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Jean-Claude Van Damme

Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Van Damme 2012.jpg
Van Damme in Paris at the French premiere of The Expendables 2 in 2012
Born Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg
(1960-10-18) 18 October 1960 (age 56)
Sint-Agatha-Berchem, Brussels, Belgium
Other names "The Muscles from Brussels"
Nationality Belgian
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
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 Shotokan
Years active 1976–1982 (martial arts)
1979–present (acting)
Kickboxing record
Total 19
Wins 18
By knockout 18
Losses 1
Amateur career
Total 48
Wins 44
Losses 4
Other information
Occupation Actor, martial artist, screenwriter, film producer, director
Spouse Maria Rodriguez (m. 1980–84)
Cynthia Derderian (m. 1985–86)
Darcy LaPier
(m. 1994–97)

Gladys Portugues (m. 1987–92);
(1999–Present)
Children 3

Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg (born 18 October 1960), professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme and abbreviated as JCVD, is a Belgian actor, martial artist, screenwriter, film producer, and director best known for his martial arts action films. The most successful of these films include Bloodsport (1988), Kickboxer (1989), Lionheart (1990), Double Impact (1991), Universal Soldier (1992), Hard Target (1993), Street Fighter (1994), Timecop (1994), Sudden Death (1995), JCVD (2008) and The Expendables 2 (2012).

Van Damme was born Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg, on 18 October 1960, in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Brussels, Belgium, the son of Eliana and Eugène Van Varenberg, who was an accountant and florist. His father is Walloon (French-speaking) from Brussels, and his mother is Flemish (Dutch-speaking).

He began martial arts at the age of ten, enrolled by his father in a Shotokan karate school. His styles consist of Shotokan Karate and Kickboxing. He eventually earned his black belt in karate at 18. He started lifting weights to improve his physique, which eventually led to a Mr. Belgium bodybuilding title. At the age of 16, he took up ballet, which he studied for five years. According to Van Damme, ballet "is an art, but it's also one of the most difficult sports. If you can survive a ballet workout, you can survive a workout in any other sport." Later he took up both Taekwondo and Muay Thai.


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