Find Out Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Net Worth
Discovering that Jean-Claude Van Damme, also known as JCVD, has a net worth of $30 million is intriguing. He was truly the MAN in the late ’80s and early ’90s. His omnipresence in popular action films, awards ceremonies, talk shows, and entertainment news worldwide was a testament to his superstar status. With a background in martial arts since the age of ten, he achieved significant success, even earning the “Mr. Belgium” bodybuilding title.
At 21, he managed a lucrative gym in Brussels, making $15,000 monthly. Despite this, he sold the gym and ventured to the United States with just $3,000, little English proficiency, and took odd jobs like bouncer and limo driver. Initial success came in bit parts in movies, culminating in the 1988 hit “Bloodsport.” However, subsequent battles with substance abuse and bipolar disorder temporarily derailed his career before his triumphant return to stardom.
Notable Earnings
In 1988, Van Damme’s breakthrough film “Bloodsport” only earned him $25,000. Subsequent movies like “Black Eagle,” “Kickboxer,” and “Death Warrant” saw him earning around $75,000 each. His pay skyrocketed in the early ’90s, hitting $600,000 for “Double Impact” in 1991 and $1.5 million for “Universal Soldier” in 1992. Notable salaries include $3.5 million for 1993’s “Hard Target” and $5 million for 1994’s “Timecop.” The peak was 1994’s “Street Fighter” when he commanded $8 million. In 1995, he earned $5 million for “Sudden Death.”
Between 1991 and 1995, Van Damme accrued around $40 million in base salaries before taxes, equivalent to about $70 million today.
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Background Information
Jean-Claude Camille François van Varenberg was born on October 18, 1960, in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Brussels, Belgium. His martial arts journey began at age ten with Shotokan Karate, strongly influencing his fighting style involving Shotokan Karate and kickboxing. By eighteen years old, he was already…
Black belt in karate was earned by him. Practicing Taekwondo and Muay Thai came later for Jean-Claude, with ballet being taken up at the age of sixteen and studied for five years.
Martial Arts Career
Joining the Centre National de Karaté (National Center of Karate) at the age of twelve was Van Damme, where he trained for four years and earned a spot on the Belgian Karate Team. His competitive karate career in Belgium began at age fifteen. From 1976 to 1980, a total of 44 victories and four defeats in tournament and non-tournament semi-contact matches were compiled by him. He was a member of the Belgian Karate Team when the European Karate Championship was won in December 1979. Starting his full-contact career in 1977, 18 victories and one defeat were recorded before retiring from competition in 1982.
(Photo by Richard Bord/Getty Images)
Acting Career
In 1982, the age of 22 saw Jean-Claude moving to America with a friend from home to pursue a career in Hollywood, after launching a chain of private gyms in his home country. In 1984, bit parts in the movies “Monaco Forever” and “Breakin'” were secured. He was a background dancer in the following scene in “Breakin'”:
The movie that propelled him into stardom as an action star was “Bloodsport” in 1988. Filmed in Hong Kong on a $1.5 million budget, “Bloodsport” managed to earn $50 million at the U.S. box office alone.
Subsequently, starring roles in films like “Kickboxer” (1989) were enjoyed, produced by Cannon Films. Joining The Cannon Group’s lineup of action stars came after the success of his films, alongside famous names like Chuck Norris, Charles Bronson, Sho Kosugi, and Michael Dudikoff. Other successful films include “Death Warrant” (1990), “Lionheart” (1990), and “Double Impact” (1991), where he played the dual role of twins Alex and Chad Wagner. “Universal Soldier” in 1992, directed by Roland Emmerich, was one of the biggest blockbusters of the year, earning a total of $102 million worldwide against its relatively modest budget of $23 million.
A three-film deal with Columbia Pictures was landed by Jean-Claude, reportedly paying him $3.5 million. His first film from the deal was “Nowhere to Run” (1993) opposite Rosanna Arquette. Several films for Universal followed, like “Hard Target” (1993), “Street Fighter” (1994), “Timecop” (1994), and “Sudden Death” (1995). Returning to Columbia with “Maximum Risk” (1996) and “Double Team” (1997) came next. In “Double Team,” directed by Hong Kong director Tsui Hark, Van Damme co-starred alongside NBA star Dennis Rodman. The film was Van Damme’s first big box office bomb, and his 1998 project “Knock Off” also bombed. Another notable project of his is the 2008 Belgian crime drama “JCVD.” In it, Van Damme plays a semi-fictionalized version of himself.
Aside from acting in films, Van Damme has been involved in various other acting and film-related projects over the years. Guest-starring on the
(Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Personal Life
In the mid-1990s, Van Damme entered a drug rehab program due to his very expensive cocaine habit, which cost him $10,000 per week. He was also diagnosed with rapid cycling bipolar disorder. Van Damme has been married five times to four different women and has three children.
Real Estate
In 2012, Van Damme purchased a brand new spec mansion in Marina Del Rey, California for $6 million, $125,000 above the asking price. The six-bedroom, eight-bathroom house boasts eight fireplaces, a billiard room, a home gym, an elevator, a rooftop garden, and a spa. It also includes fire pits, waterfalls, and a bike path. In 2016, he sold this house to rapper Ice Cube for $7.25 million.
Currently, Jean-Claude primarily resides in Hong Kong, owning an apartment on the 75th floor of a luxury building.