Can lift 166 kg on a bench.
Have own production company Long Road Productions (also known as 777 Films Corp).
Was the original choice to play the title character in Predator (1987).
Related to Screenwriter Adam Burnett through marriage.
Former sparring partner of Chuck Norris in the early 80s.
Children: Kristopher (b. 1987) and Bianca (b. 1990) with Gladys Portugues; son Nicholas (b. 1995) with 'Darcy La Pier' .
He was the inspiration for the character "Johnny Cage" from Mortal Kombat. One of "Johnny Cage's" special moves was where he did the splits and punched his oppenent in the groin, as seen when Van Damme's character, Frank Dux, punches his large sumo opponent in Bloodsport (1988).
Under mounds of make-up, he was going to play the title alien villain in "Predator," having even been on set for the shoot, but was replaced by Kevin Peter Hall (who, incidentally, was a foot and a half taller than Van Damme) when director John McTiernan and producer Joel Silver decided to go in a different direction.
As the original choice to play the role of the alien hunter itself in the movie 'Predator', he hit a few personal snags. For starters, he was not happy with the fact that his face would not be shown on camera, and that he would be having an uncredited special fx role. He was also not fond of the original monster suit...he frequently passed out due to heat exhaustion. Because he complained so much and was very uncooperative, he was fired from the film. When Stan Winston's Predator design came in, Kevin Peter Hall was chosen to play the title role and filled it perfectly. Supposedly, Van Damme has no regrets on backing out of the Predator project.
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