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Jean-Claude Van Damme appeared in the second season episode ofFRIENDS, one of the most popular shows to grace television. Among several stars who guest appeared on the show, the cast & crew remembered theBloodsportactor as particularly difficult to work with. In the episode titledThe One After The Superbowl, Van Damme played a fictional version of himself.
Van Damme’s cameo came along with the appearances of actors like Julia Roberts, Brooke Shields, and Chris Isaak. The actors were cast in this episode as part of a deliberate strategic move by NBC to schedule the popular show in the high-profile post-Super Bowl timeslot and gain maximum ad revenue.
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Jean-Claude Van Damme Was Very Unprofessional On Set
The hour-long episode received mixed reviews. But NBC’s strategy worked, as it remains one of the highest-rated Super Bowl lead-out programs and the most-watchedFRIENDSepisode, thanks toJean-Claude Van Dammeand other cameo appearances in the episode. However, the success didn’t necessarily mean all went smoothly on the sets.
Reportedly, Van Damme was four hours late to reach the shooting location. One of the directors of the episode, Michael Lembeck, recalled how theKickboxeractor arrived on set totally unprepared and arrogant. The Belgian actor was one of the most sought-after action heroes at the time.
The president of NBC Entertainment at that time, Warren Littlefield, even jokingly added that the monkey who played Ross’s pet Marcel in the show was easier to work with than Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Also Read:“You speak bad about me on TV. Why?”: Jean-Claude Van Damme Offered a Duel to Settle Scores With Steven Seagal, Seagal Refused Both Times
Jean-Claude Van Damme Made TheFRIENDSActresses Uncomfortable
In the episode, both Rachel and Monica, played byJennifer AnistonandCourteney Coxrespectively, fall for the “actor” Jean-Claude Van Damme, whom they meet on the fictional movie set. As both their characters were trying to get Van Damme’s attention, both actresses had an intimate kiss scene with the actor.
During the shoot, Aniston approached director Lembeck to speak with theJCVDactor and to ask him not to use his tongue when kissing her. The director had a talk with theLionheartactor, however, in the next scene with Courteney Cox, the same thing happened. Cox also came to Lembeck with a similar request,“Lem, can you tell him not to put his tongue in my mouth?”
Kevin Bright, another director on the episode, confirmed this incident, stating,“We asked him several times.”It seems like the most sought-after actor was not great to work with, after such behavior with co-stars on set.
Also Read:Karl Urban Stole Mortal Kombat Role Belgian Split King Jean-Claude Van Damme Publicly Campaigned for in $256M Franchise
FRIENDSis now available for streaming on Peacock.
Source:The Hollywood Reporter
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
