ACTION movie star Jean Claude Van Damme, who described himself to Keeping Posted as ''the newest kid on the Hollywood block'' is in town on a special mission.
Invited on board Planet Hollywood by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis as a partner in their restaurant chain, Van Damme will officiate at the ceremonial stone-laying on Friday of Planet Hollywood Hong Kong which is soon to open in Canton Road.
He explained: ''Arnie did it in New York, Sly in London and Bruce last month in Aspen. So I was asked to do Hong Kong.'' We met up with the muscle-bound actor over dinner at the Plume restaurant where we were joined by Van Damme's stunning fiancee Darcy La Peir - the couple will be tying the knot next month in Los Angeles.
Belgian-born but now based in LA (he was telling us with much relief that his sprawling home in San Fernando Valley only sustained two cracked mirrors in the 3,000-square-foot gym during the recent earthquake), Van Damme has a special affinity with Asia,with three of his movies having been shot in the region. But Hong Kong, he says, carries a special place in his heart.
Prior to making it in Hollywood as a kick-boxing specialist, he served his apprenticeship in the territory. He even owes his stage name ''Van Damme'' to Hong Kong as he adopted it from a businessman friend from Belgium who lives here. And Salon Films boss Charles Wang, the nearest thing we have to a Hollywood mogul, is, according to Van Damme ''one of my closest buddies''.
While in Asia on his current trip Van Damme has been checking out locations for his next movie, a US$35 million (HK$270 million) thriller entitled Quest, where for the first time he will be both the star and director.