Jean-Claude Van Damme

Belgian actor and martial artist (born 1960)

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Born 1960 · age 66

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Age
66
Born 1960

Summary

Updated 2026-05-29

Belgian action star who went from karate champion to Hollywood muscle with Bloodsport in 1988. Van Damme built a global following on splits, high kicks, and an unshakeable willingness to throw himself into direct-to-video sequels.

Biography

About

Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg, known professionally as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor. Born and raised in Brussels, he was enrolled by his father in a Shotokan karate school at the age of ten, which led Van Damme to hold the rank of 2nd Dan in karate, and compete in several karate and kickboxing competitions. As a teenager, he won the middleweight championship of the European Professional Karate Association in 1979 and the Mr. Belgium bodybuilding title in 1978. With the desire of becoming an actor in Hollywood, he moved to the United States in 1982,…

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