Steven R. McQueen

Biography:

McQueen was born in Los Angeles on July 13, 1988, to Stacey (née Toten), a humanitarian and former actress, and Chad McQueen, a former actor and race car driver. His paternal grandparents are legendary actor Steve McQueen and Filipino actress Neile Adams. His stepfather, Luc Robitaille, is a former professional ice hockey player and executive honored in the Hockey Hall of Fame. McQueen is the eldest of four siblings, with a half-brother, Chase, and a half-sister, Madison, from his father’s remarriage, and another half-brother, Jesse Robitaille, from his mother’s remarriage. He performs under the name “Steven R. McQueen,” with the “R” representing Robitaille. Speaking to the New York Post, McQueen explained that his stepfather played a more fatherly role in his life, while he maintains a close but different relationship with his biological father, whom he likened more to an uncle.

During his mid-teens, McQueen frequently relocated with his family, living in cities such as Detroit and completing his education through homeschooling until graduation. While in Detroit, he began watching films—particularly those starring his grandfather—which gradually sparked his interest in acting. After taking a few classes and realizing his passion, he eventually returned to Los Angeles to pursue formal acting training.

At 17, McQueen made his television debut in September 2005 with a guest appearance on the CBS science fiction series Threshold. He later appeared in several other CBS shows, including Numb3rs, Without a Trace, and CSI: Miami. One of his early notable roles was a recurring part as Kyle Hunter in the fourth and final season of Everwood (2005–2006), portraying a gifted yet withdrawn teenage pianist grappling with his sexuality. The storyline aimed to highlight the challenges faced by young people navigating similar struggles. Although he appeared in the short film Club Soda in 2006, his feature film debut came in January 2008 with the Disney Channel Original Movie Minutemen, where he played antagonist Derek Beaugard. Reflecting on the role, McQueen noted that playing a villain was enjoyable because it contrasted with his real-life personality.

In 2009, McQueen was cast as Jeremy Gilbert in The CW’s adaptation of The Vampire Diaries, a role he played for six seasons until 2015. His character was written out when Jeremy left Mystic Falls to attend art school. McQueen’s work on the series earned him a nomination for the Choice TV Male Scene Stealer Award at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards. He later reprised the role with special appearances in the series finale in 2017 and again in 2018 on the spin-off Legacies. Beyond television, he appeared in the 2010 horror film Piranha 3D, a modern take on the 1978 classic, playing an awkward teenager who develops feelings for an older girl.

Outside of acting, McQueen worked as a fashion model alongside Christa B. Allen, Colton Haynes, and Debby Ryan for Abercrombie & Fitch’s Spring 2014 campaign, “The Making of a Star.” In promotional materials, he spoke about being inspired by his grandfather’s career, recalling how watching Steve McQueen’s films as a child in Detroit motivated him to follow a similar path.

A decade into his acting career, McQueen joined the NBC drama Chicago Fire in 2015, debuting in the fourth-season premiere as firefighter candidate Jimmy Borrelli. Initially credited as a recurring character, he was promoted to the main cast shortly thereafter and also appeared in crossover episodes of Chicago P.D. As part of the storyline, his character sustained a severe injury during a fire call, leading to his departure from the series early in the fifth season in October 2016.

In 2018, McQueen appeared as a guest star on Legacies and co-starred in the short film The Take Off, which premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. That same year, he starred in the Hallmark television movie Home by Spring and portrayed posthumous Medal of Honor recipient Joseph Vittori in an episode of Netflix’s documentary anthology Medal of Honor.

In 2020, McQueen acted alongside Neal McDonough and Casper Van Dien in the INSP Western television film The Warrant. He shared that his involvement came through a long-standing family friendship with McDonough, who invited him to join the project for what promised to be a fun Western experience.

McQueen announced his engagement to model Alexandra Silva on Instagram in January 2018, but the couple ended their engagement a few months later in May.

Since 2014, McQueen has actively supported the Thirst Project, a nonprofit dedicated to providing clean drinking water to underserved communities worldwide. His involvement includes attending annual fundraising galas and traveling to Eswatini to assist with building water systems. He also supports TECHO and Echoes of Hope, a nonprofit founded by his parents, which focuses on helping at-risk and emancipated foster youth achieve stability and success.