The Belgian actor Jean-Claude Van Damme is reportedly facing a lawsuit from a marketing company which claims he breached his contract in an endorsement deal.
Marketing agency Thane International claims that the actor (most famous for his roles in action films Timecop, Streetfighter and Bloodsport) signed up to endorse the Total Flex home gym system but then failed to do so when it came time to film the infomercial for the product.
Thane International has accused Van Damme of not knowing his lines for the infomercial, nor practising enough with the gym equipment beforehand. The company claims that the martial artist refused to go through with the filming of the advert.
Van Damme also discussed the Total Flex gym system on his own TV show in 2011. In an episode in the series Jean-Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors, he insisted that he would never endorse a product he didn’t like.
Thane International is now suing Van Damme for compensatory and punitive damages, plus interest and legal fees. If the actor should lose his case, he will need to rely on some form of professional indemnity insurance in order to cover these costs.