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Danny B says on 25/Feb/10
I've met Van Damme twice. He is a little over 5'7".
Jay says on 14/Feb/10
He always wore those chunky shoes and boots in all his movies that made his legs look disproportionately long compared to his top half. I say 5ft 8 Julia says on 10/Feb/10
He is really hot and cool. When I met him in Monaco he looked about 5'8 in flip flops. Anonymous08 says on 7/Feb/10
Sure, John Smith. Maybe you smoked too much and hallucinated that he was shorter. Yaspaa says on 7/Feb/10
Yeah right. John Smith says on 6/Feb/10
I smoked a cigar with Van Damme in Vancouver Canada during 2005. I am not kidding, he is unusually short for ANY adult, male or female. I would guess his true height to be not over five feet tall!!!! Seriously I am 6' tall and he was more than a head shorter than me, about head and 1/2 shorter. I have not even stood next to an adult woman that short! Yaspaa says on 6/Feb/10
Van Damme is sitting down in that pic and Arlovski pic looks about 6". 175 Ted says on 5/Feb/10
The Ben says on 1/Feb/10
Amazed says on 31/Jan/10
Just saw a picture on Yahoo, (Jan 27, 2010) Van Damme and Michael Bisping (mma fighter - Bisping official stats 6'0" - 185 lbs.) - Van Damme is tiny beside him - the article states that van damme is trying to get a fight with Somluck Kamsing - Thai olympic champion - FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION- (division limits are 126 lbs or 57 kgs) -
Ive just found the picture and you can only see them from the chest up Click Here
not great for height comparison..
Unless Bisping is standing on a box or wearing Gene Simmons Kiss boots, then yes you should be able to get a fairly accurate height comparison from the chest up. Ron says on 3/Feb/10
I work with a guy whose wife was a housekeeper for Van Damme many years ago. The wife told her husband (the guy I work with) that Van Damme "is the same height as you". The guy I work with is 5'9". Do the math. The Ben says on 1/Feb/10
Emrah
Ive looked back and held a ruler over arlovski's head and i still say 7-8 inches.. The Ben says on 1/Feb/10
Amazed says on 31/Jan/10
Just saw a picture on Yahoo, (Jan 27, 2010) Van Damme and Michael Bisping (mma fighter - Bisping official stats 6'0" - 185 lbs.) - Van Damme is tiny beside him - the article states that van damme is trying to get a fight with Somluck Kamsing - Thai olympic champion - FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION- (division limits are 126 lbs or 57 kgs) -
Ive just found the picture and you can only see them from the chest up Click Here
not great for height comparison.. Amazed says on 31/Jan/10
Just saw a picture on Yahoo, (Jan 27, 2010) Van Damme and Michael Bisping (mma fighter - Bisping official stats 6'0" - 185 lbs.) - Van Damme is tiny beside him - the article states that van damme is trying to get a fight with Somluck Kamsing - Thai olympic champion - FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION- (division limits are 126 lbs or 57 kgs) - Emrah says on 8/Jan/10
The ben: Dude 7/8 inches difference? that would make his head like almost 40cm!:p
no way,his head is slighlty taller than from van damme maybe 1 cm,it looks so big because he had a broad face.so you would say van damme´s head is 40cm? haha:p be realistic,van damme's head is max 24cm.i think 5 ft 10 is perfect for van damme,he isnt lying The Ben says on 7/Jan/10
If Arlovski is 6'3 then van damme looks around 5'8 in the pic to me. I'd say 7-8 inches difference..
If Arlovski is his billed 6'4 (which im sure plenty would argue with) then JCVD looks 5'9..
Nice pic though, good for height comparisons. Quite hard to find full body pics with the same footwear. Emrah says on 6/Jan/10
little bit yeah,but van damme isnt also complete straight up look at his left knee,i watched the movie and everytime he comes slightly below his eye level
5ft10 is perfect for this guy
look at the pic that yaspaa has placed,dennis alexio is listed as 5ft11
so again max 1.78 is perfect for van damme Anonymous says on 6/Jan/10
i think van damme is a very very weak 5'8''.the reason he looks more is his toned body Yaspaa says on 6/Jan/10
Nice photo, I think Arlovski looks more hunched though. Emrah says on 5/Jan/10
Click Here
newest film of jcvd,guy next to him is andrei arlovski a ufc fighter who is listed as 191cm,they all have the same footwear,the top of jcvd head is slighlt under his eyelevel,so i would say he is 12cm taller,that makes jvcd 5ft10 like he said!:d so upgrade jvcd tho 5ft10 please..i think this prooves enough Yaspaa says on 9/Dec/09
Not that noticeably. Click Here Hey look Eltaco the former heavyweight kickboxing champ is just over 5'4 you nugget. Jay says on 6/Dec/09
Noticably shorter than my old friend Dennis Alexio in kickboxer. Dennis was 5'11 without shoes Candyman says on 5/Dec/09
Id say 5'7.5" and 5'8" on a good day. Yaspaa says on 4/Dec/09
Dude, we don't have time for your crap. 5'4 is trolling at best. Eltaco says on 29/Nov/09
Yaspaa, you must have a difficult life leaving personal digs on here. I can only speak from personal experience. Could you be jealous that I have actually met the man? Scrolling down to the Cusack comment, I have met him and his brother outside a Westwood theatre and I agree he is well over 6'. Anonymous says on 26/Nov/09
ron your a liar no way are you van dammes cousin and probably only because he has had loads of wifes and van damme always seemed smaller then 5 ?9 to me Ron says on 25/Nov/09
he is actually 5'9" and weighs about 190 i know this for a fact hes my cousin by marriage though not blood Yaspaa says on 6/Nov/09
Eltaco your a douche and a liar...or a nugget,I'm going with all three. Eltaco says on 4/Nov/09
Met him and shook his hand at a pre-screening of Double Impact, movie did not even have a title at the time and they used Edward Scissorhands soundtrack during the screening. I am 5'10" and he only stood up to my chin, I am thinking more of 5'4" is his height. Alex2401 says on 1/Nov/09
175cm seems just right from every angle. Anonymous says on 22/Oct/09
I wonder how Van Damme measures up with Billy Blanks (Tai-bo) I think in the movie AWOL (1990) they fight at the beginning and Blanks plays one of the legionares he has on a deceiptive hat and Van Damme is being dragged along (not exactly perfect posture)Blanks I thought was 5'10'' a long time ago but now getting to see his other movies he must be a solid 6 foot 183cm he looked it in King of the Kickboxers he dwarfed almost everyone except Loren Avedon who is around 6'1''.
Van Damme might have been a little shorter than Blanks in the former movie an 1-1.5'' but I'm unsure about the footwear Van Damme had on or Blanks it's a very short fight too. Yaspaa says on 17/Oct/09
We cant see the feet in that shot Shaz,me thinks cowboy boots vs kung fu slippers. RisingForce says on 14/Oct/09
jessie, upload your picture to tinypic.com and then upload the url to tinyurl.com jessie says on 12/Oct/09
Hello every one. I'm a storyboard artist and designer on films. I met and worked with van damme on "replicant" and " the order".I'm 5'9 and he was about my height maybe half an inch taller (he had flat shoes).you guys have the answer. does anyone know how to put a phoro here? i could show you LordKevin says on 7/Oct/09
I would go with 5'8.5. He is about the same height as Chuck Norris, but perhaps a smidgeon taller than Norris, as the picture below would suggest. Note that Norris really likes to wear thick soled shoes (w/possible lifts), so it may explain why Van Damme appears just a bit shorter in that shot. Also, Bruce Lee does look a couple of inches shorter than Norris in most shots, so 5'6.5 makes sense for Lee. Eva says on 6/Oct/09
About 2 years ago i saw him in france, he was on the street signing autographs and i just went closer to take a look of the action hero,i'm 5'4 and my boyfriend is 5'11, and he looked shorter than my boyfriend, but not much, so i think 5'9 is ok, cool guy,he was joking the whole time. Shaz says on 5/Oct/09
On film people can look taller than in reality.. So it's stupid to go by their heights according to film. The link below from Rising Force shows that Van damme is slightly shorter than Norris, however Norris obviously has shrunk the older he has become. Norris in his hayday was no more than 5,9/5,10. Here is a photo with Bruce Lee to prove that. Click Here - Bruce was 5ft 6" and the photo shows Norris was taller. Therefore logic pertains that Van damme is in between 5,6" to 5,8" and no more than that. Shorter people make greater all round fighters and that's a fact. Johnson Dennis says on 25/Sep/09
I met him in Monaco. He was slightly shorter than me and I am 5.10' Daniel says on 17/Sep/09
Well Rising, we can't see the footwear, but Norris looks a bit taller. And I don't think Norris is more than 5'8'' RisingForce says on 16/Sep/09
Here's a rare picture of Van Damme and Chuck Norris. Click Here RisingForce says on 22/Aug/09
There's no way Van Damme is 5'10". He's no more than 5'9", with cowboy boots, his long legs and good posture he can easily pass for 5'10" and sometimes even 5'11". RICHARD says on 20/Aug/09
Someone told me Jean was as short as 5'5 when they met him. He can't be that short or else people would notice that. I think Jean is a solid 5'10 guy,or at least 5'9.5 guy because he has long legs and a toned body;kinda slim build with muscles. He's a hard one to judge because he can look anywhere from 5'9 to 6'0 but 5'5,NEVER Yaspaa says on 13/Aug/09
He keeps in good shape so I cant see him losing any height in his 60's never mind his 40's. Where did this Cusack thing come from? Teddy89 says on 7/Aug/09
Oops, made a mistake, I meant 3/4 of an inch, not a 1/4. Teddy89 says on 7/Aug/09
John Cusack is 6-2. Maybe you didn't check the foot wear. I would say that VD was 5-9 when he was younger, but now looks about half or maybe a quater of an inch shorter. Tina says on 5/Aug/09
well, this sucks. i wanted to know his height and like Mic Jagger, no one can make their minds or have the right height. Bummer. However, I thought John Cusack was 6'2 since he does look tall and when I met him, same as my brother who is 6'4. He was cuter in person, and no movie makeup. Soft hands too. Annoyed says on 19/Jul/09
5'9" flat. 5'10" in sneakers but very well proportioned man. Brian says on 14/Jul/09
I met Van Damme at a gas station mini mart in San Fernando Valley years back and we talked a little; I stood right next to him and we were eye to eye. I dont remember if he was wearing heels (i never thought of that) but he looked my height. and i am 5'10.5" without shoes at the end of the day.
I think he just had regular shoes or sneakers on because he was just dressed way down, like in a pair of sweat pants and a sort of military jacket. It was like midnight and I think he was just running errands and it was just me and him and the shop attendant at this one quiet gas station at night. Yaspaa says on 11/Jul/09
Why would he lie? why do most celebs lie about their height? twistbarbie says on 8/Jul/09
I would not say he is shorter than 5'10 why would jean claude lie? he would get caught, his body is very proportionate anyway, only a jealous man would say he is shorter ravishing_rick says on 30/Jun/09
jus saw im in jcvd looks 5'8 Daniel says on 29/Jun/09
No less than 1.73m and no more than 1.75m. Shah Nawaz says on 19/Jun/09
Van Damme looks 5'10 - 5'11 in Double Impact. hez wearing normal shoes...]
chk out again guys... The Ben says on 4/Jun/09
I have to go with 5'9 for van damme... Robs heights on this site seem pretty much spot on to me... Yaspaa says on 2/Jun/09
The boots he wears will give him about a 1" advantage over Ally Walker which still puts him at 5'9 but 5'8.5 looks likely. Gago says on 2/Jun/09
Mr T-Cakes, JC had footwear advantage in Universal Soldier, he had army boots, when Ally had converse type shoes. And you're right on your estimate, after seeing him few times, that's what I estimated him. Mr T-Cakes says on 1/Jun/09
confusingly, I just checked out Ally Walker's height and she's down as 5ft10(?) Mr T-Cakes says on 1/Jun/09
great detective work, Gago. So at least we can rule out Van Damme being 5ft10 as he apparently claimed. So going on the Geoffery Lewis height difference it might be fair to estimate JC at 5ft8/5ft8.5. He also looked the same height as Ally Walker in Universal Soldier. RisingForce says on 1/Jun/09
I'll look for the photo from the same day where Van Damme appears to be in cowboy boots. I couldn't see the heel from the angle, but the pointy toe and shape of the boot looked like a cowboy boot. Standard Cowboy boots have 2 inch heels. Yaspaa says on 30/May/09
I'll give Stallone (so obviously) 5'9 and Van Damme 5'8.5 or a weak 5'9. Gago says on 30/May/09
Mr T-Cakes, you're right, JC was shorter than Lewis and it was at least an inch, and Lewis is listed 5'9.5. Stallone always looked taller and we know why. Lmeister says on 30/May/09
Standing next to Brett Hull proves that Van Damme, Sly and Chuck are all shorter than 5ft10. I would almost bet my money on Van Damme being the tallest. Yaspaa says on 30/May/09
There's no way way Van Damme is wearing cowboy boots there unless Stallone is in platforms. PKD says on 29/May/09
Watching Van Damme now in a film and has his pants pulled up so high so he looks taller I'm sure. RisingForce says on 29/May/09
I think I remember Van Damme wearing cowboy boots in a picture taken the same day as the picture with Stallone. I have no idea what Stallone was wearing, but he does look 2 inches taller. Gago says on 29/May/09
Mr T-Cakes, you're right, JC was shorter than Lewis,Alex character was in cowboy boots and was still shorter. I think it's wrong to measure anyone next to Sly, cause he's in lifts all the time, unless they're barefoot. Yaspaa says on 29/May/09
Footwear is unknown but... Click Here Mr T-Cakes says on 29/May/09
wasn't Van Damme shorter than Geoffery Lewis in Double Impact? Haven't seen that for so long, so can't be sure. Anyone out there seen Van Damme next to Stallone? Lmeister says on 29/May/09
During the ice hockey world championchips, Olympic games and in World Cup Brett Hull was listed 176cm - 178cm. In NHL he was usually listed 5ft10. Lmeister says on 28/May/09
They both look smaller than Brett Hull who is 5ft10/200lbs. I really don't believe that neither of the guys would be solid 5ft9 at least compared to Brett. Joe says on 28/May/09
Chuck's sneakers look very thick at 1:14 seconds. Van Damme's shoes look normal. RisingForce says on 28/May/09
They look about the same height. Norris defintley doesn't look taller there like he did in the premiere picture. For once Chuck isn't wearing cowboy boots. I think Van Damme and Norris are both 5'9" barefoot. Joe says on 27/May/09
Here's a video of Van Damme and Chuck.
Click Here Anonymous says on 26/May/09
lol@Ralphie. Yeah, I don't think he's 6 feet tall. Ralphie says on 23/May/09
lol, then this height must be fake :P
Click Here @1:44 Mr T-Cakes says on 23/May/09
someone told me he was 5ft6. boswell says on 22/May/09
Van Damme is another performer I have seen in person on a movie set. He is not a big guy. I would say in the 5' 8" to 9" inches range, but at the time I didn't take careful note of his height except to see that he was shorter than I had expected. orhann says on 17/May/09
I thýnk 5ft9 1/2 or 5ft9 1/4 Gago says on 15/May/09
Lego, actually it's other way around, he has long legs, which gives an impression of someone like 180cm/5'11, but actually when you see him, he's below average guy. leonari says on 10/May/09
I think he is a real 5'9" guy. Due to his pure muscle and rather short upper body he looks shorter some times. If he would slim down he would look taller because of his long legs. RisingForce says on 9/May/09
5-9 fits well with regis barefoot who i think is 5-6. 5-9 also explains how he gave a taller impression in hard target wearing boots near wilford brimley(5-8?). throughout the movie he gave a 5-11ish impression because of his long legs/boots, but maybe he looked closer to 5-10 near brimley. Yaspaa says on 8/May/09
The bloodsport platform is raised at both ends and is padded there are too many variables to use that for comparison. Greg says on 5/May/09
175-176 morning height and 173-174 day and night hight...so 5´9 seems right. Big Imzo says on 2/May/09
John Ryan - That is very true, I also noticed that as well in Bloodsport, there seems to be like only half an inch difference between the '5.9' Van damme and 5.6 other guy JOHN RYAN says on 1/May/09
he is no way 5'9 .i bet he is just 5'8. in bloodsport final fight,he and bolo looks face to face bare foot,there bolo is just a 2 inch shorter than van damme.bolo's height is 5'6 Elvy says on 30/Apr/09
I saw him recently and my thought was "that looks like Jean Claude only too short." Turns out it was him. I gotta say 5'8" tops. Gago says on 25/Apr/09
Saw him again in Gold's Gym, now I'm convinced he's anything over 5'9, may be 5'9 when he wakes, but I'm gonna go with 5'8.5/174cm, and he has a good posture. jerome moses says on 24/Apr/09
vandamme had a cocaine problem and took steroids .... he said in his interview , cant remember the year of the interview though....he looks bigger in a few movies and smaller in rest of his movies....mostly like slyvester stallone , arnold etc.have pump on drugs to gain muscle mass.... mamonazo says on 23/Apr/09
If he was 5-10 as he states he wouldnt be considered a short guy as he is. It's great he doesnt wear lifts and walks in sandals, regular shoes or barefoot no problem. Hes 5-8 in my opinion. leonari says on 20/Apr/09
I see 3 inches btw. Regis and Jean Claude. MAX. Could be less Thomas says on 20/Apr/09
Yeah 5ft 9 just about. Met him years and years ago with Sho Kosugi the Japanese actor of the American Ninja movies. Van Damme was the same height as my TKD instructor. Sho Kosugi was 6ft tall. Tallest Japanese man I met. mId says on 30/Mar/09
I don't see 4 inches at all.. max 3 inches. I would guess 2 inches difference in that middle-pic but I'm no expert so :) Source says on 29/Mar/09
For once im actually on your side RisingForce. JCVD is a solid 5'9. RisingForce says on 27/Mar/09
Some stills of Van Damme barefoot with Regis.
Click Here
Click Here
Click Here
Van Damme does really look almost 4 inches taller. I think that confirms that JCVD is a solid 5'9".
He looks thinner than in movies because in movies they try to make action stars look bigger using certain lighting effects, oil, making them look tanner ect. They did the same thing with Stallone and Schwarzenegger and you can see the difference with them in interviews as well. mId says on 26/Mar/09
if you look at the regis video he looks really thin I think. I mean he looks much bigger (muscular) in his movies.. but then again .. he also looks taller in his movies.. atleast to me :) Everardo says on 25/Mar/09
Doug, i guess he looks shorter than he is because of 2 reasons: 1)his strong build (above all when he was younger); 2)he is often with very tall guys in his films Doug says on 24/Mar/09
Definately no more than 5'9", he often looked 5'8" it has to be said. I would never claim he was a "strong 5'9". maybe says on 21/Mar/09
maybe5'9" Alex2401 says on 20/Mar/09
5'9 seems right for Van Damme,no more no less. RisingForce says on 20/Mar/09
I think 5'9" is most likely. 5'8" seems too low in my opinion. He seems more like a strong 5'9" guy to me. Gago says on 19/Mar/09
RF, can you notice that JC has hair and posture advantage in all of them. Facts are that if Van Damme was 5'10 then in those cowboy boots he'd have been 6'0 and he even was shorter in boots, so 5'10 is out in my opinion, 5'9 is very possible, but I think he could be shorter, since I saw him look 5'8. mId says on 18/Mar/09
Click Here here is a good one I think.. regis and van damme barefoot. enjoy ;) RisingForce says on 17/Mar/09
Van Damme did look about the same height as Arsenio Hall who is listed as 5'11" here.
Click Here
At about 1:02 they stand close to eachother. Is Hall shorter than 5'11" or was Van Damme wearing lifts?
Here are some good stills
Click Here
Click Here
Click Here
They look close in height again, but this time Van Damme was wearing cowboy boots.
Click Here
Another appearance on the Arsenio Hall show
Click Here
That time Van Damme looked shorter by an inch or 2.
Another appearance on the Arsenio Hall show
Click Here
Hall has an inch or 2 on Van Damme.
JCVD is no shorter than 5'9". 5'10" is possible, but not as likely. Doug says on 17/Mar/09
I think 5'9" is bang on the money. Never looked 5'10" to me. Sometimes to man looked a little "short", but thats probably compared to certain 6 ft 5 inch action men. Yaspaa says on 17/Mar/09
He doesn't look totally dwarfed by Lou I was expecting a bigger difference. There is a bigger gap between 5'8 kevin James and Lou than with Van Damme. Today I'm going with 5'8.75 Anon2 says on 15/Mar/09
Hey Rob, I remember you listing JCVD at 5-10 a while back? What made you change your mind? Was there a real killer pic or something? RisingForce says on 14/Mar/09
Ferrigno was 6'4.5" so obviously 5'9" Van Damme will be dwarfed by a guy over 6'4". Van Damme actually looks like he's a solid 5'10" there although he probably has a footwear advantage. Daniel says on 10/Mar/09
I really don't think Van Damme has ever loooked big, no matter how muscular he could have been. The tallest I've seen him is 5'9'', and the shortest 5'8''. So, in my opinion, his height must be in that range. RisingForce says on 10/Mar/09
Van Damme did look 5'10"-5'11" in Hard Target if Wilford Brimley is really 5'8". Van Damme did wear boots though, I can't remember what Brimley had on his feet.
He's not a tall man, but not really short either, just 5'9" flat. That's a quarter or a half inch under average height in the US. That seems about right for Van Damme. At 5'9" Van Damme can give the impression of being big or small. Annoyed says on 7/Mar/09
I think Kimber is closer to 5'8" if anything. Not a strong 5'9". I think Alexio is 5'10". just my opinion though. Yaspaa says on 3/Mar/09
I just watched the Alexio/Kimber fight,Kimber being listed at 5'9 and Alexio did look at least 2" taller,question is how tall is Kimber really? Annoyed says on 1/Mar/09
bolo is usually listed at 5'6". I think this is his real height. I have seen a good few 5'6.5" listings too mind you. I just think he is a flat 5'6". Van Damme appeared only 2" bigger but it is relative. It could have been 3" but didnt come through as so on camera. Yaspaa says on 27/Feb/09
kaka,I read years ago that Bolo was 5'6.5 and weighed in at 14.5 stone which is 203lbs,I have no idea if this is correct however. Annoyed says on 26/Feb/09
I agree Yaspaa, no more than 5'9" no less than 5'8". I still lean towards 5'9". I do think Dennis Alexio is a shade shorter than 5'11". I dont think he is 5'9", he is around 5'10" though for sure. Shame he disappeared, what an amazing fighter he was. Incredable record. Yaspaa says on 26/Feb/09
Dennis was a heavyweight so he wouldn't be that short but 5'8-5'9 for van Damme is the argument but I agree he isn't over 5'9 but he also isn't under 5'8. Love Sweden by the way. mId says on 25/Feb/09
dennis alexio is nowhere near 5'11.. I think it was the dick kimber fight the commentator said.. dennis is 5'11.. (and then the commentators both laughingly says) maybe.. maybe on a good day he's 5'11.. so no.. dennis is not 5'11. van damme is NOT over 5'9.. and most likely shorter. just look at him with 5'11 max fedor.. he's 2-3 inches shorter. /greetings from sweden Kaka says on 25/Feb/09
How tall was bolo yeung, and how much did he weigh???? RisingForce says on 23/Feb/09
5'7" for Van Damme is insane. He's 5'9". Yaspaa says on 22/Feb/09
Dennis Alexio from Kickboxer is about 5'11 and in no way looked 4" taller than Jean. peejay says on 21/Feb/09
Observing Van Damme in many movies, with many co-stars, I would 'guesstimate' his height as 5'7". He is usually shorter than his supporting actors by at least 2". Actors are usually slightly shorter than average (say 5'9"), so this
would make his height 5'7". Most men give their height wearing shoes, and then add 1". Film stars may often add another 1". Then there are stacked shoes! So it would be easy to claim to be 5'9" to 5'10". RisingForce says on 20/Feb/09
James Caan is about 5'10" and he wears lifts. Winston says on 19/Feb/09
I just saw JCVD on a rerun of the t.v. series Las Vegas. Standing next to James Caan, JCVD is about 2 inches shorter than James Caan. Also, in the series they show him next to Molly Sims(5'9") was about 3-4 inches shorter, but, Molly had 1-2 inch summer sandals on. Because of this there is NO way that Jean Claude is more than 5'7" tall. I would say he is about the exact height as Tom Cruise. Yaspaa says on 19/Feb/09
Ooh I haven't seen the game crash,I'll check it out. Annoyed says on 18/Feb/09
hahahaha ive seen that before Yaspaa , there is another funny one where he produces a little flying van damme, its really funny. Also , there is one where his computer game crashes which is pretty funny Yaspaa says on 16/Feb/09
Found this,it's quite funny. Click Here Annoyed says on 15/Feb/09
to be honest there is a strong wave of opinion on van damme being quite short and appearing so. And when I think of his movies, he never does really stack up well against tall actors....Im also thinking of the barefoot scene in Bloodsport where we get to see a full body shot of van damme and Bolo lined up perfectly, same posture and barefoot. Van damme had 2 inches or thereabouts in that scene....and Bolo is always listed at 5'6" right through weightlifting and every source you can check...Im starting to think PERHAPS that 5'9" might be a strong early height for Van Damme, he MAY drop down to 5'8.5" but I really cant see 5'8" and especially I cant see a 5'8" morning height for Van Damme.
I think 5'9" most of the day lol RisingForce says on 15/Feb/09
That makes sense about Norris. I've heard rumors that he had lifts in his cowboy boots for years. That explains how he was almost Vin Diesel's height.
I'm still surprised that Gibb in sneakers I think dwarfed Van Damme by a head in Bloodsport while Van Damme was in black cowboy boots. I don't think using the fact that he wore army boots in Universal Soldier is a good example though. What other kind of footwear would he wear? Gago says on 14/Feb/09
Donald Gibb is between 6'3-'6'4, i used to see him at the gym all the time where i used to work out. Gago says on 14/Feb/09
RisingForce: I saw him in LA and I'm 5'8 in the afternoon. And I wouldn't say Van Damme is not a big elevator guy. In front of my eyes, he went from looking 5'8 to looking 5'11 with a strange way of walking. He wore elevators or boots in lot of his movies. I'm gonna name some of his movies and what footwear he wore.
Bloodsport - cowboy boots except fighting scenes
Cyborg - some kind of boots
Universal Soldier - army boots
Hard Target - some sort of boots
Timecop - he had large heels and lifts
Maximum Risk - high heel boots the whole movie, since he shared the scenes with Natasha, who I saw and was around 5'10, but JC still looked visibly shorter.
Since he's not a tall guy and his genre was action, he had to wear lifts a lot, especially in public.
RisingForce, also the famous shoemaker DiFabrizio also said that Norris asked him to make comfortable shoes with lifts so he could film the fight scenes looking tall. The Ben says on 14/Feb/09
On the interview (JCVD extras) he seems to suggest it was around double impact that he weighed 99kg..
Ive got friends who are 5'8 to 5'10 and they weigh over 185lbs and they look like nothing, i think weight can be hard to tell and Van Damme always had huge glutes and legs so i imagine he carried a lot of weight there.
Its not a bragging interview, it may be on youtube. he just talking about health and training with his friend and says he just felt to heavy.
Also if he was on taking suppliments then his weight could have varied massively.
I still think he's a legend! RisingForce says on 14/Feb/09
He can come across as quite short at times. For example in Bloodsport Donald Gibb who is listed at 6'4' seemed atleast a head taller than Van Damme at times, even at times when Van Damme had black boots with good sized heels on.
Then again Donald Gibb is nothing more than a small time actor though and he could very well be taller than the 6'4" he's listed at.
I'd say 5'9" or a bit over for Van Damme out of bed. So I guess then that'd put him around Trigg's height because you said Trigg seemed 5'9" in the morning. If you're going by midday height then 5'8.5" would seem pretty much right to me as well. Danimal says on 13/Feb/09
RisingForce says on 8/Feb/09
218 for Van Damme isn't impossible, but Danimal what was your overall size like compared to Van Damme's?
Well, we were proportioned differently I guess. I had a ton of mass (big arms and chest). I definitely carried more fat than he did. He had mass, but was cut at the same time (something I wasn't). I think if I stood next to him I would be taller than him in the same way I was taller than Frank Trigg on this site. He's probably 5'8.5" barefoot. RisingForce says on 12/Feb/09
Well the picture of Jean-Claude Van Damme and Chuck was clearly from the 90's. Then factor in the fact that Van Damme doesn't seem to be a big elevator shoe guy and Norris has been known to wear cowboy boots with lifts almost 24/7.
Vin Diesel- Click Here
Vin is what? A half inch taller? Obviously Chuck must have his cowboy boots/lifts combination but Vin must also be in normal sheos for a change. The latter being bizarre because Vin almost always wears really thick boots.
Where did you see him Gago and how tall are you? Gago says on 11/Feb/09
Norris may be was 5'9 at his pick, but he's between 5'8-'5'8.5. I saw couple months ago, he was in sneakers. Annoyed says on 11/Feb/09
eye to eye with Vin Diesel ! ?? That is mental ! RisingForce says on 10/Feb/09
Chuck is 5'9" and wears 2" cowboy boots, probably with a lift inside. Have you ever seen the picture where he was pretty much eye to eye with Vin Diesel? Annoyed says on 10/Feb/09
you know rising, every pic I have ever seen has shown Chuck Norris to be the same height and even slightly taller than Van Damme, I have always belived Chuck was 5'8" lol but I'm so sure of Van Damme being 5'9" I think Norris is 5'9" - 5'9.5" . Thats how sure I am on Van Damme being no more or less than 5'9". He is as much a 5'9" man as you get, looking average yet people say he is short. Chuck at 5'9" minimum. RisingForce says on 9/Feb/09
Rare picture of Van Damme and Chuck Norris. Click Here
They look close in height, Chuck is a hair taller there but Chuck almost always wears cowboy boots. Chuck is listed at 5-8.5 here, he claims 5-10 and I think he's about 5-9. RisingForce says on 9/Feb/09
Van Damme was in incredible shape, no doubt about it, but I'm not sure he was ever that heavy. I think he was never much bigger than 185. Maybe he was around 200 at one point like the NY times article said, but I wouldn't bet on 218. Yaspaa says on 9/Feb/09
He was also bigger in Double Impact,Death Warrant,AWOL and Black Eagle in which he made Sho Kosugi look terrible in every respect. Sho Kosugi's kids were in that movie,one of them was interviewed and said when Van Damme wasn't filming he was lifting weights or practising martial arts. RisingForce says on 8/Feb/09
218 for Van Damme isn't impossible, but Danimal what was your overall size like compared to Van Damme's? RisingForce says on 7/Feb/09
I'm a big fan as well, but I always thought he looked 180-190 considering his height. You probably know more about it than me though. I wouldn't be surprised if some people exaggerate their weight though. I've heard many Stallone fans doubt his claim that he weighed 200 in Rambo 3.
It's kind of hard comparing one person's weight to another though, everyone carries weight differently. Some people will surprise you with how much they weigh, maybe Van Damme is one of them.
I like Bloodsport and Kickboxer a lot, I didn't become a fan until the early 90's though because I was only about 7 or 8 when Bloodsport came out. Gago says on 7/Feb/09
There were 3 movies that JC gained more mass to look bigger. Kickboxer, Maximum Risk and The Quest, in these movies he was 90kilos/200 pounds, but his usual weight was always around 180-185. But nowadays he lost lot of his mass and few months ago when I saw him he looked around 175. Danimal says on 7/Feb/09
I was up to 220 pounds and I'm 5'9.5"-5'10". It's not impossible that the man was as heavy as 218 pounds. He definitely had a lot more muscle than I had at that weight and muscle takes up more space than fat does. Yaspaa says on 7/Feb/09
Click Here The guy second from left is 6'0 listed Perry King. This is before the lift wearing business. Stallone is also closer to the camera,he's 5'9 always was. RisingForce says on 7/Feb/09
This NY Times article does say that he was once 200 pounds and that he was 180 at the time(Timecop era).
Click Here
I guess 200 once was possible, but at 5'9" that's the max I'd go. After all Arnold Schwarzenegger was about 5 inches taller and by the late 80's/early 90's was in the 210-212 range. Danimal says on 6/Feb/09
Henry Rollins was lean and mean a few years ago and claimed to be 5'9" and weigh 190-195 pounds at the time and this was in around 2001. He was muscular, but lean. Van Damme was larger than Henry in 2001 and around the same height. I do not doubt that he was as high as 218 pounds at one point. I read this in the late 80's. I was a HUGE fan of his. Bloodsport and Kickboxer were 2 of my fav. '80's martial arts movies. People don't lie as much about their weight as they do about their height. The only one who tend to lie are WOMEN and very overweight people. People who are in shape/lift weights are usually quite honest and are PROUD of their physiques and have nothing to lie about imo. Daniel says on 6/Feb/09
Rhames is not over 5'10''. Van Damme is 5'9'' max RisingForce says on 6/Feb/09
Actually the interview where he claimed 185 pounds was the same month that the film came out. I'm not sure how long that took to film, but I'm guessing not too long because it wasn't a big budget film.
185 pounds on Van Damme's 5'9" frame with not much body fat will look really ripped.
Look at Sly Stallone in Rocky 4, he's atleast an inch taller than Van Damme as seen in the pictures of them below, yet here he is at 173 pounds.
Click Here
Van Damme could have easily been 185 pounds in that film. Yaspaa says on 6/Feb/09
185lbs normally but he will have bulked up for the role,200lbs is still very optimistic however. RisingForce says on 5/Feb/09
Yaspaa says on 2/Feb/09
In No Retreat No Surrender he was at his largest and you can really tell but 218lbs is daft, 200lbs max back then.
Well around that time in 1986 he said he was 185 pounds, so I guess he's never really been over that. At 5'9" with not much body fat he'd look really big even at 185 pounds. Yaspaa says on 3/Feb/09
Also with 5'11.5 Ving Rhames Click Here Yaspaa says on 3/Feb/09
5'6 Hilary Swank and 5'5.5 Spike Lee. Looks like a weak 5'9. Click Here RisingForce says on 2/Feb/09
What makes you think that? I've seen nothing that leads me to believe he's less than 5'9". Danimal says on 2/Feb/09
Snipes is MAX 5'8". Yaspaa says on 2/Feb/09
In No Retreat No Surrender he was at his largest and you can really tell but 218lbs is daft, 200lbs max back then. RisingForce says on 2/Feb/09
218 pounds is hard to buy for Van Damme at 5'9". He claimed 185 pounds in several interviews in the 80's and 90's and that's more realistic. For a guy like Van Damme with a lot of lean muscle you'll look really big at even 185 lbs at a fairly modest height of 5'9". I'd be surprised if Van Damme ever weighed 200 pounds. The Ben says on 1/Feb/09
ive just watched the extras on the JCVD and van damme says at one point he weighed 99kg (think around double impact) he says he weighs 85kg now. Annoyed says on 31/Jan/09
Yeah rising, Snipes is comfortably taller than Downey in US Marshalls, there is a scene where Snipes grabs Downey from behind, at first you think Downey is taller but when the camera pans out you see downey is up on a branch ! lol ! but when they walk down to flat ground, snipes shoulders and head are higher than Downeys even though snipes is crouching and downey is as straight as can be. Snipes, in my opinion is 5'9" minimum, much like Van Damme. 5'9.5" is possible but 5'10" is just a bit too much. Snipes is an easy 5'9" though. A strong inch on Downey jr . jon says on 29/Jan/09
If he watch hardcorps Razaaq Adoti dwarfs JCVD and I know he is 6'3 tops and is more than 6" taller than van dam The Voice of Reason says on 29/Jan/09
And Van Damme had about 3" on 5'6" Bolo Yeung in "Bloodsport" (when both were barefoot). Van Damme= 5'9" RisingForce says on 23/Jan/09
Van Damme is not 5'8" max. That's just downgrading. Snipes isn't 5'8" either, he's 5'9". An example of a solid 5'8" guy is Robert Downey Jr., Snipes and Van Damme aren't that short. Danimal says on 23/Jan/09
RisingForce says on 13/Jan/09
Good work on this listing Rob, it seems 100% accurate.
There are plenty of pictures I've found of Van Damme with guys like Sly, Patrick Swayze and Wesley Snipes in the early to mid 90's Planet Hollywood era.
Van Damme is closer to the camera but atleast 2 inches shorter than Stallone regardless. Obviously I think Stallone is 5'10.5"/5'10.75"
Click Here
Van Damme's shoes
Click Here
Hard to tell because we can't see the heels but they look like they could be cowboy boots, they also could be dress shoes though. If they're cowboy boots then Van Damme is a minimum 1.5" shorter than Stallone but if they're dress shoes he could be as little as 0.5" shorter.
Van Damme and Patrick Swayze
Click Here
Swayze is listed 5'10" here so Van Damme at 5'9" makes sense there.
Van Damme looks the same height as Wesley Snipes
Click Here
Wesley Snipes is 5'8" and Van Damme is shorter than him in that pic. Rising Force you really only see what you want to see don't you? Van Damme is MAX 5'8". Danimal says on 23/Jan/09
Annoyed says on 16/Jan/09
great find Rising, I said alot further down that i saw van damme and Stallone at Planet hollywood and that there was at LEAST an inch in Stallones favour, and thats with Van Damme in decent sized footwear. I think 5'9" flat for Van Damme ( 5'9.75" morning ) and 5'10" for stallone (5'10.75" morning )
If anyone belies Stallone is 5'7" then that makes Van Damme 5'6" !!!!!!!!!!
If Stallon was 5'8" that makes van damme 5'7" !!!!!!
NO! Van damme is a comfortable 5'9" and Stallone is at least 5'10" !!!!!!!!!!
OKAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RisingForce says on 22/Jan/09
So then 5'9" seems as accurate as you can get for Van Damme. Yaspaa says on 21/Jan/09
Lorenzo Lamas is on this site at 6'1.5 and appears to be around 4.5" taller Van Damme in this shot. Click Here RisingForce says on 20/Jan/09
I doubt it. He's probably just a 5'9" guy who lies and says 5'10". Annoyed says on 17/Jan/09
has anyone even considered that Van Damme claiming 5'10" is simply his height in shoes? Annoyed says on 16/Jan/09
great find Rising, I said alot further down that i saw van damme and Stallone at Planet hollywood and that there was at LEAST an inch in Stallones favour, and thats with Van Damme in decent sized footwear. I think 5'9" flat for Van Damme ( 5'9.75" morning ) and 5'10" for stallone (5'10.75" morning )
If anyone belies Stallone is 5'7" then that makes Van Damme 5'6" !!!!!!!!!!
If Stallon was 5'8" that makes van damme 5'7" !!!!!!
NO! Van damme is a comfortable 5'9" and Stallone is at least 5'10" !!!!!!!!!! Leung says on 14/Jan/09
leonari says on 14/Jan/09
Man look how long Slys arms are compared to Van Dammes!!! Sly has truly ape like arms. Incredible.
True, if I remember correctly Stallone’s wingspan is something like 6’1.5” or thereabouts. RisingForce says on 14/Jan/09
Yeah, I personally I don't think Sly was lying when he said he was 5'10 3/4" and had a 73 inch reach. That'd be his morning height but I believe it and I certainly believe his claim of a 73 inch reach. In fact those numbers add up quite well.
Van Damme certainly was giving himself an inch when he claimed 5'10" but there's no reason to doubt that he's a solid 5'9". The Ben says on 14/Jan/09
Great shot of van damme and stallone, if van dammes 5'9 then stallone must be wearing lifts or over 5'10.
maybe stallone is 5'10 + ? leonari says on 14/Jan/09
Man look how long Slys arms are compared to Van Dammes!!! Sly has truly ape like arms. Incredible. RisingForce says on 13/Jan/09
Good work on this listing Rob, it seems 100% accurate.
There are plenty of pictures I've found of Van Damme with guys like Sly, Patrick Swayze and Wesley Snipes in the early to mid 90's Planet Hollywood era.
Van Damme is closer to the camera but atleast 2 inches shorter than Stallone regardless. Obviously I think Stallone is 5'10.5"/5'10.75"
Click Here
Van Damme's shoes
Click Here
Hard to tell because we can't see the heels but they look like they could be cowboy boots, they also could be dress shoes though. If they're cowboy boots then Van Damme is a minimum 1.5" shorter than Stallone but if they're dress shoes he could be as little as 0.5" shorter.
Van Damme and Patrick Swayze
Click Here
Swayze is listed 5'10" here so Van Damme at 5'9" makes sense there.
Van Damme looks the same height as Wesley Snipes
Click Here
Snipes is listed at 5'9" here so again a solid 5'9" for Van Damme makes sense. Rob has Van Damme perfectly listed. RisingForce says on 11/Jan/09
Yeah it seems like a strong 5'9" is perfect for Van Damme.
I really liked Blood Sport, Universal Soldier, Timecop and Hard Target as far as Jean Claude's movies. I have yet to see JCVD. I know it's much different than the action/martial arts movies that he normally does, but that makes it more interesting. Annoyed says on 11/Jan/09
Just seen JCVD ! very very suprising and a good original film. One scene, 2 young Arab-Belgians have their picture taken and one says " he is a nice guy, very short though"
Just to thrgh it in, a good 5'9" is my opinion. Gago says on 8/Jan/09
Thanks Yaspaa. I've seen him few in Gold's Gym in Venice, he was punching the bag in the outside area and he was barefoot, they didn't let me go out since they were taking pictures of him, so from may be 15-20 feet away seeing him I would say he was 5'8 at most, then next few times when I saw him he was in sneakers had long pants and stood around 5'10, I was shocked. I don't think he's taller than 5'9, but i don't think he's shorter than 5'8. leonari says on 7/Jan/09
Wolf :read other comments wise guy! 90 % say 5'9.Who is the bad judge ??most guys saying around 5'9 or...you! first post already off by at least 2 inches. ridiculous.or like yaspaa said:moronic. leonari says on 7/Jan/09
Wolf :read other comments wise guy! 90 % say 5'9.Who is the bad judge ??most guys saying around 5'9 or...you! first post already off by at least 2 inches. ridiculous.or like yaspaa said:moronic. RisingForce says on 7/Jan/09
5-10 is unlikely but not impossible. He's likely 5-9 or a bit taller. Wolf says on 7/Jan/09
I agree with what BruceWayne said: Van Damme looks short, like 5'7. I never believe 5'10, that's impossible. And Leonari, you are the bad judge of height. RisingForce says on 6/Jan/09
I doubt he's lost height. Yaspaa says on 6/Jan/09
He can't have lost a whole inch at 48. Midget says on 5/Jan/09
I think he was 177cm in his twenties and has now shrunk to around 174cm-175cm. One of my fave actors/martial artists. Yaspaa says on 4/Jan/09
I agree Gago,I watched the movie and at one point the camera doesn't leave his face for 5 maybe 10 minutes as he pours his heart out,its a wonderful scene and a fantastic performance by Van Damme showing that he has got the acting chops as long as it is in his own language.
I have always thought 5'9,the 5'7 claims are are just plain moronic. Gago says on 2/Jan/09
Times Magazine named Van Damme 2nd best breakthrough performer for JCVD for 2008 after Heath Ledger # 1 for The Dark Knight. I don't like when people not knowing say Van Damme played himself and it was easy for him. Try to put camera on yourself and feel what he was feeling in that movie and Van Damme is not sad or doesn't have the problems he had in the movie, to me his performance was far more interesting than Rourke's. I've met JC couple times, he likes to wear lifts so it's hard to say his exact height, I'll say between 173-176/5'8.25-5'9.25. RisingForce says on 23/Dec/08
I use to think 5-10 but maybe he's more between 5-9 and 5-10. RisingForce says on 23/Dec/08
I saw that Leung. I found it funny too. Seemed pretty aqward for the woman interviewing him. I thought it was fake at first.
Thanks again leonari. I might go see that since I've enjoyed most of Will's movies. I been to a movie theater since January or February actually so I should go soon. Leung says on 22/Dec/08
Van Damme is supposed to be promoting his new movie in the interview but he gets a bit sidetracked, check it out it quite funny,
Click Here Danimal says on 22/Dec/08
I can see him at 5'8"-5'8.5". leonari says on 22/Dec/08
Rising: Thanks man! I appreciate it. Another movie I really enjoyed: Seven Pounds-Will Smith. Maybe not realistic but very touching nonetheless. leonari says on 21/Dec/08
BruceWayne:You are a bad judge of height my friend. Extremely bad even.Same goes for Oyamabb1 (but she is a tall woman so I undertand.My ex-girlfriend who is 5'5" also met him in Cannes and she said he is smaller than me which is bull****-she was the worst judge of height ever!!) I am lucky to be very athletic and muscular. Not as pumped as Van Damme though and I AM 5'7"-5'8". I can only say: There was a time 3 years ago I was really into bodybuilding and had around 60-70 % of Van Dammes mass but if I would pump myself up to Van Dammes dimensions (in his prime like 15 years ago) I would look somehow like a midget. Van Damme like Stallone are actually too muscular for heir heights. It looks awesome in movies due to angles, different lenses and trickery. So if you see these guys in real life they look stumped and short due to their wide shoulders, pumped arms,chests that stick out etc. Van Damme is 5'9". Watch for example when Jean Claude is on Arsenio Hall ( go to youtube and type it in) you will see that Van Damme in 100 % casual dress shoes which have no room to accommodate lifts and is maximum 2 inches shorter.If you ask me less than 2 inches. When he walks in you think: Damn he is small. Then he hugs Arsenio and you see there is not a really big difference at all.
Look at the guys legs. There is no 5'7" man on this planet who has legs as long as Van Damme. His upper body is like mine: average to short. His legs are way longer than mine. What I mean by that: His upper body could go on a strong 5'7" guy and thats how tall he would be if he wouldn't have those long legs. He gets average due to his legs and maybe doing all these kicks from an early age made them longer. We will never know. The man is at least 5'9" . Get used to it. 177 cm I don't believe. 176 max. and thats how tall he is. Stallone is the opposite but a bit taller: Huge upper body for an average guy (would fit on 6 footer ) and short legs. Both men would be 6 feet if better proportioned. To be really muscular and don't make yourself appear shorter than you really are you have to be 6 feet and up. Hate to admit it but thats the truth. BruceWayne says on 21/Dec/08
Leonari, van Damma is never, I mean NEVER taller than 5'9. And actually, 5'9 is not necessarily short, for example not in Belgium. So I seriously doubt that he is 5'9. For sure he never looked it. In his movies he looks like 5'7 even if they select minute actors next to him. RisingForce says on 21/Dec/08
That's funny about the height thing and I'm really interested to see something new from Van Damme. The movie has gotten great reviews and I'm glad that Van Damme is showing he can do more than action movies.
I think Van Damme could be a bit taller too. I've heard he's also claimed 177 cm which could very well be accurate.
I agree that people expect Van Damme and Sly's height to match their physiques. Their physiques are really unusual but both of them are pretty much average height. leonari says on 21/Dec/08
Rising: I have seen JCVD and have a DVD rip of it. I am fluent in french so I have the original version which is in french. The movie is fantastic. Not what you expect from a Van Damme movie but that makes it even better!!! The man is great and delivers his best acting performance ever. Ok he plays himself but still. Mickey Rourke also more or less plays himself and I really hope he will win the golden Globe and Oscar. There is a scene in JCVD where they make fun of his height when twp fans take a picture with Van Damme and after he leaves they say : "I thought he was taller. He is short. " When in fact he is taller than both of these guys who wanted the picture... I think that is a scene that occured countless times in Van Dammes and SLY'S real life...
Van Damme is at least 5'9" if not a tad taller. RisingForce says on 21/Dec/08
I've always thought Van Damme was atleast 5-9. By the way did anyone see his last movie? I heard it was great. I own 6 Van Damme dvd's so I'm a pretty big fan. JeffC says on 20/Dec/08
Years ago I met Bolo Yeung while he was shooting Shoot figther Part2. He must have been between 5'5 or 5'5.5 at the most, when he did bloodsport Van damme only had an inch on him. I think Van Damme is 5'7 Max BruceWayne says on 19/Dec/08
Actually he feel the assessment of Oyamabb1 is reasonable, probably close to the truth. When you look at this guy, he cannot be 5'9. I would give him maximally 5'7, but nowhere in hell more. leonari says on 18/Dec/08
OYamabb1: Sorry I don't believe you. 5'6" for Jean-Claude is laughable. He was too pumped up back in the day which can distort the perception of his real height. Or maybe you are not 5'9" but 6'0"?? Then Van Damme would be at 5'9" again and guess what: thats what he is. |
