JEAN Claude Van Damme is no longer getting divorced.
The ‘Expendables 2’ star’s wife Gladys Portugues Van Varenberg - who have grown-up children Kristopher and Bianca together - filed a petition to end their 15-year marriage in March but the 54-year-old actor insists they have now put their problems behind them and are as “strong” as ever.
He told TMZ: “The JCVD family are still strong, the wife is strong, the kids are strong.
“There’s so much divorce around the world and it’s very bad for the children, that’s the problem. Couples have to work through their stuff together no matter what, they have to grow.”
And the 54-year-old actor - who was previously married to Gladys from 1987 to 1992 before remarrying her in 1999 after his marriage to fourth wife Darcy LaPier broke down - claimed staying together would even benefit America.
He added: “I’ve divorced before and it’s not funny for the children or the parents or even the country.
“People have to stick together like in the old times, it will make America look very strong and the value will come back.”
The action star went on to explain his and Gladys’ love is the most important thing.
He said: “Divorce is a word and love is a feeling, it’s very hard to mix both. A feeling, and words. Words is for legal, it’s for the law, good or bad, the law is good, [but] it can be bad sometimes. The feeling is love and it can be very hard for the lawyers to understand. They do their job as lawyers you know...
“We still love each other, of course, and all the people I met in my life, I love all of them. Every time you spend time with a person, whether it’s 10 minutes or 20 minutes, you build memories. If you listen for fake, then you’re stupid so every time you spend time with people in life, you should always enjoy and everybody should be in peace.”
