Oscar winner Steve McQueen: He makes his prostate cancer diagnosis public

Oscar winner Steve McQueen, 55, has revealed he was diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago. During a routine checkup while the filmmaker was working on his latest project, “Blitz,” he was informed of a small tumor on his prostate, he revealed to Deadline.

The British director of 2013’s 12 Years a Slave underwent surgery to remove the cancerous tumor and is now “fully recovered and functioning.” Filming was “postponed for two weeks” so he could undergo the procedure. He further explained that he had kept his “diagnosis secret so as not to alarm the cast and crew.” “I was just in bed working on the computer, sending emails and whatever,” McQueen said.

After recovering, he returned to the set because he “just wanted to get on with the work.” And added: “That’s just who I am. I’m a person who just keeps going.”

McQueen, whose father died of prostate cancer in 2006, launched a new campaign for prostate cancer research. Because of his family history and diagnosis, he urges other men, especially black men, to get early cancer screenings. “In a way you could say my father saved my life because unfortunately he died from it,” he told the magazine. “I knew that if it got to me, I could be treated in a very effective way, and that was about it,” McQueen said. However, he also noted that other men are “on their own” when it comes to this issue.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among American men. According to the American Cancer Society, more than one in eight are affected. For black men it is even one in six. Additionally, black men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer as white men, CNN reported.

“One in twelve black men will die of prostate cancer,” McQueen also said. “For me, it was about getting ahead of the disease. The fact that I had been getting ahead of the situation for years was also my salvation in this respect. So, just get ahead of the situation and recognize it early,” is his advice. “The tragedy is that no one has to die from it,” McQueen added. “That’s the real tragedy.”

Steve McQueen has also brought his activism to the screen. In 2021, he released a short film called “Embarrassed” to raise awareness about prostate cancer in the black community. Idris Elba (52), Morgan Freeman (87) and other stars starred in the film. He also made a new short film for the “Proactive for Your Prostrate” campaign with David Harewood (58).

“Blitz” will be released worldwide on Apple TV+ on November 22nd.