Jean-Claude Van Damme

“What is a movie star? It is an illusion. It was everything I ever wanted to be, but it became a kind of shell, non? It was what made me famous and got me women. But it wasn't real. Jean-Claude Van Damme (1960), a champion martial artist and bodybuilder who in his youth, leveraged his athletic talents to become a prominent star in American action films like Bloodsport (1988) and Double Impact (1991). Initially using the name "Frank Cujo," he worked various jobs while pursuing an acting career, landing a small role in No Retreat, No Surrender (1986). His breakthrough came when he impressed producer Menahem Golan with his spectacular 360-degree "helicopter kick," which led to his role in Bloodsport, a film that grossed an unexpected $35 million at the box office. He quickly followed this success with Kickboxer (1989) and starred in a series of popular action films throughout the 1990s, including Universal Soldier, Time Cop, and Sudden Death. Despite facing challenges in his career during the 1990s and experiencing setbacks with films like Double Team (1997), he made a notable comeback in 2008 with JCVD, where he played a fictionalized version of himself, earning critical acclaim. This revival allowed him to reprise roles in Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2010) and voice Master Croc in Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011). Van Damme continued to find success by joining the ensemble cast of veteran action stars in The Expendables 2 (2012).