Jean Claude! Jean Claude!
Jean Claude Van Damme...
Yah!
Martial arts legend...
Nice kick, huh?
Action hero...
His movies have grossed over $700 million
in a career spanning over 25 years.
But now it's time to discover the real man behind the macho image...
I've got nothing to hide any more.
..as he allows cameras total access into his extraordinary world.
Argh!
This is an intimate portrait...
Love you, baby.
..of an international movie star as you have never seen him before.
I don't see Sly or Seagal doing that.
We're up close and personal as he bares his soul.
The world is going bad. Everything is dying around us.
I believe the end is soon.
And gives us an unprecedented look into the mind of a movie legend.
I pray to save the world.
See?
God loves me.
I'll talk to you later!
Coming up: Jean Claude has women falling at his feet.
Oh, shit. She really fell.
I ain't gonna puke, right?
A doctor's appointment turns nasty.
And Bianca gets set to follow in her father's footsteps.
Vancouver, Canada.
Up in their 41 st floor apartment, Jean Claude and wife Gladys are packing frantically
as they're running late for the airport.
We're getting ready to go...to Brussels.
Pack, pack.
Daughter Bianca has seen it all before.
They're always last-minute.
They always pack... Well, he always packs, like, an hour before.
Which is insane.
Jean Claude has been invited to attend the first ever Belgian Film Awards.
And with it being a red-carpet event he wants Gladys by his side.
I think whoever would be with him would have left him a long time ago.
You know, you have to understand his brain. His brain is just the way it works.
He's really - it's something to say, but he's really, really, really smart.
After decades ofjetting around the world Jean Claude has a novel way
of making sure he never forgets anything.
You know what? If I put bananas here you will not forget my - look!
I put bananas here, out in front of the door.
That means I need my phone.
Are you serious? Why don't you put a sticky?
No. When you see that, it means my phone. Come on.
It's a brilliant plan, so long as they stay where they are.
Oh, God, he put this here just to remind him to get his phone.
So how does that have to do with the phone?
That is so weird.
- That's to open my nose so I can breathe. - Yeah, I need two of them.
I've got a deviation. Because my nose is...
So I've put this inside... Finally they find something...
I feel so good, man.
I will be right back. I just have to go and travel with pain-in-the-neck. OK?
Ow!
With the luggage packed, mobile phone included,
Jean Claude and Gladys can finally head off to the airport.
Got it. Perfect. I will do the rest.
Cool.
- Good job, baby. Good job. - I lose 20 pounds guaranteed.
If you've wondered why I stay with him, you lose 20 pounds.
Love you.
- Bye-bye, Bianca. - Bye! Safe flight.
Five thousand miles later, Jean Claude and Gladys have arrived in Brussels.
This is the part I hate.
Can't stand wearing make-up. Bleurgh!
But I have to. I have to play. So I stop and go. I stop and go.
Make-up on, it's time to get a jet-lagged Jean Claude ready for tonight's event.
Just lift your leg for a second, so I can straighten your pants. So they don't...
Yeah, you crinkled your nice pants after I pressed them. Devil.
In less than an hour Jean Claude will be presenting an award on live national television.
He'll be fine. He'll do that little wake-up thing he always gets.
And he will be good to go.
Wait, let's go, sugar plum. Sugar?
You have to brush your teeth now because you ate
and you don't want to smell with bread and carrots up your teeth.
Do you want some water first and go pee-pee?
- Maybe you put toothpaste on the brush? - Done. Ready to rock and roll.
- Good, baby. - Yes, and put eye drops in your eyes.
So you don't look sleepy.
And you have something up your nose.
You'll see how he just turns on the charm on the camera.
A seasoned pro at red-carpet events, Jean Claude thinks of every detail.
- When you come out, right? - Right.
You want to stay on the left side or right side?
I don't know. I was always on your right.
You were always on my left, I was always to your right.
OK.
Positions sorted, the Van Dammes turn on the style.
With Belgium's biggest star in town, the event's organisers have laid on personal bodyguards.
(Speaks French)
But something seems to be cramping Jean Claude 's style.
- Do I look tired? - No, you look fine.
Years ago, I was so scared of the public.
I was having two, three beers before going on stage. It's ridiculous.
Now I just do it, relax, you know.
But look, I'm an old-timer, in the sense of medium old-timer.
You put the best...
Be careful, you have to go pee-pee, huh?
Gentlemen, my audience.
Champagne. Baby, you want some champagne?
No, I don't drink, you know that.
- Want some wine? - Nope! No.
Sometimes celebrating alone with my wife under a tree...
Oh, God, no.
..watching, you know, in front of us.
Lots of green. Maybe a mini-lake.
He's talking about when we were young.
- With ducks. Quack, quack. - What happens when we get older?
Or in the summer with birds.
Walking together.
- I'm waiting for those days, baby. - Yeah.
- When I'll be 50 in ten years from now. - You're old and grey.
- Or 60, maybe. - That's not old.
- When I'm 60 I want a cane. - No, you don't want a cane.
- I like a cane just... - That's too young, 60. Maybe 75.
When you put your hand on the cane, it's a feeling of...
A little hat. - You're old in your mind, that's the problem.
- I'm old in my mind? - He's too young to be thinking old.
You have to see all those young babes who were running after me.
That's what I was saying. They like old farts.
Thank you so much. And you?
I didn't touch one of them, OK?
As Jean Claude heads for the stage, Gladys will be watching the live feed from the VlP room.
(Woman speaking French on TV)
Oh, shit. She really fell.
If you look good enough at 50, girls will still fall at your feet.
(Exchange greetings in French)
Merci beaucoup. Merci.
Ladies and gentlemen, madames and messieurs...
Merci.
(Speaks French)
- Ah-ah-ah. - Mm-mm-mm.
- Hm-mm.
BenoÃ®t Poelvoorde.
(Announcer speaks in French)
He's really happy.
Especially from JCVD. What an honour.
(Announcer continues in French)
Merci beaucoup!
(Speaks French)
Jean Claude's exit off stage is a little premature.
Jean Claude's gone. He stepped right out. He didn't have to be there.
(Speaks French)
Now he's coming to come back. I'm curious.
Come on.
- I didn't know they were calling me back. - Oh, no?
No, because people maybe they clapped, so...I can't hear nothing.
- Oh, you can't hear nothing. - Yeah.
At the end I didn't know, I left, and they called me back, right?
- Yeah. - I didn't know this. I didn't hear.
- This is something bad or...? - No.
There'sjust time for a few autographs before heading home to sleep off the jetlag.
Jean Claude has flown in to LA to help son Kris and his girlfriend Elari look for a new home.
Those are strange and they're all pointy, like a Star Destroyer from Star Wars.
They cost eight times...
The couple currently share a small apartment with Jean Claude's daughter Bianca,
but Dad's concerned it's a bit crowded.
My daughter has a place here and they cannot live here together any more,
because, it's normal, I mean, she's got her own life.
And he's got a girlfriend.
Everything is fine between them, but if he wants to walk naked...
If my daughter has a boyfriend coming in, one bedroom, one shower...
They have to do the choo-choo train for the shower.
The couple can't wait to get theirfirst apartment together.
All the way to the top?
Very exciting. And it's a very kind gesture of my father to come down here and help me with it.
I really appreciate it.
But before they can even start viewing Jean Claude has got other priorities...
- Can I just hang for one second? - Sure.
Two seconds, it's like...
..sorting out his troublesome lower back.
JEAN CLAUDE: That's it.
Ahhh! Clok!
Oooh, baby. A big one.
Clok! Oh, I feel so good now.
And Jean Claude isn't the only one suffering with back pain.
With vertebrae back in place, it's on with the apartment hunting.
Sunset-wise, what is the best place in this building?
It has more closets...
- Nice. - You like this apartment?
If we want to put wood floors, it's possible?
With homes all over the world, Jean Claude knows a thing or two about buying properties.
The pressure, why the pressure is not that powerful?
So he leaves no stone unturned, nor toilet unflushed.
My dad's very thorough. He thinks very detailed.
He wants to put his things in proper order,
so he can get what he wants correctly, for the best.
It's a chicken cage. It's not good.
Working his magic, you might say it that way.
No, I don't like this.
I want sunset view and airport view.
Disgusting.
Great room.
Er, lady? Is dog allowed?
- Yes. - Good!
That's cool. Hi, babies. Hey, girls. Hi, boys. That's a boy.
The apartment may not have lived up to Jean Claude's standards
but there's one thing that gets his seal of approval.
Give 'em a kiss. Give 'em a big kiss.
That's very important that dogs are allowed.
Back in Vancouver, aspiring actress Bianca,
is preparing for an audition for new martial arts movie Mortal Kombat.
The pressure is on a little bit because my dad is an iconic martial artist.
This is gonna be a little nerve-wracking - not nerve-wracking, but pressure.
Pressurised.
Oh! I can see something going wrong.
I think it's cool. I used to play Mortal Kombat when I was younger, surprisingly.
Best friend Jeanette is here to offer her moral support.
"lt was a trap." "l know."
Bianca's only had movie roles alongside her father, all non-speaking parts.
I was... Oh, God...
When I was 1 3 or so, I was in...
The Shepherd: Border Control.
And l...
Oh, God, I OD'd. It was a horrible OD because I had to, like, shiver.
You don't just shiver when you're OD'ing.
And then...
In Eagle Path...
I had... My father died...
..and I cried.
And then in Weapon, I was in a coma.
In Mortal Kombat, Bianca is auditioning for the role of ninja assassin Mileena.
"Kitana delivers a combination of quick punches, forcing Mileena back.
Mileena counters with a series of roundhouse kicks." Oh, great.
"The last..." Oh, God.
Oh, no.
"..sending Kitana...through the air." Yeah.
"But she recovers and lands on her feet." Oh.
I realise, in everything I've done, I don't speak.
Maybe it's a sign.
The movie's director has sent four of the world's finest martial arts performers
who boast blockbuster credits
including The Mechanic, Tron: Legacy and the Green Lantern.
We're testing Bianca out so we can show the director her skills
and how quickly she learns the film fighting choreography.
So we're going through some basics, a few small drills,
and we'll see how she does.
This side.
I'm curious to see if it runs in the family. Let's see what the legs can do.
Let's see what she has in those genes of hers.
Tim's gonna give us a great demonstration.
He's one of the best in the world.
Yup. Yup.
That's so cool.
I wanna do that.
I wanna jump.
- Ready? - OK.
Bianca's a trained kickboxer,
but will have to adapt her moves for film choreography.
When you're throwing a hook punch, keep it level with your shoulder.
Watch me.
Looks like a hit every time.
Jab...cross...hook, step. That's it.
Hook. Step back. Finish. That's it.
Roundhouse.
Bring it back. Drop. Down. OK?
Chamber up. Kick. Back and down.
- This is down. I can do. - Those legs look familiar. Not bad.
Again.
Good.
Roundhouse.
Not bad.
As soon as you pull that left, step, punch. OK?
That's it. That's it. Good.
Step. Go.
Step.
Good. Now you're attacking. One more time. Ready? Set...and action.
Good. That was a strong one. It's a little work, huh? It's a little work.
Now I know what you guys go through.
You have a good natural rhythm.
Some people don't advance that fast in a few minutes.
I'm being honest, OK.
You need that confidence to keep growing.
Watch yourself. The mirror's your best friend. What the mirror sees is what camera will see.
The mirror doesn't lie. Good job, sweetie.
- Thank you so much. Nice working with you. - No problem.
Very good session. The basics look great. She has a great foundation.
While she continues to practise those, she'll continue to grow.
I think she has a good career.
The team are confident that she's done well,
but must report back to the movie's director
who will decide whether Bianca 's done enough to land the role.
I really thought that, you know...
I thought that your kicks were really good.
But I could see in your face that you don't have the confidence.
That's all you need.
It will be...a million times better.
That's true.
Los Angeles, California.
Today is a rare occasion.
All the Van Damme family are in town,
so Jean Claude's son Kris has organised a special dinner at a Chinese restaurant.
I love this place, baby.
What Jean Claude doesn 't know is that Kris has secretly invited
martial arts movie villain Bolo Yeung.
The pair met on the set of Bloodsport 25 years ago
and have been firm friends ever since.
- Hello. How are you?
What is this? Oh!
Oh!
No!
- How are you? GLADYS: You're Bolo's son?
You good?
You surprise me. I didn't know Bolo would come here.
This is Bloodsport, Double lmpact, Enter The Dragon...
Huge star.
you know.
And it really...
I started karate because of that. It's amazing.
Bruce Lee...and then Jean Claude Van Damme.
And then who?
After Jean Claude Van Damme, who is next? Nobody.
Why?
For 24 years. Why?
No next. Where the next?
Nobody. Why not?
In the old times, you and I were having hot tea and sitting on the apple box.
Made a movie for, like, 1 5 hours sitting.
The old times.
Van Damme is this one... Wha!
But Bruce Lee is...
It's not long before the pair attract some fans.
- Can I take a picture for my brother? - You want to be between us?
I'll do it. For my brother, I'd do anything.
Really, he's gonna freak out.
I snuck him into Timecop as a kid.
Like, literally, I mean...
I'll never forget. I snuck him in. He had the best day of his life.
Aw. Awesome.
Yeah. And I snuck in, too. I was ten.
Have a good night, guys. Be careful.
- Bye. - Thank you. Have a good night.
It's time for Jean Claude to consult the fortune cookie.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
But not before battling it out with his old nemesis Bolo
to decide who will open their cookie first.
- What?
One, two... You know?
OK.
Rock, paper, scissors.
Rock...
- Oh.
Oh, I can't even break it. What is this shit?
What is...? I don't understand this.
Here. I'll interpret for you.
"A wish will be granted after a long delay."
Oh, that means you're gonna get Double lmpact after a long delay.
A sequel to Double lmpact would bring Jean Claude and Bolo together once again.
But what will Bolo's cookie prophesise?
It doesn 't look like we 'll find out,
as he 's cunningly switched his fortune cookie message with Jean Claude 's.
- Same. - Same?
- Whoa. - Same, yeah?
Same? Exactly the same. Yeah.
GLADYS: Let me see.
"A wish will be granted after a long delay."
Double lmpact.
Oh, my God!
No...freaking...way.
That's amazing!
My boy. You're the miracle dog. You know that?
Jean Claude's back in his native Belgium,
which is also home to his beloved dog sanctuary.
Today he's meeting his architects at their swanky showroom
to discuss renovating his des-res dog chalets to the highest spec...
and he 's brought along his wife Gladys and mother Eliana.
There is good.
It should be big because if they want to wash a dog, you never know.
We have to think function.
- My wife goes in... - But we have to think function.
We don't have little dogs. We have big dogs.
It's not long before Gladys is distracted by items not meant for dogs.
- It's really cool. That's cool. - The bathroom?
That's pretty cool.
That's the drain. But the problem with this...
See all this fancy stuff?
How do you clean this drain? Hang on.
Ah. You lift that up...
Frickin' bugs!
- Look, there's bugs. - Put it back.
That's easy to clean but eww! Eww!
Being obsessed with cleanliness,
Gladys has spotted some bright white tiles for the floor.
- This is nice.
I'm anal retentive.
But with the dogs in mind, Eliana has other ideas.
.. inside, bad weather or good weather, you clean.
- Yeah, but if it's dark... - Each time.
But if it's dark, it's also dirty.
For me, it's good, that.
? If it's dark, it's also dirty...
This could turn out to be a long afternoon.
- Seriously. - OK. White?
Your husband is one of the best decorators in the world.
Next port of call, the light switches.
He likes, ding-ding. Shut off. Put on. Shut off...
I have changed all mine because it's shit, that.
It's shit, that.
OK.
Nobody's right.
It's just that we all want to put in our... We all have a way of...
But I think I'm probably the most logical.
- You've got to really... - No. No matter what, you're gonna have to...
It seems Jean Claude's decision to bring his wife and mother has backfired.
There's only one thing for it. Chocolate.
GLADYS:..cos every time you do this...
Or, if you have...
the cabinet will close but you can have doors inside.
It's easy.
GLADYS: Are you eating more chocolate?
- Huh? - How many chocolates did you have?
- My first one. - Enough.
They told me they're gonna come here for one hour.
As the day draws out, it seems there's plenty more to talk about.
But Jean Claude is having trouble hearing what's being said.
- You know I use lots of guns? - In the movies.
And I never put plugs. And also I do have a few car accidents.
- Ooh. - This is all in the papers.
So, since then, when they all talk, I cannot hear.
- Oh, yeah. - And when he talks to himself he cannot hear.
Oh, that's er...more complicated.
But thank God to have a wife who doesn't talk much.
The debate goes on well into the evening
and it's all too much - even for a Hollywood action hero.
Following the admission that he has trouble hearing,
Gladys and Eliana have decided it's time for Jean Claude to have his ears tested.
- First I'll take a look. - Y eah.
In the past, did you do any shooting with guns or so...
..without having ear protection?
I shot lots of guns in movies but I'm able to hear some unusual sonic.
- If you slide a fax paper in the living room... - He's super-sensitive.
- Yes. - I can hear it.
Like a German shepherd.
- We're gonna test his... - Test that.
OK.
- When I hear, I push? - Yeah.
So the doctor can discover whether 25 years of action movies have taken their toll,
Jean Claude's reactions are tested across a range of frequencies.
- The right ear's worse than... - A little bit, yes.
You can see there's a difference in hearing in the high levels
and high frequencies between both sides.
Which means if many people are talking together,
in a restaurant or in a group...
..it's quite difficult for you to understand someone speaking.
- Correct. - You hear but you can't understand.
That's why I'm upset when they all talk.
That's the problem when there's a high-frequency hearing loss.
What you can do is not make it worse.
- So use ear protection when you go out... - Movie shooting. Yeah.
OK. I understand now.
I cannot talk to girls any more. One by one, guys.
- Cos you talk. - Shush.
As well as hearing troubles, Jean Claude suffers with his breathing
due to a deviated septum he's had since childhood.
- Is that for my nose? - Yes, indeed.
- It's a camera. - It's just a camera.
I ain't gonna puke, right?
Ah.
- You're doing fine. - Ah.
The surface of the interior is...
..eroded.
And that could be improved with a little...surgery. A little surgery.
Do they just cut it open like this?
- No, no, no, no. - No?
We don't want to give you a nose job. No.
I am not intending to change the...
the outlook of your nose.
Whilst Jean Claude contemplates nose surgery,
the doctor has a temporary solution.
Hold your breath.
You switch to the other side.
And it will be flushing out at the other side and then you sniff it out.
Twice daily.
- OK. He goes from one to the other. - One to the other.
- The ear from one to the other. - Yeah.
- You heard what he said? - Yep.
Doctor.
Back at his hotel, Jean Claude's checking out his new nose bath.
I have hot water.
Sugar, wait a minute, I have hot water.
You want hot water?
- Baby, come here. - You need hot water.
I have something else in the meantime.
But it appears he's got his own methods.
I don't like surgery.
You need to do it, though.
It's not surgery, I'll be afraid I don't like to sleep.
It may never come back.
No, stop it.
Why do you think that way? Bianca did it for the septum.
When I was young, they used ether, chloroform.
And then?
Then I wake up in the middle of surgery.
Oh, that's what would do it.
And then they put me back, they hold my hands.
You know, I was very young but very scared.
When you're scared, you're very strong.
- How old were you? - 1 1, 1 2.
What was the surgery for?
- Here, appendix. - Oh, the appendicitis?
They did it perfect, huh?
If you break my nose, it will help the breathing, no?
You never know.
The next morning, Jean Claude and Gladys have a business meeting.
But not before they catch some rays.
I'm basking in the sun.
Oh, look at the pup.
It looks like Snowy from Tintin.
Look.
Oh, so cute.
Where's the car?
We made him wait too long.
Ooh, a brawl.
And when the Muscles is back in Brussels, getting around takes twice as long.
Thank you. Have a good day.
Thank you, sir.
Let's go.
You don't need your phone now.
He was in the movie JCVD, in the video store, remember?
(Speaks French)
With his superstar status, Jean Claude is about to join an elite club.
Celebrities, such as David Beckham, Dr Dre and Britney Spears,
all have one thing in common -
their own branded merchandise.
This is your office, huh?
Enchantée.
Today, Jean Claude is inspecting his very own range of watches.
(Speaks French)
Very nice.
That's the every day...
He's also considering launching his own clothing range.
Yeah, we work with textiles.
OK.
And his favourite? A skin-tight muscle vest.
Bjoo-joo!
My jeans, I cannot...
Jean Claude Van Damme! Wham!
Right away. Yes, sir!
In Belgium, they put it like this, you know.
Unable to contain his excitement, he decides to take a few souvenirs with him.
For guys like Steven Seagal, you know. I'm joking.
No, I bought the watch.
- Bye! - Bye!
Bye-bye, baby!
In Brussels, Jean Claude and Gladys are hitting the gym.
This is not carrying heavy weights, because he's focusing on the interior to work the exterior.
But the mind, also.
He's working his mind also focusing on the fight.
Having recently turned 50, Jean Claude has set himself an extraordinary challenge.
It's been 30 years since he last fought competitively,
and now he wants to make a comeback in the ring.
His opponent is Olympic boxing gold medallist and Muay Thai fighter Somluck Kamsing,
1 3 years his junior.
His training is gonna be amazing.
I think you'll be quite impressed.
But his training has to be different from when he was young,
being that he is 50.
Because of his mental strength, that gift that he has,
I don't think the fans will be let down at all.
When he's quiet like that,
that's when you have to be careful.
When he doesn't say much,
you wonder what's going on in his head.
Jean Claude has been working and playing hard around the world.
But he feels it's now time to put an end to the jet-set lifestyle.
When I was travelling with you,
I was feeling the goodies again...
the alcohol.
But this was my trip around the world, 20 times.
I did it one more time with you and I'm tired.
Now I'm going to train, but...
..I think I (Bleep) up some of my health with you guys.
Jean Claude's paying a visit to his trainer, Claude Goetz,
the man who first turned him into the Muscles from Brussels.
Claude took Jean Claude under his wing from the age of 1 1,
so this is a trip down memory lane.
And then one day I was into an epiphany.
(Says it in French)
I called Claude and I said,
"I'm gonna come to your house, I'm gonna run."
And he said, "Parfait" - perfect.
So I ran. I didn't know...
I wanted to impress my teacher, so I didn't know exactly the timing.
I left in the morning and I came, like, five o'clock, I don't know what time I came.
And I ran on the side of the freeway.
(Speaks French)
And I come here, like, completely tired.
I go and arrive... You've got the garage... You said, "Put this on."
It was like an outfit, very thick, with...
Iike, gloves, all over the place.
And on my head too.
And he said, "Run some more, I'm gonna let my dog go after you."
So I ran and I ran.
And I see this huge German Shepherd - he took me there.
And he just go...
Like a Bruce Lee movie.
I was...
(Speaks French)
So that's how he trained his...
I was missing speed.
Before they get down to fight talk,
Jean Claude has some news for his karate master.
No, listen to me. When you're on the set,
- the time that you relax for a break... - Should I cut Expendable?
- Listen to me.
For Jean Claude to win, it's going to be as much about his mind as it is his body.
Ahh.
You've got to train at being a killer.
Gah! I will knock him out!
I will not lose this fight!
I'm a champion!
Over the past five months,
Jean Claude has allowed cameras to follow him around the world and film his extraordinary life.
He 's opened the doors to reveal what it's really like to be a Hollywood superstar.
At times, life behind the glamour has been hard.
Tired.
I want some rest.
And his emotions have run deep.
It's not good, man.
It's no (Bleep)... It's bad.
We have to try to do something to save this place.
The strain of living under the spotlight has pushed him over the edge.
It's like a monkey in the zoo, you know.
Hey, cut the camera! Cut the camera.
Enough, enough!
Of course I'm like that!
Sometimes you're gonna like me and sometimes you're gonna hate me.
But what can I do?
I'm up and down, guys.
And the jet-set lifestyle has left him alone and desperately missing his family.
My fat arse.
You don't have a fat arse, you have a nice arse.
But in his roller-coaster world,
Jean Claude has also enjoyed the good times.
Looks so funny.
- He touched my trailer.
I said, "l hope it's not my son."
Aagh!
I always go for the eyes and the mouth.
He's admired everywhere he goes,
with friends throughout the world.
Wow!
It's nice like this, no?
But the happiest moments have been with those he loves,
his wife and family.
Henri, Henri!
And not to forget his beloved dogs.
Ohh-ho!
I told you you're gonna see freedom.
Aaarrh-waaaargh...!
Waaaargh! Pa-pa-pa!
Wargh! Hoo!
Dead fast.
I love you, guys. Thank you, good evening.
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