Chad McQueen, an actor known for his performances in the Karate Kid movies and the son of the late actor and race car driver Steve McQueen, has died. He was 63.
McQueen’s attorney and friend Arthur H. Barens confirmed to The Associated Press that he died Wednesday. The cause of death was not disclosed. His wife, Jeanie, and his children, Chase and Madison, shared a statement on Instagram Thursday afternoon from McQueen’s verified account, announcing the news of his death with “a heavy heart.”
“His remarkable journey as a loving father to us, along with his unwavering commitment to our mother, truly exemplified a life filled with love and dedication. His passion for racing not only highlighted his exceptional talent, but also served as a way to honour his father’s legacy, a testament to the values instilled in him,” the statement reads.
“He passed his passion, knowledge and dedication down to us and we will continue not only his legacy but our grandfather’s as well.”
The family requested privacy while they “remember and celebrate his extraordinary life.”
McQueen followed in his father’s footsteps, pursuing both acting and race car driving. He became well-known for his role as Dutch, an antagonist from the Cobra Kai team in 1984’s The Karate Kid, as well as its sequel two years later.
Focus on racing
While he starred in several films after the hit action franchise, including New York Cop, Squanderers and Red Line, he ultimately engaged more in racing than acting, and he eventually founded McQueen Racing, a company that creates custom cars, motorcycles and accessories. His son, Chase, who also races, and his daughter, Madison, now run the company.
“I didn’t find acting fun anymore,” McQueen told The Associated Press in a 2005 interview. “So, I decided to give racing a total commitment.”
McQueen raced professionally for years, competing in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona races before he suffered from a series of injuries behind the wheel.
His work with McQueen Racing was designed to preserve and continue his father’s legacy. McQueen also produced two documentaries about his father: I Am Steve McQueen and Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans.
The Karate Kid franchise has gained a new generation of viewers through the Netflix series, Cobra Kai.
Jon Hurwitz, Cobra Kai producer, paid tribute to Chad McQueen in a lengthy post on X.
“When interviewing writers for Cobra Kai, if the candidate didn’t know who Dutch was, it was an uphill battle for them,” said Hurwitz.
“We always wanted Chad McQueen to appear on the show. And it almost happened a couple of times. Chad was torn. His racing injuries limited his capabilities, but he loved the idea of playing again with his pal, [Billy Zabka].”
McQueen was the only son of his father and mother, Neile Toffel, who was also an actor. He had one sister, Terry, who died of respiratory failure at age 38 in 1998.
Steve McQueen, star of films like The Great Escape, Bullitt and Towering Inferno, died a cancer-related death in 1980 at age 50.
Chad McQueen is survived by his wife and three children, Chase, Madison and Steven, who is an actor best known for The Vampire Diaries.
