Steven R. McQueen

A scion of Hollywood royalty, it was inevitable that Steven R. McQueen would follow in his grandfather Steve McQueen's footsteps as an actor. As the grandson of a Hollywood legend, the young McQueen was careful to rely on his natural talent and hardworking ethic over using his family name to make inroads in the industry.

He launched his acting career on the small screen with a memorable role as a closeted gay teen on the long-running family drama "Everwood" (The WB, 2002-06), and continued to take on roles of social outcasts, whether it was for a Disney Channel feature such as "Minutemen" (2008), about time-traveling high school students, or his breakthrough performance as an emotionally troubled, drug-addicted teen on "The Vampire Diaries" (The CW, 2009-17). His role on the latter hit series proved McQueen was more than ready to build up his own impressive résumé and establish a successful career that would have made his late grandfather proud.

He was born Terrence Steven McQueen II on July 13, 1988 in Los Angeles. The newest member of a family of entertainers, McQueen was the son of Chad McQueen and Stacy Toten who were both actors, while his stepfather Luc Robitaille was a professional hockey player and NHL Hall of Famer. His paternal grandfather was legendary Hollywood tough guy Steve McQueen, who became the epitome of Sixties cool with his roles in the Western classic "The Magnificent Seven" (1960), the adventure film "The Great Escape" (1963), and the crime drama "Bullitt" (1968).

Not surprisingly, the young McQueen inherited his family's acting genes and began his entertainment career early on. Using the stage name Steven R. McQueen (the 'R' referred to his stepfather's last name), he made his onscreen acting debut on "Threshold" (CBS, 2005), a short-lived sci-fi drama about a team of extra-terrestrial experts.

With very little screen credits to his name, McQueen landed a recurring role on "Everwood," which centered on a small town in Colorado and the goings-on of its eclectic residents. The series starred Treat Williams as a Manhattan neurosurgeon who moves to quaint Everwood with his teen son Ephram (Gregory Smith) and pre-teen daughter (Vivien Cardone).

McQueen began his recurring appearance during the show's fourth season as Kyle, a piano student of Ephram's with hopes of attending Juilliard, the famed performing arts school. McQueen's aspiring pianist was also a closeted gay teen who needed a friend to give him the courage to come out.

McQueen took on a much lighter role in the 2008 Disney Channel film "Minutemen," about a trio of high school best friends who invent a time machine.

Following a handful of minor television appearances, McQueen was cast as troubled teen Jeremy Gilbert on "The Vampire Diaries." The supernatural drama - based on the young adult book series by L. J. Smith - focused on a love triangle involving a young woman named Elena (Nina Dobrev) and a pair of vampire brothers (Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder).

McQueen's character was introduced during the show's pilot episode as Elena's younger brother, whose addiction to drugs and rebellious behavior was a result of their parents' untimely death. McQueen's role increased as the show progressed, including a revelation that he was actually Elena's cousin who was accidentally shot and eventually brought back to life with the power to communicate with the dead.

"The Vampire Diaries'" soapy plot lines and fantastical love stories attracted a large audience, which turned its handsome young cast into breakout stars. Fan favorite McQueen parlayed his success on the show to take on bigger projects, including his feature film debut in Alexandre Aja's reboot of the horror franchise "Piranha 3D" (2010).

By Candy Cuenco