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Jean-Claude Van Damme


Bborn October 18, 1960 is a Belgian martial artist, and actor who is best known for his large catalogue of action movies. His Belgian background combined with his physique gave rise to his nickname The Muscles from Brussels.

Van Damme was born Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg (also spelled Varenburg) in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe (Brussels), Belgium, the son of Eliana and Eugène Van Vaerenbergh, who was an accountant and owned a flower shop. He began martial arts at the age of ten, enrolled by his father in a shotokan karate school. He eventually earned his black belt in karate, later winning the European Professional Karate Association's middleweight championship in a stunning upset vs. the former champion Michael J. Heming (although he has claimed that he was "twice world champion"). He also 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. He says of ballet that it "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."

Van Damme has been married five times, including two marriages with his current wife, bodybuilder and fitness competitor Gladys Portuguese. Van Damme has 3 children: Kristopher born 1987, Nicholas born 1995, and Bianca born 1990. Van Damme also has a yellow lab, Boloyo, and a siamese cat, Poppins.

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