Chad McQueen, the son of Steve McQueen and best known for his role in The Karate Kid, has died aged 63, his family has confirmed.

McQueen played Dutch in the original 1984 film and its sequel The Karate Kid Part II two years later, and appeared in other films including 1993’s New York Cop.

He passed away on Wednesday at his ranch in Palm Springs, California, his wife Jeanie and children Chase and Madison said in a statement.

McQueen died of progressive organ failure, his attorney Arthur Barens told The Hollywood Reporter. He sustained an injury from a fall in 2020 and never fully recovered.

His family told Variety: "It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our father, Chad McQueen.

"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 honour 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 grandfather’s as well.

"As a family, we need to navigate this difficult time, and we kindly ask for privacy as we remember and celebrate his extraordinary life."

In The Karate Kid films, McQueen’s character Dutch was a martial arts thug and a member of the Cobra Kai gang.

It was reported he was set to reprise his role in the recent The Karate Kid spin-off series, Cobra Kai, on Netflix, but this never materialised.

McQueen’s other acting credits include Martial Law, Death Ring, and Red Line, while as a producer he won a Telly Award for his documentary Filming at Speed.

His final acting role was Manny Carlotti in the 2001 film The Fall.

Outside of Hollywood, like his father, he was a keen racing driver and began his motorsport career with the Sports Car Club of America.

McQueen competed in various races from Motocross to the Baja 1000. He suffered a near-fatal crash in 2006 while practising for the Daytona International Speedway Rolex 24 event.

In 2010, he founded McQueen Racing, a company that develops high-performance cars and motorbikes.

McQueen was born on 28th December 1960. He was the only son of the King of Cool, Steve McQueen, and his mother was actress Neile Adams.

He was married three times to horse trainer Jill Henderson White Pasceri, Stacia Toten, and Jeanie Galbraith.

McQueen had a son, actor Steven McQueen, with Toten, and son Chase and daughter Madison with Jeanie.