Jean-Claude Van Damme has had an extremely unusual career. While the Belgium-born superstar is best known for being a martial arts master, it was acting that inspired him as a kid. Specifically, the iconic movie Lawrence of Arabia. Even though he seemed to have a desire to pursue a career in film and television, his passion for martial arts stole him away for a few years.
But his love of karate, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, dancing, and weight-lifting is what gave him the discipline to pursue acting. With $3000 in his pocket, he flew to the U.S. to fulfill his dreams. After a few tries, he landed the leading role in Bloodsport and his career took off. But Jean-Claude hit a few slumps along the way, particularly in the late 1990s after his first box office bomb, Double Team. This has caused fans to wonder where he went and how he actually feels about what he has and hasn't achieved yet...
What Happened To Jean-Claude Van Damme?
He's still making movies... that's what happened. Jean-Claude Van Damme's career never really stopped. His time in the spotlight may have, but the man is always working. To date, Jean-Claude has 76 acting credits to his name. They may not be the most well-known credits but they are beloved by his cult-like fanbase who has never left his side since his career took off in the late '80s.
There was a time Jean-Claude could've taken his career to the next level by joining one of the most successful franchises ever, but that didn't exactly work out. In fact, there have been a couple of times Jean-Claude could have had another shot at mega-stardom but chose a different path. But he doesn't to mind. In fact, he has a lot of respect for the audience that he makes his brand of movies for.
"Lots of my fans are simple people, blue-collar, go to the factory, they’re waiting for the next Van Damme movie, and they go and they have a beer. That’s my audience, and those people are great," Jean-Claude said during a 2017 interview with Vulture promoting his very successful series Jean-Claude Van Johnson.
Jean-Claude loves the fact he's able to do movies that take people out of "the thinking-mode" as he knows that can be entirely necessary. Especially since so many of us are bogged down by depressing news, technology, and the general chaos of day-to-day life.
Currently, Jean-Claude is preparing to star in his final action movie, so he says.
"I wanted to leave the stage but with a revisit of my career, starting with Bloodsport, the one where I started to become famous. I want this to be a new Bloodsport but on a higher level," Jean-Claude said to Deadline about his upcoming film, What's My Name?. "In the film, I am on my way down in terms of career, and as I come out of a premiere of another action movie, I am not happy because I’ve been living in hotels the past 30 years, which is actually true. We’re going to bring real elements from my real life and what happened to me. I came from Belgium, all the way to Hollywood. I succeeded, I failed, I came back. So I’m walking out on the street after the premiere, and boom! — a car hits me because I’m drunk. When I wake up from the impact, I don’t know what’s my name, and no one recognizes me."
How Does Jean-Claude Feel About His Career
In his 2017 interview with Vulture, Jean-Claude made it clear that he's well aware that his career has ebbed and flowed. But he doesn't approach it from a place of judgment like so many do. He knows that's how the industry works and is grateful for what he's been given.
"The film business is one of the most beautiful businesses in the world — entertainment, Hollywood — but it’s not everything. The more you grow older, 55, 56, you start to understand that life is becoming short. You know the number 1-100, right? So one-quarter, half, two-thirds — when you’re close to two-thirds, does the one-third go like the normal database, or shorter? So we have to do more," he said to Vulture.
In a very recent retrospective, Jean-Claude did with Netflix Film Club, he stated that he feels he's been very lucky in his career.
"My wish is one day I will be able to do a documentary of 'how did I do?'. Because if you ask me today, 'Can you redo what you've done?' I will say, 'I cannot, bro. I cannot, it's just too hard.' Life goes fast. I'm lucky in this business, you know? It's not like an eight-to-five job."
