Jean-Claude Van Damme facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jean-Claude Van Damme
Van Damme in 2012
Born	Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg (1960-10-18) 18 October 1960 (age 64) Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Brussels-Capital, Belgium
Other names	"JCVD" "The Muscles from Brussels"
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	180 lb (82 kg)
Division	Middleweight
Style	Karate, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Taekwondo
Fighting out of	Brussels, Belgium
Team	Team Goetz
Trainer	Claude Goetz Dominique Valera
Rank	2nd Dan Black Belt in Karate
Years active	1976–present (martial arts) 1979–present (acting)
Kickboxing record
Total	19
Wins	18
By knockout	18
Losses	1
Amateur record
Total	48
Wins	44
Losses	4
Other information
Occupation	Martial artist actor writer producer conservationist
Spouse	María Rodríguez ​ ​ (m. 1980; div. 1984)​ Cynthia Derderian ​ ​ (m. 1985; div. 1986)​ Gladys Portugues ​ ​ (m. 1987; div. 1992)​ ​ ​ (m. 1999)​ Darcy LaPier ​ ​ (m. 1994; div. 1997)​
Children	3

Jean-Claude Van Damme is a famous Belgian martial artist and actor. He was born Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg on October 18, 1960. People often call him "JCVD" or "The Muscles from Brussels."

Van Damme started learning karate when he was ten years old. He became very good and earned a black belt. He also competed in karate and kickboxing. Later, he moved to the United States to become an actor. He became a big action movie star, known for his martial arts skills and cool moves.

Jean-Claude Van Damme: From Belgium to Hollywood

Early Life and Martial Arts Training

Jean-Claude Van Damme grew up in Brussels, Belgium. His father signed him up for karate lessons when he was ten. He learned Shotokan karate and kickboxing. By the time he was 18, he had a black belt in karate.

He also started lifting weights to get stronger. This helped him win the "Mr. Belgium" bodybuilding title in 1978. For five years, he even studied ballet! He said ballet was one of the hardest sports. He also learned Taekwondo and Muay Thai.

His Early Fighting Career

When he was 12, Van Damme joined a national karate center in Belgium. He trained hard and became part of the Belgian Karate Team. From 1976 to 1980, he won 44 matches and only lost 4.

In 1979, his team won the European Karate Championship. He also did well in other tournaments. In 1980, he won a memorable fight against his former teammate Patrick Teugels. Van Damme won by knockout in the first round. He stopped competing in 1982 to chase his acting dreams.

Becoming a Movie Star

In 1982, Jean-Claude Van Damme moved to the United States. He wanted to become an actor in Hollywood. He worked different jobs to support himself. His first small roles were as an extra in movies like Breakin' (1984).

He became friends with action star Chuck Norris. Van Damme even worked as a bouncer at a bar owned by Norris. He also worked on the stunt team for Norris's film Missing in Action (1984).

His First Big Roles

Van Damme got his first important role in the 1986 film No Retreat, No Surrender. He played a Russian villain. His big break came in 1988 with the movie Bloodsport. He played the main character, Frank Dux, a martial artist in a secret tournament. The movie was a huge success.

After Bloodsport, he starred in many popular action films. These included Cyborg and Kickboxer (both 1989). Kickboxer was very successful and started a whole series of movies.

Rise to International Fame

In the early 1990s, Van Damme became a global action star. He played twin brothers in Double Impact (1991). In 1992, he starred in Universal Soldier, which was a big hit worldwide.

He continued to make successful films like Hard Target (1993) and Timecop (1994). Timecop was his highest-earning film where he was the main star. He also played a character in the video game movie Street Fighter (1994).

Later Films and Voice Roles

After the 1990s, Van Damme's movies were not always released in theaters. But he made a big comeback in 2008 with the movie JCVD. In this film, he played a version of himself. Critics really liked his acting in it.

He returned to major action films in The Expendables 2 (2012). He played the main villain against Sylvester Stallone. This movie was a huge success.

Van Damme has also done voice acting for animated movies. He voiced Master Croc in Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) and Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016). He also voiced Jean Clawed in Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022). In 2023, he lent his voice and likeness to the video game Mortal Kombat 1 as Johnny Cage.

Helping Animals and the Planet

Outside of movies, Jean-Claude Van Damme cares a lot about animals and nature. He has supported many groups that work to protect animals. He has appeared in public service announcements for animal rights.

In 2022, he became an Ambassador for the Environment for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His job is to help protect forests and wildlife there.

Monuments to a Star

In 2012, a statue of Jean-Claude Van Damme was put up in his hometown in Belgium. The statue shows him in a fighting pose from his movie Kickboxer. He said the statue represents "the dream of a Brussels kid" and shows that if you believe in something, it can come true.

In 2019, another monument was placed in a village in Azerbaijan called Vandam. This was because the village name sounds like Van Damme's name!

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Video games

Awards and Achievements

Jean-Claude Van Damme has received several awards for his work.

He also won many championships in his martial arts career:

• Mr. Belgium bodybuilding Championships (1976 Gold)
• Belgium Karate Lightweight Championships (1977 Gold)
• Belgium Karate team European Championships (1979 Gold)
• Belgium Coupe des Espoirs Karate Tournament Championships (1980 Silver)

Images for kids

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  Van Damme in 2007

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  Van Damme on the set of JCVD in October 2007

Van Damme at the Cannes Film Festival in 1993

Van Damme Monument in Qabala, Azerbaijan

See also

In Spanish: Jean-Claude Van Damme para niños