Jean-Claude Van Damme
Biography
Born in Brussels, Jean-Claude Van Damme is a Belgian actor and martial artist who took up Shotokan karate as a child, won the European Professional Karate Association middleweight championship in 1979, and won the Mr. Belgium bodybuilding title. In 1982 he relocated to the United States and broke through as the lead of the martial arts film Bloodsport (1988), then became a popular action star in Cyborg and Kickboxer (both 1989), Double Impact (1991), Universal Soldier (1992), Hard Target (1993), Timecop and Street Fighter (both 1994), and The Quest (1996), his directing debut. After a decline, he drew critical praise for the crime drama JCVD (2008) and returned to action as the villain of The Expendables 2 (2012). Later work includes Enemies Closer (2013), Kickboxer: Retaliation (2018), Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022), the series Jean-Claude Van Johnson, and Darkness of Man (2024).
66years old
Turns 67 on October 18in 365 days
- Born Berchem-Sainte-Agathe
- Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
- Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg (birth name)Also credited as JCVD and Muscles from Brussels
Movie Career
- Films
- 53
- Career span
- 38 years1986 to 2024
Genres
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A role that slipped away
Van Damme worked with director John McTiernan on the 1987 film Predator as an early version of the alien, cast first so his martial arts would give the creature an agile, ninja-like style. After a few days of shooting he left, and Kevin Peter Hall replaced him.
First role
Van Damme's first sizeable role came in Corey Yuen's No Retreat, No Surrender, playing the Russian villain opposite Kurt McKinney, and the film premiered in Los Angeles on 2 May 1986.
Jean-Claude Van Damme movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Sheldon Lettich directed four of these films, Peter Hyams three and Ringo Lam three. Kristopher Van Varenberg appears in twelve of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Kristopher Van Varenberg's page
Dolph Lundgren's page
Bianca Brigitte VanDamme's page
Scott Adkins's page
Peter Malota's page
Sam Medina's page
All films by Sheldon Lettich
All films by Peter Hyams
Ringo LamDirector, 3 films, 1996 to 2003
All films by Ringo Lam
Also three films together3 more actors
- Jophery C. BrownSudden Death (1995), Nowhere to Run (1993) and Cyborg (1989)
- Stefanos MiltsakakisDerailed (2002), Maximum Risk (1996) and Cyborg (1989)
- Kamel KrifaLegionnaire (1998), Double Impact (1991) and Death Warrant (1990)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Jean-Claude Van Damme's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$3.4 billion
34 of the 53 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 53 films: 34 worldwide figure; 1 never in cinemas; 18 figure not found.
- 34Worldwide figure
- 1Never in cinemas
- 18Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 76% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$940M27.7% of the total
- 2$666M19.6% of the total
- 3$315M9.3% of the total
- 4$154M4.5% of the total
- 5$138M4.1% of the total
- 6$129M3.8% of the total
- 7$119M3.5% of the total
- 8$114M3.4% of the total
$816 millionfrom the other 26 films with a worldwide figure, 24% of the total
Awards
One award and honor.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Officer of the Order of the Crown | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.