Thankfully, the filmmaker is now fully recovered and fully functional, he tells Deadline.
The surgery meant that the start of filming on his exceptional wartime featureBlitzwas delayed for two weeks.
I delayed the shoot by two weeks and then had the procedure.
Steve McQueenApple
McQueen was in hospital for two days and worked from his bed.
Then he went home for twelve days.
Only his wife and close family were told about the health scare.
Steve McQueen on set during ‘Blitz’ shoot. Photo courtesy of Apple
And that was it.
I really just wanted to get on with the job.
And thats kind of like who I am.
Im a get on with it kind of person, he says matter of factly.
Oh, you could say that, McQueen says smiling.
But its just a case of just getting on with it.
McQueen says that the early detection was the key.
The cancers gone and thats down to early detection.
Early detection means virtually a hundred percent success rate.
Again, its a cancer that if you detect early, its totally survivable and curable.
One in eight men will get prostate cancer, says McQueen, quoting Prostate Cancer Research statistics.
So for me, it was about preempting it.
The fact that I was preempting the situation for years was, again, my saviour in that way.
So, just preempt it and get it early, he declares.
He says that he took it upon himself to get tested annually because of his family history.
They shouldnt wait, he urges.
He went quiet for a moment as he tried to find words to express his debt to his father.
In some ways, you could say, my dad saved my life because unfortunately he died of it.
Those with a family history of prostate cancer are also at a higher risk of developing it.
McQueen says that he recently shot a new short film for theProactive for Your Prostratecampaign featuring David Harewood.
It will be launched towards the end of November.
Its huge, in my view, that McQueen has spoken out.
I feel sure lives will be saved.
And, again, Black men must pay attention, all men must pay attention.
Those in attendance at todays parliamentary event gave weight to the seriousness of the topic.
Also in attendance were celebrities including Gary Lineker, Claudia Winkelman and James Corden.
The tragedy of this is no one has to die of it.
Thats the tragedy, McQueen says, hammering home the importance of early screenings.
