Jean-Claude Van Damme is renowned for his martial arts skills and has been considered one of the greatest action stars of all time. Van Damme began studying martial arts at the age of ten, and by the age of eighteen, he had earned a black belt in karate. He later continued training in other martial arts forms such as kickboxing, Muay Thai, and Taekwondo.
Van Damme’s martial arts skills are showcased in his films, where he performs a range of high kicks, splits, and acrobatic maneuvers. His renowned commitment to martial arts and stunts in his films has resulted in a few unfortunate incidents. One such incident occurred when stuntman Jackson “Rock” Pinckney sued Van Damme.
When A Stuntman Sued Jean-Claude Van Damme
Stuntman Jackson “Rock” Pinckney sued the actor for allegedly stabbing him in the eye with a prop knife during a fight scene, which caused permanent damage and resulted in blindness in the injured eye, as reported by the Associated Press News. Pinckney was even discharged from his position in the US Army due to the injury.
Pinckney filed a lawsuit against Jean-Claude Van Damme seeking compensation of more than $10,000. However, Van Damme had to pay much more than that, as the court ruled in favor of Pinckney and awarded him $487,000 in damages. This was mainly due to the testimonies of other stuntmen present during the filming, which contributed to the decision against Van Damme.
The testimonies of other stuntmen revealed that Jean-Claude Van Damme disregarded cautionary advice and performed fight scenes with full intensity, prioritizing authenticity over safety. His team attempted to challenge the verdict and argued for the case to be dismissed due to a juror consulting with a karate instructor, but their efforts were in vain as the court upheld the ruling in favor of Pinckney.
Did The Lawsuit Affect The Action Star’s Career
Jean-Claude Van Damme’s career was in its early stages when he appeared in Cyborg, as his first leading role in Bloodsport had only been released a year earlier. Despite the legal trouble the film caused, Van Damme’s career continued to thrive, with him starring in numerous successful action movies such as Universal Soldier, Last Action Hero, Timecop, and Double Impact, among others.
Although Jean-Claude Van Damme’s popularity as an action hero may have waned a bit, he remains active in Hollywood. He showed his versatility by lending his voice to a character in the 2022 animated movie Minions: The Rise of Gru, which is a departure from his earlier, more physical roles. The actor also has several upcoming projects in the pipeline, ensuring that his fans can still look forward to seeing him on the big screen.
Van Damme’s upcoming film, Darkness of Man, will see him portray the role of an Interpol operative Russell Hatch, who has to protect the son of a dead informant from a group of dangerous gangs. The film was written and directed by James Cullen Bressack.
Cyborg is available for renting or purchasing on Google Play.
Source: GiantFreakinRobot
