Comparing the career arcs of martial arts blockbuster icons isn’t easy, and some argue it’s impossible. On the one hand, side-by-side box office comparisons are a seemingly obvious ploy. Conversely, a career is much more than successful movie roles, especially when it comes to the legacy of Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal. Although both Van Damme and Segal were adamant about their rights in the 80s and 90s, we put them side by side to see whose careers went more favorably for decades.
Lasting Legacy in Film (Based on Ratings)
Looking at the top-rated films, Seagal received a 79% on Rotten Tomatoes for Fan Favorite Under Siege and JCVD with a 92% for 2018’s Kickboxer: Retaliation. While both actors dominated the 80s and 90s, the slow burn through of the outdated stages of their careers is noteworthy. Blockbuster success doesn’t necessarily mean critical success, which both stars suffer from. After all, Seagal and Van Damme are both martial artists first and actors and artists second.
Who is More Accomplished in the Martial Arts Community?
JCVD boasts a daunting amount of awards and accolades compared to its contemporaries, including: gold at Mr. Belgian Bodybuilding Championships at 76 (Gold), Belgian Lightweight Karate Championships at 77- m (gold), karate Belgium. European Team Championship in 1979 (gold) and the Belgian Coupe des Espoirs Karate Championship in 1980 (silver). His full roster of light contact and kickboxing competitions shows he has serious business on and off screen in mind.
Seagal is by no means an amateur, but in his upbringing he went a different way. In fact, he holds a 7th dan black belt in aikido, a discipline based not so much on fighting as on situational awareness. Seagal has no awards, but it is worth noting that he ran his father-in-law’s dojo in Japan in his early years. While Segal clearly has moves in his films, he is objectively a lesser titled fighter than Van Damme.
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Who is Easier to Work With?
Both actors have been described as “difficult” to work throughout their careers. While it’s no secret that Van Damme has had a hand in staging action scenes in his films, causing tension, Steven Seagal is the only person in history to be banned from SNL for life. While he learned situational awareness from his aikido upbringing, the SNL cast largely opined that he lacked self-awareness and it was difficult to joke around during recording. Conversely, Van Damme has been seen hilariously recreating the infamous kickboxer dance on a night track.
Life Outside of Film
Steven Seagal is an avid guitarist and has a collection of axes that even the most experienced musicians would envy. Seagal boasts that he has guitars in his arsenal that once belonged to Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and the legendary blues musician BB King. Citing music as his first love, Seagal released the albums Songs from the Crystal Cave and Mojo Priest in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Although the 7th dan black belt did not go platinum, he toured successfully to support his passion and even helped write music for some of his films. Van Damme, on the other hand, is a highly decorated and celebrated martial artist. While Van Damme would certainly have lost a squad battle against Segal, a hand-to-hand combat would certainly mark him as the winner.
Net Worth:
Celebrity Net Worth claims Seagal’s net worth is around $16 million, while Van Damme is valued at a whopping $40 million. While both stars amassed the lion’s share of their fortunes in the 80s and 90s, Van Damme benefited from becoming more prolific and receiving more favorable reviews later in his career.