I’m not a movie star. I’m a brand name. Van Damme is like Levi’s. I go on vacation, and everywhere I go, people love me for my name, not for my movies.
I’m a big traveler these days. I was in Hong Kong. I live there. I was just in Belgium with my parents and now I’m on my way to North America. You will find me all over.
I’m lucky, because I started action movies at the age of 25. Now I’m 47, and I’m still kicking like a mule, and I’m as flexible as before.
Life is short. I’m years old. I’ve got years to go where I can be the best I can be. I want those years to be precious, not like before, cranking two or three movies a year. I’ve made a ton of movies in my life, but so what?
I really am a guy who can be black and white. I don’t understand, too much, the gray. And truly I can go from one type of character to another type of character.
All I wanted to do was to become famous, but then I found out that it was nothing special.
A man may have the best of wealth, cars and fame. But there is nothing more precious in life that he will get than a woman’s heart.
My time of martial arts was traditional.
When I go on location, we have a schedule. And when you have a schedule, you know when you’re not working, so I train very well on location. But I also train three or four times a week at home, but today I train differently than before.
I train, for me, very smartly. I don’t train heavy, I do a lot of isometrics.
Your body has enough weight for you to be in perfect condition just working against yourself.
I came back to my original wife. I came back to her after I made a few boo-boos in my life. Coming back to her was good for me, good for her and good for the children.
In the past, I was working out too heavy.
When I was 24, I was full of life. I was that ham who wanted to be famous, a movie star, all that stuff. I think it’s cool. But it was not what I was searching for, really. It was more a delusion.
You have to believe what you say, and if you believe what you are saying, then acting is easy.
I love challenges. If you don’t have any and can do whatever you want. Then it’s probably time to die.
I’m one of the most sensitive human beings on Earth – and I know it.
When you finish a film, if you believed in your character, you’re empty.
What really helps a guy to become an action hero today is the directing of the movie. All those fast cuts.
What is a movie star? It is an illusion. It was everything I ever wanted to be, but it became a kind of shell, non? It was what made me famous and got me women. But it wasn’t real.