Jean-Claude Van Damme
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- October 18, 1960 in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Brussels, Belgium
- Active Years
- 1962–2025 (64 Years)
- Total Credits
- 149 credits in database
Biography
Jean-Claude Van Damme, born Jean-Claude Camille François van Varenberg on October 18, 1960, is a Belgian actor and martial artist. A native of Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Brussels, he is the son of Eliana and Eugène van Varenberg, an accountant. Known by the nickname The Muscles from Brussels, he began his martial arts training at age eleven after his father introduced him to the discipline to address his physical weakness. At age twelve, he enrolled at the Centre National De Karate in Ixelles, Belgium, under Master Claude Goetz. Over four years of training, he earned a position on the Belgium Karate Team. As a teenager, he secured the European professional karate association's middleweight championship and defeated the second-ranked karate fighter.
Career overview
Jean-Claude Van Damme is a professional actor with 112 known credits listed in his filmography. His career is defined by his extensive background in martial arts, which he began developing as a youth in Belgium. His early training and competitive success in karate provided the foundation for his transition into the entertainment industry. Throughout his career, he has utilized these skills to establish his presence in film and television, becoming a recognizable figure in action-oriented roles. His professional identity is closely linked to his athletic background, which remains a central component of his public profile and career trajectory. As of his most recent records, he continues to be recognized for his contributions to the acting profession, maintaining a significant body of work that spans over a century of individual project credits.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
149 titles- The Gardener (2025) as Léo
- Darkness of Man (2025) as Russell Hatch
- Darkness of Man (2025) Executive Producer
- Darkness of Man (2025) Story
- Dolph: Unbreakable (2025) as Self
- Sensation: Cruise (2025) as Kyle LeBlanc (archival footage from 'In Hell')
- Kill 'em All 2 (2024) as Philip
- Spaten (2024) as Van Damme
- Albert Pyun: King of Cult Movies (2023) as Self
- Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) as Jean Clawed (voice)
- Ramez Movie Star (2022)
- The Last Mercenary (2021) as Richard Brumére
- Haters (2021) as Jean-Claude Van Damme
- Monsieur Jean-Claude (2021) as (uncredited)
- Ultrarêve (2020) as Self
- The UnXplained (2019) as Self
- We Die Young (2019) as Daniel
- We Die Young (2019) Executive Producer
- In Search of the Last Action Heroes (2019) as Self
- The Making of Double Impact, Parts 1 & 2 (2019)
- The Bouncer (2018) as Lukas
- Black Water (2018) as Wheeler
- Black Water (2018) Executive Producer
- Kickboxer: Retaliation (2018) as Master Durand
- Kickboxer: Retaliation (2018) Characters
- Kill 'em All (2017) as Philip
- Bon Voyage (2017) as Self (archive footage)
- Quotidien (2016) as Self - Guest
- Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) as Master Croc (voice)
- Kickboxer: Vengeance (2016) as Master Durand
- Kickboxer: Vengeance (2016) Characters
- Jean-Claude Van Johnson (2016) as Johnson
- Pound of Flesh (2015) as Deacon
- Pound of Flesh (2015) Executive Producer
- Jian Bing Man (2015) as Jean-Claude Van Damme
- Jean-Claude Van Damage (2014)
- Swelter (2014) as Stillman
- The Go-Go Boys: The Inside Story of Cannon Films (2014) as Self
- Welcome to the Jungle (2013) as Storm
- Enemies Closer (2013) as Xander
- Days of Reckoning: The Making of Universal Soldier 4 (2013) as Self
- The Expendables 2 (2012) as Jean Vilain
- Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012) as Luc Deveraux
- 6 Bullets (2012) as Samson Gaul
- 6 Bullets (2012) Executive Producer
- Dragon Eyes (2012) as Tiano
- U.F.O. (2012) as George
- Corporal vs. Napoleon (2012) as Himself
- Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) as Master Croc (voice)
- Assassination Games (2011) as Vincent Brazil
- Assassination Games (2011) Executive Producer
- Jean-Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors (2011)
- Beur sur la ville (2011) as Colonel Merot
- Beur sur la ville (2011) as Le colonel
- Slinger (2011) as Gibson Rickenbacker
- Conan (2010) as Self
- Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2010) as Luc Deveraux
- Full Love (2010) as Frenchy
- Full Love (2010) Director
- Full Love (2010) Writer
- Full Love (2010) Producer
- Full Love (2010) Editor
- The Shepherd: Border Patrol (2008) as Jack Robideaux
- JCVD (2008) as J.C.V.D.
- JCVD (2008) Executive Producer
- Until Death (2007) as Anthony Stowe
- Second in Command (2006) as Cmdr. Samuel 'Sam' Keenan
- Heist School (2006) as Charles
- The Hard Corps (2005) as Phillippe Sauvage
- Wake of Death (2004) as Ben Archer
- Narco (2004) as Jean-Claude Van Damme fantasmé par Lenny
- Universal Soldier: A Tale of Two Titans (2004) as Himself
- Guns, Genes & Fighting Machines: The Making of 'Universal Soldier' (2004) as Himself
- Las Vegas (2003) as Jean-Claude Van Damme
- In Hell (2003) as Kyle LeBlanc
- Celebrities Uncensored (2003) as Self
- Dans la peau de Jean-Claude Van Damme (2003)
- All the Love You Cannes! (2002) as Self
- Derailed (2002) as Jacques Kristoff
- The Apartment (2001) as Self - Guest
- Replicant (2001) as Replicant / Garrotte
- The Order (2001) as Rudy Cafmeyer
- The Order (2001) Writer
- The Unbeatable Bruce Lee (2001)
- Beckmann (1999) as Self
- Universal Soldier: The Return (1999) as Luc Deveraux
- Universal Soldier: The Return (1999) Producer
- Inferno (1999) as Eddie Lomax
- Inferno (1999) Producer
- Vivement dimanche (1998) as Self
- Legionnaire (1998) as Alain Lefevre
- Legionnaire (1998) Producer
- Legionnaire (1998) Story
- Knock Off (1998) as Marcus Ray
- Double Team (1997) as Jack Quinn
- Maximum Risk (1996) as Alain Moreau / Mikhail Suverov
- The Quest (1996) as Christopher Dubois
- The Quest (1996) Director
- The Quest (1996) Story
- E! True Hollywood Story (1996)
- WCW Monday Nitro (1995)
- Viva el lunes (1995) as Self
- Sudden Death (1995) as Darren Francis Thomas McCord
- Friends (1994) as Jean-Claude Van Damme
- Street Fighter (1994) as Colonel Guile
- Timecop (1994) as Max Walker
- Hard Target (1993) as Chance Boudreaux
- Last Action Hero (1993) as Jean-Claude Van Damme (uncredited)
- Nowhere to Run (1993) as Sam Gillen
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992)
- Universal Soldier (1992) as Luc Deveraux / GR44
- Double Impact (1991) as Alex / Chad Wagner
- Double Impact (1991) Screenplay
- Double Impact (1991) Producer
- Double Impact (1991) Story
- Double Impact (1991) Fight Choreographer
- Kickboxer 2: The Road Back (1991) Characters
- The Word (1990)
- Lionheart (1990) as Lyon Gaultier
- Lionheart (1990) Screenplay
- Lionheart (1990) Story
- Lionheart (1990) Fight Choreographer
- Death Warrant (1990) as Louis Burke
- Kickboxer (1989) as Kurt Sloane
- Kickboxer (1989) Story
- Kickboxer (1989) Stunt Coordinator
- Kickboxer (1989) Martial Arts Choreographer
- Kickboxer (1989) Action Director
- Cyborg (1989) as Gibson Rickenbacker
- Cyborg (1989) Editor
- Bloodsport (1988) as Frank
- Bloodsport (1988) Editor
- Black Eagle (1988) as Andrei
- Sacrée soirée (1987) as Self
- No Retreat, No Surrender (1986) as Ivan Kraschinsky "The Russian"
- Missing in Action (1984) as Soldier (uncredited)
- Missing in Action (1984) Stunts
- Breakin' (1984) as Spectator in First Dance Sequence (uncredited)
- Street of the Damned (1984) as Extra in Police Arrival Sequence (uncredited)
- Monaco Forever (1984) as Gay Karate Man
- Woman Between Wolf and Dog (1979) as Movie Goer / Man in Garden (uncredited)
- The Late Late Show (1962) as Self
- Silent Kill
- Silent Kill Producer
- Prison Fight
- Guns, Genes & Fighting Machines: The Making of "Universal Soldier" as Self
- Raid Pacific as Captain William Pierce
- Chinese Hercules: The Bolo Yeung Story as Self
- What's My Name?
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Jean-Claude Van Damme best known for?
Jean-Claude Van Damme is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including The Gardener (2025), Darkness of Man (2025), Darkness of Man (2025), Darkness of Man (2025).
When and where was Jean-Claude Van Damme born?
Jean-Claude Van Damme was born on October 18, 1960 in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Brussels, Belgium.
How many credits does Jean-Claude Van Damme have?
Jean-Claude Van Damme has accumulated over 149 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1962 to 2025.
What is Jean-Claude Van Damme's background in cinema and television?
Jean-Claude Van Damme, born Jean-Claude Camille François van Varenberg on October 18, 1960, is a Belgian actor and martial artist. A native of Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Brussels, he is the son of Eliana and Eugène van Varenberg, an accountant. Known by the nickname The Muscles from Brussels, he began his martial arts trai...
Jean-Claude Van Damme by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- The Unbeatable Bruce Lee (2001) — aged about 40
- WCW Monday Nitro (1995) — aged about 34
- Friends (1994) as Jean-Claude Van Damme — aged about 33
- The Apartment (2001) as Self - Guest — aged about 40
- Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) as Jean Clawed (voice) — aged about 61
- Conan (2010) as Self — aged about 49
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