Jean-Claude Van Damme is one of the greatest action stars in the world. But it wasn’t always like that. His dismissal from a real sci-fi classic is what made him world-famous.
What is the situation? Alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme is often mentioned as one of the greatest action stars. He starred in films like Karate Tiger, Universal Soldier, or Last Action Hero (cameo) and even appears in Mortal Kombat.
However, Van Damme was not always the shining hero who impressed the audience with his martial arts skills. Every beginning is hard, as they say, and in the case of the action star, that seems to be true.
Van Damme was actually the first choice for Predator in the film of the same name by John McTiernan (also the director of Die Hard). Given the then-large budget of 18 million dollars (via thenumbers.com) and the star-studded cast with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role, Van Damme also had high expectations.
Here you can see the trailer for the first Predator film.
The costume gave Van Damme trouble
How did the actor cope with the Predator costume? The problems began right at the costume’s production. Van Damme’s body was cast in plaster. The actor later remarked:
They put some kind of tube in my mouth [to breathe]. I was encased in that plaster for at least 20 minutes. It was boiling hot. My friend told me, “If you can’t breathe, just wiggle your finger, and I’ll take that thing off you.” And I did. I panicked. And they said, “No! Five more minutes!”
Jean-Claude Van Damme via The Hollywood Reporter
To Van Damme’s great disappointment, the monster ultimately resembled a reptile or an oversized insect more than a fearsome predator.
Furthermore, there was a variant of the costume that was bright red. The reason for this was the post-processing, which transformed the red into the Predator’s characteristic invisibility. While filming in the middle of the jungle, Van Damme was sweating in this suit, in which he could hardly move.
When the film’s producer, Joel Silver, instructed the actor to jump in the costume, Van Damme had to decline: “I said, that’s impossible, Joel. I think we’re going to have a problem. And then he replaced me.”
The dismissal led Van Damme to a great career
What happened next with Van Damme? The design of the Predator was revised and received the iconic look it has today. Van Damme was too short for the new costume, and there were also disagreements between him and the crew, as The Hollywood Reporter reported.
Van Damme moved on. His next role was the lead in the film Bloodsport. In it, he played a martial artist, so he was right in his element. The role meant his breakthrough as an actor. Further engagements in Hollywood followed quickly.
Since then, Van Damme has appeared in various films. But he also became well-known as a face in advertising. One of the unforgettable ones is his spot for the car manufacturer Volvo.
Jean-Claude Van Damme looks back on a varied career today. It made him an icon. Who knows how his path as an actor would have turned out if he had played the Predator. Under a thick layer of latex and makeup, we surely wouldn’t have recognized his face. Are you now in the mood for an action film? Hardcore fans of the genre can find a suitable list of 5 recommendations on MeinMMO.
