Original subtitles

Jean-Claude! Jean-Claude!

Jean-Claude Van Damme...

Martial arts legend...

Nice kick, that.

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!

- 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 Steven Seagal doing that.

we are up close and personal as he bares his soul...

The world is going bad, you know.

Let's face it, everything is dying around us. I believe the end's 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.

He's Jean-Claude Van Damme,

the Hollywood superstar they call The Muscles From Brussels.

His good looks and high-kicking fight scenes

have been featured in movies the world over for more than two decades.

- Got it! We did it. - Thank you.

And has he turns 50, Jean-Claude is still in high demand...

.. taking on villains...

and turning on the style in front of the cameras.

Come on, guys, next shot.

But there 's a lot more to Jean-Claude than the action movie hero.

Now he 's opening the doors to his most intimate moments.

I did have my time of rock and roll,

of... misery, of drugs.

Always go for the eyes and the mouth. Wow!

Last night... Ohhh!

- we discover the father... - That's Bianca, my daughter.

..the animal saviour, and the man on a mission...

.. with a message for the world.

Maybe through the show we will find a solution to maybe save the world.

Belgium, famous for its beer, chocolates, and its national hero, Jean-Claude Van Damme,

who was born and raised here before leaving to find fame at just 1 9.

Let's go.

He now has bases around the world but his roots are still firmly in the town of Knokke,

where his parents still live today.

Mama, I love you.

This afternoon, Jean-Claude is dropping in to see his mum and dad, with son Kristopher.

Ah, hi.

Entrez, entrez. Come in.

- !a va?

Hello, good afternoon.

That's my father, Eugene.

- It's the British weather, no? - My father is very funny, by the way.

My father is great because he is so attached to his mom and dad.

Especially his mom. It's uh... It's beautiful.

Over the next few months, Jean-Claude is as busy as ever.

No slippers.

He's scheduled to film several movies around the world.

You've got your cap on.

Today he must be fitted for his on-screen wardrobe

and who better to measure him up than his mum?

- Wow! 1 77. - 1 77.

7-7.

- Hey, I'm 7-7, man! KRlS: I'm 1 82.

Aspiring actor Kris has also landed a part in his dad's next movie.

Along with another member of the family.

In this photo is my mother and my sister and in the film Weapon,

that we're doing in the next few weeks,

my sister's working on that, too.

Then my mother's right now in the States, in California, Los Angeles.

We're always moving around the world, you know.

Here and there. But you gotta do what you gotta do in this business.

All her life, she work, my mama.

Every night she came to my bed to scratch my back.

- Remember, Ma? - Yeah.

And then to tell me how much she love me and stuff like that.

And then I said, "l want to be a movie star.

Do you think I'll make it? " She said, "Yeah, of course."

"Are you sure? " "Yeah, I'm sure." Every night, almost.

And then my father told me, also, he remind me, he said,

"When you go to the US, in case if you fall down,

in the sense of not making it, you always can come back to our place.

You'll have a bed."

31. 37.

- 56. - Oh, I became bigger.

The measurements keep on coming...

..and before long Jean-Claude gets restless.

- Quarante-et-un.

Across back.

Hey!

- Very nice view. - Don't run away.

- Come, Mama. Have a nice view. - Don't run away.

So that's it for the tailor.

Ah! Ah!

So we're going to say bye-bye, Mama. Because we're gonna go to see...

- Soon we'll go on a movie called Weapon. - Yeah.

- Let's put Mama in the middle.

- So, you have the measurements, so bye! - No, we have to continue.

- No. - Myself.

Jean-Claude is heading to Brussels to catch an early morning flight.

He'll meet with his son Kristopher in Romania, on the set of movie weapon.

Before leaving town, he stops at his local church,

a place that changed his life forever.

I was, like, 1 3, 1 2, 1 1. I don't remember my age but I was sleeping in my bed.

That specific night I just wake up like an epiphany.

And I walk out of my room, I put my clothes.

I was very warmed. I felt, like, no cold.

I felt, like, completely protected.

It was snowing those big snowflakes.

Because I was young, maybe,

they felt like tennis ball coming down the sky

and I felt like praying.

Because my father told me God exist in every religion.

And to me my father was a hero.

So, everything my father said, I believe it completely.

I came and I kneeled down in the church.

And was completely...into it, and I made a dream,

Iike every child made a dream, and I pray to save the world.

I pray from nature to have a long life.

Because I love animals, I love nature.

And then also I pray to a dream to become a movie star.

And guess what, everything I ask for myself, God gave it to me.

Everything I ask.

But God never gave me the solution, basically, of saving the world.

I made a movie about it called Eagle Path.

I think I failed.

Jean-Claude funded, directed and starred in Eagle Path,

an action movie which highlights his environmental concerns.

But it's yet to be completed.

God knows, I try my best but also in editing room I thought about myself

a little too much of how to look the best, handsome, and this and that.

So I took over in a maybe egotistic way of looking good and I didn't...

didn't...maybe didn't take care too much of the message.

So I'm going to try to fix this film.

This beautiful planet...

..with those animals dying day by day.

Those people not paying attention, they think it's for later,

but it's soon to be.

We have to try to do something to save this place.

Bucharest, capital city of Romania.

Jean-Claude's flown in to do what he does best...

..making movies.

He's on the set of his latest action adventure.

He stars as one of the world's leading assassins

who 's forced to team up with a rival hit-man

to take down a drug cartel being backed by the American government.

And...cut!

For the first time, Jean-Claude is working alongside both his children...

Sideburns. You look like Burt Reynolds in Deliverance.

..daughter Bianca...

Got you.

-..and Kristopher... - One crick.

Having Dad on set is great because it's the old man.

You've gotta respect him and keep your ground.

OK, good.

And childhood friend and assistant Max is on hand to keep Jean-Claude happy.

Excuse me, Chef. Hurry, please, my boss is waiting.

We came from the same karate club.

He was 1 1, I was 1 3, but he trained harder than me.

When the class was finished, he'd train, he'd still train,

and me, I go drink a beer.

So that was the difference.

40 years together.

I do nothing and everything.

I receive a fax, he want a coffee.

One part of my job, to take care of his stomach.

He also plays the part of the joker.

Ah, the producer, Brad Krevoy. Er... Hello, sir!

- Hey, Max. - Look, look!

This is the third movie Hollywood producer Brad Krevoy and Jean-Claude

have worked on together.

I've had the pleasure of knowing Jean-Claude Van Damme for more than 1 8 years

and having Bianca be in the film, with Kristopher,

we're so proud to have them with us,

cos this is the first time the whole family has worked together.

And today there's a brand-new addition to the Van Damme family.

My son found it.

We're gonna take her to the vet

and get her vaccinated and all that good stuff.

And have her come back home with us, I guess.

Jean-Claude rescues neglected dogs from around the world

and gives them a new life at his home in Belgium.

We are more specific on adopting the losers.

Not the loser, but the weak one.

- It's full of worms. Suffering like crazy. - Yeah, she's bloated.

The dog is infested with worms, but Jean-Claude knows the drill.

The right medication will flush them out.

In two weeks from now, when the shit come out,

all the worms and everything, we'll see her true character.

Yes, you can see right away.

We see dogs, in the eyes, we can guess their character.

- I know people make fun of me but it's true. - It's an energy thing.

I know how to talk to dogs.

So, while Jean-Claude makes conversation...

..Kris heads to the set.

The crew are getting ready to film a high-speed car chase

and Kris, who plays lnterpol agent Schell, is in the driving seat.

There is a pressure, it's like "Oh, God, he got the role because of his father," kind of thing.

But we deal with the blows, we roll with the punches.

It will be better if I get stuff on my own and this will lead to that.

Kris and his partner Godfrey, played by Michael Higgs,

are caught in an ambush and must escape in their getaway car.

You move this car back to two, then you'll set the script.

And then we're going to shoot it, here and now.

Go, go, go!

That's a good one. Yes.

- Ah, they bang, the car.

They touched my trailer.

- Cool, I love it. WOMAN: You like it, right?

- You OK? - Yeah.

- Like father, like son.

I said, I hope it's not my son.

They're towing me. They're towing me.

- It's not you, then. - No, no, of course not.

- They're supposed to fishtail that way. - I'll see you later.

- Kris can't do stick shift. - No, I can't!

So we had to be pulled out and of course the wheel's on lock,

so we couldn't turn the corner, so we just went on a straight course,

straight for his dad's trailer. Class.

"Hi, Dad!"

"Having a good day? "

Would you believe that? First day of shooting,

I hope my son will do a good job, you know?

Bump! One shot. Who's there?

Good morning, son!

Working with my father is actually great.

He understands me cos he's my dad. I got the same genetics.

He knows how to talk to me and he's been my hero since I was a kid.

That's me when I was young. You just saw my son on TV, right?

Now you see an old guy, right? But look, this is me when I was young.

I look like Kristopher, isn't it?

It's like a family, it's like a team. Happy moments, sad moments.

It all reflects. You put that into your acting if you can.

It's midnight and Jean-Claude has just landed in the Ukraine.

He's taking time out from shooting his latest action movie

to film a cameo role in a Russian comedy.

He 's being met at the airport by one of the production team.

Hello!

It's an exciting part for Jean-Claude

as he 's playing one of history's greatest leaders.

- I'm not playing Napoleon? - Or maybe not.

- Who am I playing? - Um...they didn't tell you?

No.

You are yourself, actually - Jean-Claude Van Damme.

- At the time of Napoleon. - Yes, yes.

The story is that the guy is dressed as a woman

but he goes into the men's bathroom and he sees you and he kind of fights with you.

OK, and you have all big famous movie stars?

Yes, from our country.

This is the first 3D in Russian language.

- Wow! - In former Soviet Union.

- I thought I was playing Napoleon. - Huh?

Because they told me... because you know how that goes...

They say, "They want you in a movie, to play Napoleon."

So it stays in my head to play Napoleon.

And uh...

now they are telling me that I play Van Damme.

I thought I was playing Napoleon.

Despite the change ofrole, the film will give Jean-Claude

a chance to prove himself as a comedy actor, although there 's one joke that isn 't so funny.

Guess what, Max, I'm losing the fight.

I think that's my trailer, no? It should be.

They arrive at the location.

- Hi. - How are you?

- Fine. - Good. They are working very fast.

Can I have a coffee? Like a cappuccino?

- You can have whatever... - And do you have some uh...

I like those Ukrainian cigarettes.

- Like Parliament? - Yes, we have Parliament.

- Yeah, I like, with a coffee, cappuccino. - OK.

As the crew set up to film through the night,

director Maryus Vaysberg arrives to talk Jean-Claude through his scenes.

- Glad to meet you, man. - How are you doing?

Thank you for coming.

But first there 's a little something to clear up.

And so I'm not playing Napoleon?

- No, you're not playing Napoleon. - Thank God.

- I'm playing Van Damme. - Yeah.

But what Van Damme is doing in this movie, if I'm Van Damme?

Because the movie happen in which century?

It's 1 81 2, so it's 1 9th century.

So they have, like, an old, old Van Damme or...

No, you're going to have the costume...

- French? - Yes.

What am I doing for Napoleon?

- Er, what do... - I'm his fluffer?

No, you're not a fluffer. No, no!

- What I am in this movie? - Well, this is a comedy.

- Am I being a fluffer? - Whatever you are, you're certainly not a fluffer.

- No, here's the thing... - That's also a comedy.

You are royalty. You are in a costume,

and what happens is, the main character comes in

and says, "Dude, I need your clothes," and you're like,

- "What? Don't you recognise me? " - I got you. He wants my clothes.

- 1 8th century. Yeah, I know.

Hey!

And you're The Muscles From Brussels.

An hour later, things aren't so funny.

Sexy, huh?

I think I can fall in love when I see him like that.

2.:30am and Jean-Claude makes his way to the set...

..and takes a step back in time.

You need to be very vigilant.

Finally, he comes face to face with the character who will beat him up

and then steal his clothes.

Oh, oh, take it easy!

Ooh, no!

Ohhh! Raargh!

Super.

Jean-Claude 's performance is a hit and he takes the chance

to watch himself back in full 3D glory.

DlRECTOR: That was great! I love that.

Cut!

- His ass looked fantastic on 3D. - My ass? Yes.

- Like a 40. - Like a 40!

I would love an American studio to trust me to make a comedy.

I would be so good.

Aw!

My nipples are hot.

It's 3:30am and time for a costume change.

Hey, you look like Tom Jones.

I like it.

We have to wait 40 minutes.

People think that we're sleeping in hotel five stars.

Huh! Bullshit.

The crew are set and Russian actor Pavel Derevyanko is standing by.

His character has beaten Jean-Claude and stolen his clothes,

which can only mean one thing.

I didn't see Sly or Steven Seagal doing that.

Maybe Arnold would do it, no?

Hey, you!

Don't laugh, don't laugh.

Good luck. I think it's gonna work.

Camera set and...action!

Why I come to Russia?

Look at this.

Disaster.

Awesome!

That was awesome.

Can I have my real shoes, please?

- That's a wrap on JC for the scene.

JC has fantastic comedic timing.

I'm going to really, really think about a potential comedy for him.

I have a great script that I'm going to...

He's really funny. He can be very funny. It's a discovery. I'm really surprised.

He's worked through the night, flown hundreds of miles

and shot two scenes in a Russian comedy,

but Jean-Claude 's happy with how it's all turned out.

The actor who was with me is good, so it's easy.

Even in comedy, it has a certain reality, I think.

Eight o'clock in the morning.

I feel fresh.

I'm happy to go home, I mean the hotel, take a hot, hot bath.

It's going to be good.

He did a good job. Good comedy.

Nobody sent him a comedy script, nobody sent him that.

His family knows, his friends.

Everybody knows he can play in a comedy.

Just hours after finishing his scenes in a Russian comedy,

Jean-Claude is rested and ready to party.

The evening kicks off at a charity fashion show in the centre of Kiev.

He 's been invited as guest of honour

by good friend, Ukrainian businessman Alexander Onishchenko,

who 's organised the event... and the press pack can 't get enough.

The show's over but the evening doesn 't end there.

Next stop, one of Kiev's top night clubs.

Jean-Claude parties hard.

And when you're a movie legend, there 's no shortage of attention.

It's 4am and Jean-Claude finally decides to call it a night.

Fantastic, yeah, great club.

Good night, people.

In Romania, Jean-Claude 's son Kris and daughter Bianca

have a day off from filming and are heading to a local vet.

Maybe you'd want to just crack your window open a bit, she laid one.

Phwoar! Oh, man, it smells like bad Chinese food.

Open the old box of kung pao, holy crap!

Jean-Claude and Kris rescued Lucky from the streets of Bucharest.

But before they can take her back to Belgium,

she needs a full medical check-up.

You want to come back here? OK, come on.

Come on, in case you...

- Oh, she peed. - She did pee a little bit.

Meanwhile, Jean-Claude is back in Bucharest

and back in the middle of the action on the set of weapon.

But today he is feeling the strain of his demanding schedule.

I'm kind of tired.

I want some rest. I've been doing how many movies now?

I don't even know, I never count them, never look at them.

Been around the world for 20, 30, 40 times.

Seeing same hotels...

getting older with me.

They change the wallpapers of the room.

But my face get more cripple.

I'm dreaming to be just no more work.

They want me to produce movies and make movies so they can have a salary.

I'm going to beg them to leave me alone for a year, guys.

Leave me alone for a year.

It's hard.

My father wants to have an overall general check-up.

That would be great. The belly's the main concern, right?

- She has worms, you think? - She does.

The vet takes some blood to test for any infection or disease.

Ssh, ssh, ssh!

OK, OK, OK. It's finished. That's it.

That's it. Bite on my hand for pressure. There you go.

They just did a blood test and they'll check it and see what she needs in vitamins

or if I need to give her any pills at a certain time.

What I'll do is, I'll write that down and give it to my father.

That way, when he's with her at his place, he'll be able to follow that regime, you know.

An hour later, Lucky's back on set and someone's pleased to see her.

Is my baby here?

Hey!

- She feel better, Kris? - Yeah, she feels great.

She's much better. She does have a little bit of worms.

- Right. - It's going to go away in the week.

But she was scared of the vet?

No, she's crying because they gave her a shot.

She's good, there's no risk of death at all.

- Zero per cent. - OK.

Let's leave her.

His legendary fight scenes in films such as Bloodsport and Kickboxer

have made him famous the world over.

Today Jean-Claude 's on set to film his latest offering.

In this scene, he comes up against Scott Adkins...

Argh!

.. an actor and martial arts expert from Birmingham, who 's appeared in action movies

and British TV shows, such as Hollyoaks and Holby City.

I think anyone who's my age and is into action films grew up on Van Damme.

I was, like, 1 2 to 1 6 when his films started to first come out.

So, yeah, it's brilliant, I get a kick out of it.

They play rival assassins, Vincent Brazil...

..and Roland Flint,

and in today's scene they come face to face for the first time.

He kicks the crap out of me for a bit.

Lots of fun.

Before filming, they block out the fight scene with a stunt coordinator.

Bam, like that!

Now, when I do the punch, it's this way.

If you do a punch in the movies, you have to really make it big.

Like John Wayne, make it big.

However, in real life, it's like boom!

Boom! You don't see nothing.

If you go like, phwoom, it's like more of a move, you know.

In his next move, Jean-Claude must grab his opponent in a headlock.

This one's at the back. This is behind the head.

- Like this? - No, this should grab your own arm.

It's a tricky manoeuvre

and Jean-Claude takes time to practise on poor old Max.

And then, what is this?

And then a breakthrough.

Ah, je compris!

Ah, I see.

OK, OK.

And the camera finally rolls.

Cut!

I was trying to get Tetley or PG Tips but I don't know what it is.

But it's all we can get.

- Yes, my lord! - Nodding.

In Hong Kong, lots of stunt men and actors smoke in between fight scenes.

I mean, it's not good to do so but I have an addictive personality,

so soon we will go to hell together.

But first there's some unfinished business to attend to.

Cut!

Bit of Van Dammage!

Cut!

- You work so hard. - You, too.

- Thank you, guys. See you. - Thank you, sir. Goodbye.

It's a wrap, but an action hero's job is never done.

Poo-poo!

Newly-adopted puppy Lucky is feeling the effects of her worm tablets.

Hey, Kris, can you be with him when he do poo-poo?

Can you stay with him so he can do poo-poo?

Hey, Kristopher.

She spit out most of her worms.

Most of the stuff, the parasites inside her, are all...flushing away, smoothly.

We're sticking to the regime the doctor gave us.

Huh? Go poop?

with a break in his filming schedule,

Jean-Claude's flown into his home town of Brussels...

..along with Kris and Max

and the latest member of the Van Damme family.

The dog slept like a baby. Fantastic.

She just crashed out, it was fantastic. Good for her.

- And your name is? Your first name? - Fritz.

- Fritz, OK. And your name is...? - lngrid.

Ingrid. Fred, too, and then...

while Jean-Claude gets acquainted with the locals,

Kris and Max have been left in charge of the luggage.

- So you work in this place? - Yes, sir.

But ten minutes later, they're still waiting for one final case.

- Is my bag missing, Kris? - Yeah, yours has not arrived yet.

That's very strange. You put plastic on mine, too?

That's shit.

Every time I fly with Max, the baggage missing.

Every time.

He knows, huh? You know, he starts to get upset. He's all red, look.

Let's not wait. I know this. Right away we go to Baggage Claim.

That's the one missing.

Sometimes the impatience can get pretty wild.

But it's like, "What is happening now? "

Look at this.

- Hello. - Hello. Apparently you have luggage missing.

- Yeah. The ticket, you have it? - Yes.

Oh, cool. So we stay at the Conrad Hotel.

C-O-N-R-A-D.

The hotel, which is not in my name, you can ask for Tintin.

- You're so nice, thank you. It was a pleasure. - Me, too.

- Speedy Gonzales. Thank you, sir. - You're welcome.

Bye-bye, my friend. Thank you so much.

One suitcase down, Jean-Claude finally leaves the airport...

..and Tintin arrives at his hotel.

He may not be able to unpack,

but he is on top of the sleeping arrangements.

No, baby, that's my bed, and that's your bed.

Don't ever come to my bed, OK?

This is...my bed, your bed.

Tuck! OK, you happy here?

Huh?

And it seems Lucky is making herself at home.

You pee? You pee-pee?

You pee-pee in the bed?

You think it's fair?

He didn't have the time to go out.

Huh?

Oh, it's a big one.

Aah, dear.

There.

while Jean-Claude's work takes him around the world,

his wife Gladys is based in Los Angeles, California.

His schedule means that they can be apart for months at a time.

But no matter where they are in the world, they talk almost every day.

Thanks for Skype, I just love Skype.

Without Skype...!

I think Skype has been a saviour to a lot of families.

For us, especially, being so far.

- JC! - Can you hear me?

Yeah.

Daughter Bianca is in LA to spend time with her mum,

and joins in the daily call.

I look so old on that camera. Look at this! Look at my hair.

- You're not bald. - It's sad, huh?

I feel like I'm young and look at this, darling!

- To me you look handsome and I love you. - No, it's not sad.

Did Bianca tell you about Lucky?

- Lucky, Lucky, Lucky! - Yeah, I know pretty much, a little bit,

that you adopted a dog from Romania, I guess - and one lucky dog!

- I hear so many names. - Was full of worms.

I was busy on the set and Bianca took the dog, by the way, to the vet, with Kris.

- She received some injection, whatever. - All the shots.

They did a blood test. I mean, they did the right stuff,

- and she's such a pain in the ass.

- Ha-ha! She's peed. - Maybe she's not too smart, huh?

She's got the lQ of a... I don't know, of a plant.

she has two eyes like...she looks at you. With those big ears, you know.

Kristopher says she's not very beautiful.

She's half boxer and half I don't know what.

OK. I love you guys.

- I love you, sugar-puss. - Love you.

- On three we hang up. - Yeah, at three we hang up. One...

- Hello, hello? - Yeah?

- I love you. Bye, baby. - I love you, sugar.

- One... BOTH: Two...

- I love you! - I love you!

- I love you! - I love...

Argh! He got us back!

It's not long before newly-adopted puppy Lucky finally reaches the end of herjourney...

..rescued from Bucharest on the brink of death,

and brought back to the safety of Jean-Claude 's dog sanctuary in Belgium.

Lucky joins another eight dogs who 've also been saved from all over the world.

And resident dog-carer Johnny has taken her under his wing.

When she came here, she was really like a little mess,

and now she's really... She's enjoying life.

Lots of people are really selfish, think just about themselves.

Jean-Claude thinks about the animals...

..other people, he thinks about everything.

He's not a selfish person.

Like most in the world.

Today, Jean-Claude and Kris are taking Lucky on her first trip to the beach.

It's going to be a problem if we put him in the back, I think.

Yeah, yeah, so let's put him here.

In you go. OK.

- From the dirt of that factory, Kris... - Oh, man!

..to now, you are going to see something you never saw in your life.

I'm going to take you somewhere. It's like heaven for dogs.

I think he's going to love it.

- John, I'll see you later. OK, man. - I'll see you.

- Have fun. - OK.

- I love you, man. - I love you, too.

Thank you, Johnny.

So when I go to the beach with my dogs, it's like a ritual.

And I don't drive too fast. Nor my son Kris, he's driving.

And I like to listen to some music, to open up and just to...

So... But classical music, powerful music.

Here.

Where's my hat?

Where's my hat?

I got it.

So much wind, huh, today?

It's farfrom perfect beach weather, but Jean-Claude and Kris

brave the elements to give Lucky her very first run-around on the sand.

Hey!

Come, balushka!

Argh, water!

Look at the ocean.

It's alive.

Ah, my bubba!

I told you you were going to see freedom.

Huh? Enjoy the beach. Come on!

You can always touch me later.

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