Unleashing Unedited Chaos: Exclusive Insights from Street Fighter Co-star on Jean-Claude Van Damme's Unrestrained Brilliance

Summary

Street Fighter actor Jay Tavare reflects on working with Jean-Claude Van Damme on the movie's set, recalling that he was very "out of control".

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Van Damme rose to fame as a global action movie icon, consistently working on various projects. He has publicly acknowledged a significant cocaine addiction that developed in the 1990s, which was attributed to the immense pressure of non-stop movie production and promotion. Director Steven E. de Souza referred to Van Damme as being heavily under the influence of cocaine during the filming of Street Fighter, resulting in a disorderly and turbulent production.

Street Fighter actor Jay Tavare shares his thoughts on working alongside actor Jean-Claude Van Damme in the 1994 action film. Directed by Steven E. de Souza, Street Fighter is based on the beloved video game series of the same name. Van Damme takes on the role of Colonel Guile, leading a mission to defeat a malevolent dictator.

During a recent interview on the Side Scrollers podcast, Tavare, who portrayed Vega in the Street Fighter movie, reminisces about his time working with Van Damme on set.

Tavare, who had a pre-existing positive working relationship with Van Damme before joining the film, stated that the star's drug addiction resulted in an unconventional experience during the filming of the action flick. Tavare's complete statement can be found below:

"He was completely unrestrained. We had numerous interesting moments. I mean, at times he would take charge and then suddenly become flirtatious. His conduct led to issues... He was simply beyond anyone's control. They couldn't manage him, so they allowed him to be Jean-Claude."

Jean-Claude Van Damme's Drug Use Explained

After achieving stardom in the late '80s with films like Bloodsport (1988) and Cyborg (1989), Van Damme quickly established himself as one of Hollywood's most sought-after action heroes. Throughout the late '80s and early '90s, he churned out movies at an impressive pace, starring in a string of hits including Kickboxer (1989), Lionheart (1990), Death Warrant (1990), Double Impact (1991), Universal Soldier (1992), Nowhere to Run (1993), Hard Target (1993), Timecop (1994), and Sudden Death (1995), among many others.

During his time as an international superstar, Van Damme found himself caught up in a busy lifestyle that ultimately led to heavy drug use. The pressures of constant filming and promoting films took a toll on the actor, resulting in a cocaine addiction. At its worst, which coincided with the production of Street Fighter, Van Damme was consuming up to 10 grams of cocaine daily and spending around $10,000 per week to support his habit.

According to De Souza, who shared his experience with The Guardian, Van Damme was completely under the influence of drugs during the filming of Street Fighter, resulting in a chaotic production. The director recalls the actor frequently calling in sick, posing a challenge to finding opportunities for shooting.

Source: Side Scrollers/ YouTube