(NEXSTAR) — Chad McQueen, the son of actor Steve McQueen best known for his role as “Dutch” in “The Karate Kid” series, has died at 63, the actor and producer’s family confirmed Thursday. No cause of death has yet been released.
In a post to Instagram, McQueen’s children Chase and Madison and wife Jeanie wrote: “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 was born Chadwick Steven McQueen on Dec. 28, 1960, to action film star and race car driver Steve McQueen and performer Neile Adams. McQueen made his acting debut in the 1978 sports drama “Skateboard” before his big break as “Dutch” in 1984’s “The Karate Kid.”
Dutch would make appearances in “The Karate Kid Part II” and McQueen would go on to feature in and produce several films, many of which were written by “Law & Order” creator Dick Wolf.
In addition to his wife and kids, McQueen is also survived by son Steven R. McQueen, an actor known for roles on “The Vampire Diaries” and the NBC dramas “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago P.D.”
Although the late Chad McQueen was offered a role on Netflix’s “Karate Kid” TV series, “Cobra Kai,” the actor declined and was the only member of the original Cobra Kai dojo not to appear.
According to Deadline, McQueen was an executive producer on a film in development at Netflix called “Yucatan,” which has reportedly been in development for decades, originating as his late father’s project. McQueen previously served as executive producer on two documentaries about his father.