 1985 he played in No Retreat, No Regrets. The director of the film was his close friend
Van Damme was offered a role of the monster in Predator, a hit movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Van Damme was unhappy with his role as he was not comfortable with the heavy alien costume in jungle. Critics say he quit or got replaced when character was revised but Van Damme told that he resigned so that he could move on to other movies.
Van Damme got a debut role in Bloodsport. This movie proved to be a door for stepping on to more lucrative roles in the movies. By the end of 1990s, Van Damme's high profile career faded. The reason for the downfall was Double Team with Dennis Rodman. The other unsuccessful films like Knock Off and Legionnaire made is career to downfall. One of his successful movies in between was universal soldier, but again making a sequel of this film cost him another flop movie in his list. After failures he started to work in video films directly. His movies have earned billions worldwide and had placed his name along with Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the world of action movies.
Van Damme began martial arts when he was 10 years old, and had achieved many great titles in world of martial arts after finishing his black belt in Shotokan, karate. He is European Professional Karate Association's middleweight Champion. He also won Mr. Belgian bodybuilding title and at the age of 16 he selected ballet as his career sport. He studied it for 5 years considering it a very difficult sport.
When he was 18, he started a gym in Brussels which he named California Gym. Van Damme was first introduced on screen in a French movie Rue Barbare and in the same year he was seen in movie Monaco Forever, where he was given credit as a gay karate man.
He left America in early 1980s and went to Hong Kong where he spent his nights sleeping in rented car and was doing odd job until he got break into movies. Van Damme studied Taekwondo and Muay Thai in Hong Kong. In 1985 he played in No Retreat, No Regrets. The director of the film was his close friend
Van Damme was offered a role of the monster in Predator, a hit movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Van Damme was unhappy with his role as he was not comfortable with the heavy alien costume in jungle. Critics say he quit or got replaced when character was revised but Van Damme told that he resigned so that he could move on to other movies.
Van Damme got a debut role in Bloodsport. This movie proved to be a door for stepping on to more lucrative roles in the movies. By the end of 1990s, Van Damme's high profile career faded. The reason for the downfall was Double Team with Dennis Rodman. The other unsuccessful films like Knock Off and Legionnaire made is career to downfall. One of his successful movies in between was universal soldier, but again making a sequel of this film cost him another flop movie in his list. After failures he started to work in video films directly. His movies have earned billions worldwide and had placed his name along with Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the world of action movies.