Jean-Claude Van Damme Breaks the Ice After Chuck Norris’s Death as Hollywood Greats Pay Their Tributes
“I don’t age. I level up,” were the touching words in Chuck Norris’s last Instagram post, which he made on his 86th birthday, just over a week before the shocking news of his death.
According to the family, theWalker: Texas Ranger star passed away peacefully while surrounded by his family, hours after being rushed to the hospital from his home on Hawaii’s Kauai island. Chuck Norris’ death marks the end of an era for the action film genre and the martial arts world as a whole, where his macho personality and signature roundhouse kick had immense influence.
“Chuck Norris didn’t die, he just completed his mission & went to rest…” Mario Lopez commented in a typical Chuck Norris-style tribute. A renowned conservative, news of Chuck Norris’s death invoked a stream of touching tributes from Republicans led by President Donald Trump, who described him as “a really good, tough cookie” and “a great supporter.”
Texas Governor Gregg Abbott also remembered Norris with a tribute to his long-running CBS show, saying, “He embodied the toughness, grit, and patriotism that makes Texas supreme.” Trump’s special envoy to Hollywood and Norris’s The Expendables 2 co-star Sylvester Stallone also paid his respects, saying, “I had a great time working with Chuck, he was All American in every way. Great man.”
Chuck Norris didn't die, he just completed his mission & went to rest…#RestWellLegend pic.twitter.com/KOrkoOAbd6
— Mario Lopez (@mariolopezviva) March 20, 2026
From his Expendables 2 co-stars Arnold Schwarzennegar and Dolph Lundgren, to Cobra Kai creator Jon Hurwitz, the martial arts world mourned Chuck Norris’s death in colorful tributes all around. However, one tribute spectacularly stood out, as it came from the Belgian-American martial-arts icon Jean-Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris’ one-time student and close associate. Their relationship was life-changing, although it ended on a sour note, leading to the divergence of their career paths and decades of silence.
Most significantly, Jean-Claude Van Damme was an uncredited extra in Chuck Norris’s 1984 film Missing in Action, the film that marked the turning point in their once close relationship. According to Van Damme’s childhood friend and training partner, Mohammed (Michel) Qissi, Van Damme and Chuck Norris had a falling out in the Philippines on the set of Missing in Action. Van Damme apparently abandoned Norris and went to a party after accompanying Chuck Norris to help him train while also acting in the film.
The two never featured together in a film again until The Expendables 2, where they don’t appear jointly in any scenes either. However, before a longer tribute and a series of photos of him training together with Chuck Norris, Van Damme gave a touching line on his relationship with the legend, “Before the world knew my name, he already believed in me. Rest in peace, brother.”
The nature of their misunderstanding points to the depth of Chuck Norris’s no-nonsense personality and unwavering discipline that defined him both on and off the screen. The two met in the early 80s after Van Damme moved to the US to chase his dream of becoming an actor. Thanks to their shared love for martial arts, Van Damme and Chuck Norris became close friends, especially since Norris was the only martial arts star to respond to Van Damme’s letter as he sought a training partner across the Atlantic.
Van Damme and his friend Qissi moved into Chuck Norris’ house, where they trained for three days a week. As Chuck Norris helped Van Damme gain his footing in the film industry, he also employed him as a bouncer at his Long Beach pub, Woody’s Wharf. Van Damme clearly never lost respect for the man as he gave more details of the traits that made Chuck Norris a true legend in a slew of tribute posts on his social media. “Deepest condolences on the passing of my friend, Chuck Norris. We knew each other from my early days, and I always respected the man he was. My heart and prayers are with his family. He will never be forgotten,” Van Damme said.
