Last updated on: January 11, 2025

People refer to her as the wife of a Belgian action movie actor, Jean-Claude Van Damme. Jean-Claude rose to fame in Hollywood through his action flicks. Before he became famous, he was married to Maria. Their marriage was one that saw him in the early stages of his life, even though it did not last long. Here are all the things you will get to know concerning Maria Rodriguez.

Quick Facts About Maria Rodriguez

Early Life of Maria Rodriguez

Maria Rodriguez was born on 1954, in Venezuela. She grew up in a different country from Jean-Claude, and their paths crossed in the late 1970s. Maria was still young when she met Jean-Claude, and they soon became a couple.

How Maria and Jean-Claude Met

At that time, Jean-Claude Van Damme was no superstar. Indeed, he only just started a very promising carrier, trying hard to make the Hollywood big shot. He is not yet widely known for doing any action or acting roles and just did occasional work as carpets layman or delivering pizzas as side jobs in between.

Although the journey was challenging, Jean-Claude and Maria started dating in 1978. Soon enough, the couple grew in love, and then they got married. The couple married on August 25, 1980.

Marriage to Jean-Claude Van Damme

But their marriage came before Jean-Claude’s rise to fame. In fact, they married just as he was transitioning from being a martial artist in Belgium to becoming an actor in the United States. He is definitely not the now-famous action star that millions will soon know and adore.

During the marriage, Jean-Claude worked hard to find his place in Hollywood. He did jobs that were far from glamorous – laying carpets. However, he never gave up his dream and was an actor in the making.

But that life came at the cost of pressures his growing career was placing and financial strain was placing on his marriage with Maria. Although love, care, and support characterized this marriage, all the stresses surrounding such changes had left no options for their living together. Just after three years of marriage in 1984, Maria decided to divorce him.

Life after divorce

After she and Jean-Claude separated, Maria slipped out of the spotlight completely. She made no media reports herself and did not, like many before her, attempt to carve out a career in acting. Instead, she spent the rest of her life largely outside of public attention.

According to reports, after the divorce, Maria remained as a personal trainer in Delray Beach, Florida. She continued focusing on her personal life and fitness career without drawing much media attention to her life.

Very little is known about her life since the divorce as she tends to keep out of the public view. She still remains one of the figures of Jean-Claude’s childhood.

READ ALSO: Jean Claude Van Damme Net worth, Age, Wife, Family, Facts & More

Early Life of Jean-Claude

After his divorce from Maria, Jean-Claude’s career took off. He became a major action star in the 1990s, with popular movies like Bloodsport, Kickboxer, Universal Soldier, and Timecop. His fame grew quickly, and he became known worldwide for his martial arts skills and acting talent.

For the most part of this period, Jean-Claude had several other marriages, but his first marriage to Maria is still remembered as being a stepping stone in his personal life.

Source: celebs.infoseemedia.com