Jean-Claude Van Damme is a Belgian martial artist and actor renowned for his action films. Born and raised in Brussels, he began training in karate as a child and achieved black belt status. After moving to the United States he struggled with odd jobs before breaking through as a leading action star in films like Bloodsport and Kickboxer. Throughout the 1990s he led the way in a number of box-office hits such as Double Impact, Universal Soldier, Hard Target, Timecop and Street Fighter (to name a few). Like his contemporaries, his career experienced fluctuations, but he regained prominence in 2008 with the critically acclaimed film JCVD. With over a billion dollars in box office revenue, Van Damme is considered an iconic figure in action cinema. Beyond acting, he is known for his support of conservation and animal rights.