Gladys Portugues
American bodybuilder and actress
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gladys Portugues (born September 30, 1957) is an American former professional female bodybuilder and actress. As a bodybuilder, Gladys placed twice in the top 10 in the Ms. Olympia contest. Gladys is married to Belgian actor and martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Gladys Portugues | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gladys Portugues September 30, 1957 |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2 |
Personal life
Born of Puerto Rican parents, Gladys has said that she was inspired to start her own bodybuilding and weight training regimen while attending Marymount Manhattan College, when Gladys saw Rachel McLish on television winning the Ms. Olympia title.[citation needed]
In 1987, at the age of 30, Gladys married Belgian martial artist and actor Jean-Claude Van Damme (born Jean-Claude van Varenberg).[1] The couple divorced in 1992, then remarried in 1999. They have two kids: Kristopher van Varenberg (b.1987) and Bianca Brigitte (b.1990).[2]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Pumping Iron II: The Women | Herself | Cinecom International Films |
| 1986 | The Morning After | Bodybuilder | 20th Century Fox |
| 1987 | It's Alive III: Island of the Alive | Waitress | Larco Productions Inc. |
TV
| Year | Title | Episodes | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Behind Closed Doors | 1 season (8 episodes) | Herself |
Books
- Hard Bodies Express, Portugues, Dell; Reissue 1988, ISBN 0-440-53426-7
- Hard Bodies, Portugues and Vedral, Dell; Reissue edition 1986, ISBN 0-440-53424-0