Photo by Bruno Mouron & Pascal Rostain
 
Negative Year: n/a
Print size: 20.9x29.5 cm (incl. 1cm white frame)
Style: Vintage gelatin silver print
Stamp on the verso
 
The Backstory:
Steve McQueen, known as the "King of Cool" was famous for roles in films like Bullitt and The Great Escape. Born in 1930, McQueen had a tough childhood, marked by neglect and abandonment, shaping his complex personality.
His son, Chad McQueen, was born in 1960. Steve’s career kept him away from home often, leading to a strained father-son relationship. But they shared a love for cars and racing.
 
Chad grew up in the shadow of his famous father, experiencing both the perks and pressures of Hollywood. Despite their distance, Steve was protective of Chad, taking him to races and bonding over motorsports. Steve’s untimely death from cancer in 1980 at age 50 left Chad, then 19, struggling with grief and the legacy of his father’s fame.
 
After Steve's death, Chad pursued his own career, acting in films like The Karate Kid and continued racing professionally. However, he often faced comparisons to his father. Chad spoke candidly about the emotional gap between him and Steve, acknowledging both admiration and regret over their relationship. He admired his father's talent but struggled with the lack of emotional connection.
 
Despite these challenges, Chad honored his father’s memory through his own career and personal reflections. Steve McQueen's legacy as an iconic actor and a symbol of coolness lives on, but for Chad, he was simply Dad — a man whose influence, both present and absent, shaped his life.