There’s no denying that Steve McQueen was a legend in his own time. Known for his rebellious attitude, his love of fast cars, and a style that became iconic, McQueen earned the nickname "The King of Cool." He was also the highest-paid actor in the 1970s. But beneath the glitz and glamour, Steve harbored deep insecurities. He once confessed, "I was haunted by a vision that someday I would be standing on a street corner at age 50, begging people for spare change." It’s a raw admission from a man who seemed to have it all.
It’s easy to see why Steve felt unworthy. His childhood was anything but easy. "My mother didn’t love me and I didn’t have a father," he revealed. These early years left a lasting impact on the actor, who is the subject of a new book, Steve McQueen: In His Own Words, penned by Marshall Terrill. "The only education I had was in survival," Steve said, reflecting on his tough upbringing. "I had to learn to look out for myself when I was a kid." It’s a story of resilience and grit, one that shaped the man he would become.
Life wasn’t easy for Steve McQueen growing up. He struggled with dyslexia and suffered hearing loss due to a childhood illness, which made school a challenge. At home, things were no better. Steve often found himself in fights with his stepfather. After being caught stealing hubcaps, he was sent to Boys Republic, a school for troubled youth. Surprisingly, Steve later called it "probably the best thing that ever happened to me." Once he became a star, Steve gave back to the California school by donating his time.
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A Turning Point: Finding Acting
In 1951, Steve landed in New York, a place that would change his life forever. It was there that a girlfriend convinced him to take acting classes. At first, it wasn’t love at first sight. "At the beginning, I had to force myself to stick with it," he admitted. "I was real uncomfortable." But acting opened up a new world for Steve. "For the first time in my life, I found a little kindness," he recalled. "A place where people talked out their problems instead of punching you." It was a revelation that set him on a new path.
Love and Family: The Highs and Lows
Steve also found love with actress Neile Adams, whom he married in 1956. By the time he became the breakout star of The Magnificent Seven, the couple had two children, Terry, born in 1959, and Chad, born in 1960. For a while, Steve believed he’d finally found true happiness. "I wake up and I want to check and make sure I’m the Steve McQueen in the movies, [who] has a wonderful wife, two great kids, a home of his own and money in the bank. Man, I can’t get used to it," he said. He even called marriage "a sacred thing."
But life isn’t always a straight line. Despite his commitment to marriage, Steve fell in love with Ali MacGraw, his co-star in the 1972 film The Getaway. "She’s my New York intellectual," he gushed. Though he worried about the impact of divorce on his children, Steve and Neile parted ways after nearly 15 years together. Unfortunately, his marriage to Ali didn’t bring the happiness he hoped for, and they divorced after five years. In the final years of his life, Steve turned to his faith and became a Christian. He married model Barbara Minty just eight months before his death in late 1980. "I love the Lord, and I can’t figure out why He let me get cancer," Steve said. "[But] if He wants me to die, I’ll die. I won’t fight it." It’s a poignant reflection from a man who faced life’s challenges head-on.
For more on this story, pick up the latest issue of Closer magazine, on newsstands now.
