Jean-Claude Van Damme’s cringe-worthy cameo on Friends continues to haunt him, even over two decades later. In a recent interview, the action star admits that his acting was so bad and he felt immense shame over his performance. Despite his successful film career, Van Damme is still primarily associated with his embarrassing appearance on the hit sitcom. As he contemplates retirement after his latest film, Van Damme reflects on how the power of television and the enduring popularity of Friends have had a significant impact on his fame.
Jean-Claude Van Damme, the iconic action star, recently opened up about his cameo appearance on the hit show “Friends” over 20 years ago, and how it continues to haunt him to this day. In the 1996 episode, Van Damme played himself and competed with Monica and Rachel for a date. While many fans enjoyed his appearance, Van Damme admits that his acting was “so bad” and he felt ashamed of his performance.
At the time, Van Damme was not fully aware of the show’s immense popularity, but he was pleased to be a part of it after seeing the lead actresses, Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox. However, the filming experience turned out to be quite awkward for him, especially when the actresses unexpectedly kissed him on the lips. Despite the uncomfortable moment, Van Damme praises the cast and crew for being welcoming and professional.
Interestingly, despite Van Damme’s successful film career, he is still primarily associated with his “Friends” appearance. The power of television never ceases to amaze him, and he acknowledges how the show continues to be a topic of conversation for fans even after all these years.
Some people in the industry believed that Van Damme’s talents could be utilized in other genres outside of action movies, and his appearance on “Friends” only strengthened that belief. However, for Van Damme himself, the cameo remains one of the most embarrassing moments of his career. He describes his performance as “very bad” and felt ashamed of himself.
Van Damme was unsure how to react when Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox greeted him with a kiss on set. Nevertheless, he was happy to be a part of the show based on his agent’s recommendation, even if he wasn’t familiar with it at first. Working on the set of “Friends” allowed Van Damme to see how everything worked perfectly and had a significant impact on his fame.
It’s interesting how some people still remember Van Damme more for his appearance on “Friends” than his action movies. However, Van Damme’s retirement is on the horizon after the release of his latest semi-autobiographical film, “What is my name?”. It seems like he’s ready to embrace the next chapter of his life, leaving behind the memories of that infamous “Friends” cameo.