Jean-Claude Van Damme adopts nonviolent stand for White Ribbon Day
ACTION-MOVIE legend Jean Claude Van Damme’s appearance at Warriewood and Narellan cinemas on the weekend certainly came as a surprise to us.
Confidential
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ACTION-MOVIE legend Jean Claude Van Damme’s appearance at Warriewood and Narellan cinemas on the weekend certainly came as a surprise to Confidential.
On Saturday, Van Damme made his way to the suburban venues to raise money for White Ribbon, which, according to its mission statement, aims to “prevent men’s violence against women”.
This came despite the Muscles from Brussels’ fourth ex-wife Darcy LaPier citing spousal abuse when she filed for divorce in 1997. “I am presently too afraid to stay with Jean-Claude. His physical and mental abuse and his drug abuse are at a dangerous level,” she said in the filing.
Subsequently, Van Damme was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and claims that once he was correctly medicated his life changed.
“In one week, I felt it kick in,” he said at the time.
According to Van Damme’s Australian publicist Max Markson, the Universal Soldier star’s involvement with White Ribbon — which raised more than $20,000 for the charity — was unofficial.
“The United Cinemas chairman Roy Mustaca is a strong supporter of White Ribbon and invited JCVD to be a guest at both Warriewood and Narellan to help raise funds for White Ribbon,” he told Confidential.
Van Damme was in Australia for the second time this year, following his scandal-plagued trip in August when he partied with Noureddine Jamal, brother of convicted terrorist Mohammed Omar Jamal. Jamal is currently serving a 23-year sentence for his role in a 2005 plot to blow up a Sydney location.
This time around, Van Damme met politicians including Barnaby Joyce, Josh Frydenberg, Sam Dastyari and Pauline Hanson as he furthered his wildlife conservation goals.
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