• Gladys Portugues is a former bodybuilder, fitness model, actress and writer
• She is known as the wife of Jean-Claude Van Damme
• She is a professional bodybuilder, fitness model and has appeared in several movies
• She has published two books and has a successful Instagram account
• Her net worth is estimated to be around $5 million

 

Gladys Portugues is a former bodybuilder, fitness model, actress and author. She is also known as the wife of Jean-Claude Van Damme, a famous actor in action movies.

Early life, education, source of career, interests

Gladys Portugues was born on September 30, 1957 in Manhattan, New York City, USA. Her name may sound Portuguese, but she has an American nationality since she was born and raised in the US. Details about her childhood and early education have not been disclosed.

On the other hand, after graduating from high school, she continued her education at Marymount Manhattan College and studied English. It was during her college days that she came to appreciate bodybuilding, as she had seen Rachel McLish win on television at the women’s bodybuilding contest, Ms. Olympia. Portugues was moved by McLish, leading her to take part in bodybuilding and strength training.

Career

Bodybuilding and modeling career

After finishing college, she pursued her passion for bodybuilding and became a professional. and won several competitions in bodybuilding. She also became part of Ms. Olympia, placing her in the top ten contestants twice, and as a result, she also became a fitness model.

In the 1980s, Portugues was one of the most notable female fitness models. She has graced the covers of numerous bodybuilding magazines such as ‘Strength Training for Beauty’, ‘Flex’, ‘Muscle & Fitness’ and ‘Muscle Training’ and has also been featured in fashion and beauty magazines.

Acting career

Gladys Portugues appeared in a documentary film “Pumping Iron II” in 1985, in which she herself played a major role, and Rachel McLish, whom she adored, had a special role in it.

The following year, Portugues played the role of a bodybuilder in “The Morning After”, and in 1987 she appeared as a waitress in “It’s Alive III: Island of the Alive”. In the 1993 action comedy genre film, “Last Action Hero”, she had a cameo role as herself in a first screening of a film along with Van Damme. After those appearances, she has not engaged in any other films.

Writing career

Gladys is also an author and published her first book, “Hard Bodies” in 1986, with co-author Joyce L. Vedral. The two teamed up again in 1988 when they published another book titled “Hard Bodies Express” which details fitness routines for women on the go.

Personal life, husband actor Jean-Claude Van Damme

Gladys Portugues and Jean-Claude Van Damme met at a photoshoot and looked like a match made in heaven.

Van Damme was a stunning action star while Portugues was the well-known actress and a bodybuilder with a beautiful face. The two have many things in common, and in 1987 they decided to tie the knot and also welcomed their eldest child, Kristopher Julien van Varenberg, that year. A day before Jean-Claude Van Damme’s thirtieth birthday in 1990, Portugues gave birth to their daughter whom they named Bianca Brigitte van Varenberg.

However, in 1992, their relationship became unstable, resulting in them parting ways. Later, Van Damme married again, to Darcy LaPier, but in the end the same story happened, and the relations didn’t last long, they divorced in 1997. Then he found his way back to Gladys Portugues, and they remarried on June 25, 1999. However, their marriage is not perfect, and in fact on March 18, 2015, it was reported that Gladys had filed for divorce for the second time.

They got back together two months later, and Gladys canceled what she filed, and their union has apparently remained strong to this day.

Who is Jean Claude Van Damme?

It was on October 18, 1960, when Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg was born in Sint-Agatha-Berchem, Brussels, Belgium. His parents are Mrs. Eliana, an accountant and Mr. Eugene Van Varenberg, a florist; he has a sister, Veronique.

Van Damme had his first Shotokan karate lesson when he was eleven years old, and he was also focused on weightlifting training. Not only that, he took ballet classes with strict routines. Van Damme won the award in several competitions he participated in, such as EPKA’s middleweight battle during his teenage years. He was also hailed as “Mr. Belgium”, showcasing his perfectly built body.

In addition, he opened a gym in his hometown after receiving some modeling offers.

However, he was fascinated with becoming a big star and wanted to work in the film industry. To pursue this dream, he went to Hong Kong and China, trying to take a chance on the martial arts film business. In 1982, Van Damme continued his passion and dream and moved to Los Angeles, California, to reach Hollywood.

Van Damme’s career, personal life, achievements

Van Damme started small before reaching stardom, with several minor roles in films such as a waiter, taxi driver, aerobics instructor and a club bouncer. Before he got the name Van Damme, he was called “Frank Cujo”. He got a big break in the 1988 movie “Bloodsport” where he showcased his skills in karate, especially with his unique jumping helicopter kick. The movie became a blockbuster and earned about $35 million. In the following year, the name Jean-Claude Van Damme really became known when he starred in the movie titled “Kickboxer”, which also became a huge hit.

Movies in which Van Damme starred filled the big screen, action movies like “Double Impact” in 1991, “Universal Soldier” in 1992, “Time Cop” in 1994, “Sudden Death” in 1995 and “Maximum Risk” in 1996. with its flexible kicks and original gymnastic splits. In 1996, Van Damme ventured into directing a movie entitled “The Quest” and it was a success. He went on to make two more films, but they failed to interest the audience.

On the other hand, Van Damme’s name got involved in controversies in 1990 while he was at the height of his fame. He would have used cocaine and sleeping pills, to which he became addicted. He was also arrested in 1999 for driving under the influence. In addition, Van Damme was found to have bipolar disorder, but under medication he put his private life in order and also improved his mental health.

Van Damme resurfaced in 2008 as a better version of himself in the movie “JCVD”, which caught viewers’ attention with his performance and received positive feedback. This sparked the resurgence of Van Damme’s fame, which led him to a role in 2010’s “Universal Soldier: Regeneration” and in 2011 he was cast in “Kung Fu Panda 2”, voicing the Master Croc character. The following year, 2012, he returned to his original genre in an action movie, as a member of the kick-ass group in “The Expendables 2”.

In the middle of the last quarter of 2012, a bronze statue of Van Damme with a fighting stance was unveiled in Brussels.

Speaking of relationships, Van Damme has five marriages to four women and became a father of three. His first wife was Maria Rodriguez, but their union lasted only four years from 1980 to 1984. After that, Van Damme married Cynthia Derderian in 1985, but they separated after only a year.

His marriages to Gladys Portugues and Darcy LaPier have already been discussed.

Van Damme has three children, two with Gladys and the other son Nicolas with LaPier.

Hobbies, favorite things and interesting facts

Gladys Portugues likes to update her fans through her Instagram account, which has more than 35,000 followers. There she posts beautiful pictures of her family, selfies, modeling photo shoots and approved brands.

Moreover, to maintain her body, she still manages to go to the gym regularly, after some intense workouts. In addition, she also eats a balanced diet to stay in good shape.

Portugues also falls under the astrological sign Libra, which therefore makes her diplomatic, idealistic, energetic and social.

Appearance and clothing style

Gladys has lush, voluminous black hair and enchanting black eyes. She is 1.65 m tall, weighs 55 kg and her vital statistics are 35-25-38. Regarding her clothing style, Gladys prefers simple yet elegant looks, often wearing jackets and tank tops. Not to mention her beautiful face, mesomorphic body and outstanding personality are some unique features that play a vital role in completing her look.

Net worth, income and lifestyle

As of early 2021, Gladys net worth is estimated to be approx $5 million, while her husband is reportedly sitting on a net worth of $40 million. Gladys has not shared valid details about vehicles, house and other properties and current income. Looking at her social media appearances, it is easy to tell that she is currently living luxuriously with her loved ones.