Jean-Claude Van Damme

Jean-Claude Van Damme is a Belgian born actor and a former professional kickboxer best known for a string of 80's Hollywood Action-Adventure movies. Van Damme's father introduced his son to martial arts at age 11 and as a teenager Jean-Claude competed and won in competitive Karate and Kickboxing tournaments. He holds an 18-1 record in Kickboxing/Full-Contact/Semi-Contact competition with 18 knockouts. In 1980 Van Damme married his first wife Maria Rodriguez. The marriage ended in divorce. In 1987 he re-married for the third time to fitness competitor Gladys Portugues. The couple divorced 5 years later only to remarry in 1999. They remain together and have 2 children.

Fast Facts

1. Born: October 18, 1960
2. Birthplace: Sint-Agatha-Berchem, Brussels, Belgium
3. Teenage winner of the European Professional Karate Association's middleweight championship
4. Nickname: The Muscles from Brussels
5. Married 5 times including twice to his current wife Gladys Portugues

Acting Career

Van Damme moved to Los Angeles in 1981 where Chuck Norris gave him his first acting role in the movie Missing In Action. The small role garnered little interest but finally paid off 3 years later when Van Damme was cast the villian in the low-budget action movie No Retreat, No Surrender. His first major lead role came in 1988 as Frank Dux in the movie Bloodsport. It was a commercial hit that turned Van Damme into the next great Hollywood action hero during the 80's and early 90's. A string of box office failures led to a dwindling career but In 2008 Van Damme returned to focus as the star of the French film JCVD loosely based on his personal story.

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