Jean-Claude Van Damme has vowed to resurrect his career to win back his son.
The action legend’s personal life and career hit rock bottom in the 90s and after a nasty divorce from his fourth wife Darcy LaPier in 1997, he lost access to his youngest son, 13-year-old Nicholas.
The star - dubbed the ‘Muscles from Brussels’ in his 80s heyday - told Britain’s The Sun newspaper: “The only way I can bring my son back is to be successful again as they were saying to him, ‘Your father is a loser.’"
Jean-Claude includes elements of his own life in new semi-autobiographical action thriller ‘JVCD’, including his custody battle.
The 48-year-old actor - who is not allowed to speak about details of his divorce from Darcy or their custody battle for Nicholas - hopes his resurgence will help him achieve his one main goal.
He continued: “For me not to see my kid is a disaster. You cannot do that to somebody. It has got to the point where Nicholas cannot communicate with my other children on Facebook.
“My other son is making a movie and wants Nicholas to be in it because he is thinking about him. So they were communicating about the script. Someone found out and he was cut off.”
{{/usCountry}}“My other son is making a movie and wants Nicholas to be in it because he is thinking about him. So they were communicating about the script. Someone found out and he was cut off.”
{{/usCountry}}Jean-Claude - who also has a 21-year-old son Kristopher and daughter Bianca, 18, from a previous relationship - says he’s glad to put his self-destructive past behind him to concentrate on family life.
He added: “When I was doing my rock ’n’ roll life I was doing that to the fullest. Thank God I trained for so many years and was in the best shape physically. If not, I would have been six feet under. I promise you.
“I go to the gym. I don’t do pot any more. I don’t do coke any more. I am very down to earth. I am not Dolce and Gabbana, I am Levi’s. I am a people man. The blue collar love me.”