‘I could be Chuck Norris’ sack’: The meeting that made Jean-Claude Van Damme a star

Currently showing in Le Jardinier, available on Prime Video, Jean-Claude Van Damme takes the opportunity to explore the medium. As a guest of En Aparté on Canal+, the Belgian actor told an incredible anecdote about his beginnings in the US.

After conquering his native Belgium by practicing martial arts, JCVD ​​tries to live the American dream in Hollywood. So he flew to Los Angeles in 1982 to become a movie star. However, things don’t go as planned and Jean-Claude is unable to break through after 5 years of hardship in Uncle Sam’s land.

Van Damme’s American Dream

“Suddenly everything falls apart. I fall like a sack. Complete depression. I start crying on the carpet, I was in prayer”Trusts the action star. But fate will come and save JCVD. He understands that Menachem Golan, a producer and director of action films, is looking for a martial arts specialist for a new project.

Without any thought, he rushes to the office of the film director to whom we owe him, namely The Delta Force with Chuck Norris or Over The Top, a confrontation with Sylvester Stallone. “I show my muscles, I take two chairs, I do a split between two chairs”explains Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Unfortunately, Menachem Golan is not really impressed and criticizes him: “You’ll never be a star!” JCVD, desperate, then tried everything. “I promise, I hear this voice inside of me saying, ‘Go to the office and beg me.’ Get down on your knees if you have to.’ But when that voice comes, I don’t even hear it, but when that voice comes, I follow it.”The 64-year-old artist points out.

Afterwards, Van Damme kneels before the producer and begs Golan to give him at least a small role. The actor in all his opulence sets the stage for the show. “I can be a sack of Chuck Norris. All you want. With little teary eyes”continues the actor.

The fate of Jean-Claude

“And he looks me in the eye. I tell him, ‘I just want a close-up of me so that when I go back to Belgium, when I go home, people aren’t going to make fun of me. But everything is very fast, very slow and very strong. He looks at me: “My friend, my friend, why are you crying?” I had one of those shames, I was like a jerk.” Remembers JCVD.

Jean-Claude Van Damme obeys and Menachem Golan tells him: “Why are you crying? Many children are dying in the world. And he is sitting.” Then the producer calls his secretary and asks him to bring the Bloodsport script.

do you want to be a star I’m going to be your star!

The actor imitates the director getting up from his chair, takes the script in his hands and throws it heavily on the table, saying: “You want to be a star? I’m going to be your star!” “And this script comes in front of me, I look at it and like an idiot I say: “What is my role in the movie?” “Idiot you have the main role”The producer answers.

This meeting changed the life of Van Damme, who would achieve huge success thanks to Bloodsport in 1988 and opened the door to Hollywood for him. To remind you, the feature film introduces us to the American karate champion Frank Dux (Van Damme). The latter has only one obsession: winning Kumite, a secret martial arts tournament organized in Hong Kong, a meeting where all blows are allowed, including the death blow!