Van Damme went from being ridiculed on the set of Predator to becoming a martial arts movie star because of the alien hunter's suit.
In the competitive world of cinematic blockbusters, you rarely find a story as curious as the one surrounding the birth of one of the most iconic stars of action cinema of the 80s and 90s: Jean-Claude Van Damme. But his claim to fame has little to do with his martial arts skills or his quality as an actor. Rather, with the sense of his dignity.
In 1987, the film Predator hit the screens with its explosive combination of action, science fiction, and adrenaline. However, during filming an unexpected situation occurred that would change the career of a relatively unknown actor. At that time, Van Damme abandoned what seemed like a promising career as a stuntman in a resounding historical scare and, paradoxically, in his rise to stardom.
Before Jean-Claude Van Damme became the martial arts film icon we all know today by spreading his legs and stopping free-falling coconuts with his belly, his film career was at a worrying point. Deadpoint. Van Damme alternated jobs as a pizza delivery boy or taxi driver with small supporting roles, among which the only notable one is his role as a villain (Soviet, of course, we're talking about 1986) in Never Go Back, Never Give Up.
In the shadow of the successful release of Predator in 1987, the Belgian actor seemed to slowly begin to establish himself as a figure to be reckoned with in action cinema, which led him to become the nemesis of none other than Arnold. Schwarzenegger.
The film directed by John McTiernan became a milestone for its vibrant mix of suspense, explosions, testosterone, choppas, and a mysterious alien hunter. However, Van Damme's performance was lost along the way with two unexpected consequences: the redesign of the alien, which was initially far from the iconic predator we know and love, and Van Damme's rise to fame after leaving the production for the back door.
