Before They Were Famous Guess Who 07/04/2008

The son of an accountant and flower shop owner, this international star began ballet lessons at age 16, which he studied for five years.

He likes classical music and his favorite composer is Beethoven.

He was nominated as the "Worst New Star" in the 1988 Golden Raspberry Awards.

Proud of his physique, he has appeared nude in many of his films.

A full-contact fighter, controversy arose regarding his fight career as his film stardom took off.

The Mortal Kombat character Johnny Cage was modeled after him.

Who is he?



Continue reading for the answer.

Jean Claude Van Damme was born in 1960 in Belgium.

Of ballet he has said 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."

Although his breakout role in "Bloodsport' earned him the Golden Raspberry nomination, the film proved to be a stepping stone to more lucrative roles. The movie became a cult classic and is seen as one of the major contributors to the rise in popularity of Mixed Martial Arts.

Van Damme has expressed pride in his body, especially his rear end. This was the subject of parody in the television show Friends, where, guest-starring as himself, he tells Rachel and Monica that "I can crush a walnut with my butt."

Controversy arose when researchers were unable to verify Van Damme's matches due to the fact that his entire full-contact career was fought under his birth name of Van Varenberg.

Ironically, Van Damme turned down the part of Johnny Cage in the Mortal Kombat movie, although the character was modeled after him.