Jean-Claude Van Damme

Belgian-American actor who did stints in European commercials and low-budget French films before moving to Hollywood in 1981.

The son of a florist and an accountant, he had one sister. As a kid, he was always bouncing off walls with his nervous exuberance. At 11, he took up karate in which he earned a black belt, and weight lifting in which he won Mr. Belgium Bodybuilding title at 18.

In Hollywood, he had a first small role in a Chuck Norris chop-sock film, "No Retreat, No Surrender," followed by "Predator," leading to a string of low budget physical films that kicked off with "Bloodsport." He built up to a bone crunching role in the $23 million sci-fi thriller "Universal Soldier," 1992.

Never shy in hyping himself or in his pursuit of women, Van Damme had a third marriage in 1987 to a former bodybuilding champion, Gladys Portugues until Gladys, 35, filed for divorce on 22 September 1992. A womanizer, he was having an affair with Darcy LaPier to which Gladys objected. Their two kids were Kristopher, five, and Bianca, two.

His fourth marriage was to LaPier in early 1994 and their son Nicolas was born on 10 October 1995 in Los Angeles, California. The tempestuous marriage hit the divorce stage when LaPier filed on 7 June 1996. They soon reconciled, but when Van Damme checked himself into a California hospital for a 30-day drug rehab program on 11 December 1996, he filed for divorce eight days later. They reconciled again and she filed for divorce again in 1997, charging physical and mental abuse. On 17 January 1998, a judge ordered Van Damme to pay LaPier $112,000 a month to support for her and their two-year-old son.

His fifth marriage was to Gladys Portugues, again, in mid-1999; Gladys was also his third wife. The wedding took place in Knokke-Heist, Belgium.

On 10 July 2000, a Beverly Hills superior court ordered Van Damme to attend a 90-day anti-drunk-driving class and pay a $1,200 fine after the actor received a DUI misdemeanor in 1999.