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Steve McQueen rebelled against Hollywood — and it served him well
"What's right for me is cool for me," said McQueen.
Known for his wild temper and rebellious nature, Steve McQueen wasn't exactly the best fit to star in every film and television series. He was certainly an acquired taste, and some never acquired the taste for the actor.
During an interview with the Albert Lea Tribune, McQueen revealed that things got quite heated between him and his Magnificent Seven costar, Yul Brenner. Although McQueen wasn't willing to spare all the details, he was fairly frank about the situation. "When you work in a scene with Yul, you're supposed to stand perfectly still 10 feet away," said McQueen. "Well, I don't work that way. So I protected myself."
McQueen chafed against the authority of Hollywood, even during his time starring in Wanted Dead or Alive.
"They buy your talent, then twist it into a big regimentation," said McQueen. "Well, I resisted. I came out alive because I slept under a tree every chance I had. I fought against what they wanted me to be - and I won. They tried to make me into a buffoon. My idea was to play Josh Randall rank - and that's the way I played him - real rank."
McQueen held strong to his beliefs, despite what others thought of him. An individual amongst the masses, he not only forged his own path as an actor but as a man.
"What's right for me is cool for me," said McQueen. "People thought I was a nut when I raced cars. It wasn't an act - it was important to me at the time. It was right for me."
