Chad McQueen, the 'Karate Kid' actor, dies at 63

Chad McQueen, an actor best known for playing Dutch in the "Karate Kid" film franchise and the son of actor Steve McQueen, died on Wednesday at his home in Palm Desert, California. He was aged 63.

Arthur Barens, his lawyer and friend, stated that the cause was organ failure.

His family confirmed his death on social media, accompanied by a photo of him as a youngster with his renowned father.

His wife, Jeanie Galbraith, paid tribute to him on Instagram with their son Chase and daughter Madison.

The family announced his death “with a heavy heart,” adding: “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 honor his father’s legacy, a testament to the values instilled in him. He passed his passion, knowledge and dedication down to us and we will continue not only his legacy but our grandfathers as well.”

McQueen is also survived by his son from a previous relationship, Steven R. McQueen, an actor who appeared in "The Vampire Diaries."

Chad McQueen has appeared in over 25 films and television shows as an actor, producer, and in other roles. He is well known for his role as Dutch in the 1984 teen hit "The Karate Kid."

Chad McQueen repeated his part in the sequel to "The Karate Kid Part II" in 1986, as well as appearing in several other films and producing two documentaries about his father: "I Am Steve McQueen" in 2014 and "Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans" the next year.

His father, who rose to prominence in the 1960s with action films like "The Magnificent Seven" and "The Great Escape," died in Mexico in 1980 at the age of 50 after surgery to remove a tumor.

Aside from his acting career, the younger McQueen inherited his father's enthusiasm for automobiles.

He spent years racing professionally, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona, but suffered a number of injuries as a result.

In 2010, he formed McQueen Racing with his two daughters, Chase and Madison, to create custom automobiles and motorcycles while also working in the film industry.

“I was surrounded by the two things: film and motorsports, and motorsports always seemed to attract me more,” Mr. McQueen said in a 2017 interview. He described his father’s well-known love of cars as so infectious that “it screwed me up for life.”