Kristopher Van Varenberg | Gladys Portugues & Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Son

You’d expect to follow in your father’s footsteps if he’s the high-kicking action hero Jean-Claude Van Damme. Kristopher Van Varenberg is one of Van Damme’s two children with Gladys Portugues, a fitness expert.

Unsurprisingly, his first film credit role came when he was five years old; in the 1992 film Universal Soldier, He played the child version of his father’s character during a flashback. He continued to collaborate with his dad throughout his film career, both in front of and behind the camera. Van Varenberg co-wrote 2010’s The Tower, and in the same year, The Eagle Path, he reprises his father’s role and takes on the job of an assistant director. He is also interested in traditional animation, and his production company, Rodin Entertainment, is working on several projects. Van Varenberg is a proponent of animal rights in addition to his work in Hollywood.