TV parody mines action hero Van Damme’s hidden depths
PARIS: “The Muscles from Brussels” is back, and this time it isn’t serious. The Belgian action hero actor Jean-Claude Van Damme returns to the screen on Friday as the bungling star of a new Amazon comedy series.
The “Universal Soldier” actor, whose career went into a tailspin after “Timecop” made him a worldwide star in 1994, plays a comic version of himself in the new streaming series, “JeanClaude Van Johnson”.
Fiction and reality cross over in the show written by “Godzilla” and “Wonder Woman” screenwriter Dave Callaham, in which Van Damme sends up his own desperation to get back into the big time.
But the star has a secret double life. Operating under the alias “Johnson”, the martial arts expert comes out of retirement to hire himself out as the most easily recognisable undercover agent in the world.
For Van Damme, 57, most of whose recent work has gone straight to video, the “burlesque, clownesque” series produced by “Blade Runner” creator Ridley Scott is “maybe a way to save my career”.
“I wanted to do television for the last nine or 10 years,” he told AFP, but realised he was not “Brad Pitt, who can just raise his hand and he would have TV shows calling him.” Nor did Van Damme have any problems playing a parody of himself. in terms of theatrical openings,” the world’s best known Belgian after Tintin said.
“But I promised Mama and I knew that one day I would come back, and we’ll do the premiere in Paris,” he said.
As good as his word, he brought his parents from their home in Knokke near Bruges to the French capital for the premiere at the Grand Rex.
“I am very proud of him,” his mother Eliana Van Varenberg told reporters.
His father Eugene had also recorded a surprise video message for his son, telling him how proud he had made them. “No one would have believed that a European could have made it like that in Hollywood,” he said.
“But I have a wish,” he continued, as tears welled up in his son’s eyes. “I would love you to put your feet up a bit and enjoy life.
“I know that is difficult for you, but you have looked after the whole family, and I don’t see why you have to continue to work so hard.” — AFP