Kamel, a Belgian citizen born in Tunisia, had a unique upbringing in Brussels, where he began his journey with none other than the young Jean-Claude Van Damme, who was only 13 years old at the time. The two soon became inseparable friends, with Van Damme's rapid rise to fame in Hollywood bringing Kamel along for the ride.
As Van Damme's constant companion, Kamel was invited to join him at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in 1989, where they rubbed shoulders with industry professionals and made valuable connections. It was during this time that producer Mark DiSalle spotted Kamel and approached him to appear alongside Van Damme in the 1990 film "Death Warrant". This was a pivotal moment for Kamel, who had been running a restaurant in Brussels at the time and had never imagined that he would find his true calling in the film industry.
Kamel's big break came when he joined Van Damme in America, where he became his personal trainer and appeared in several of his starring vehicles, including "Death Warrant", "Lionheart", "Double Impact", "Universal Soldier", "Maximum Risk", and "The Legionnaire". His reputation in Hollywood soon preceded him, earning him the mentorship of none other than international action star Steven Seagal.
While working with Seagal, Kamel took on a role in his first blockbuster, "Under Siege", directed by Andy Davis, who was also behind the critically acclaimed film "The Fugitive". Kamel's impressive performance in the film led to guest appearances on popular TV shows such as "Baywatch" and "Thunder in Paradise", as well as commercials.
The response to his work in "Kickboxer IV" was overwhelmingly positive, leading Stephen J. Friedman, CEO of King's Road, the film's production company, to offer Kamel a four-picture deal. However, Kamel instead chose to accept an offer from Mario Kassar, marking a significant turning point in his career.
