Ke Huy Quan Wins Best Supporting Actor Oscar For ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ After Quitting Acting

Ke Huy Quan, who returned to acting for Everything Everywhere All At Once, won Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars on Sunday night.

Quan rose to fame as a child star playing Harrison Ford‘s sidekick Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and Data in The Goonies (1985).

However, he quit acting soon after because he felt there weren’t many meaningful roles for Asian people. He didn’t start acting again until the filming of Everything Everywhere began in 2021. He played Waymond Wang, Michelle Yeoh‘s eccentric husband.

Quan received the first standing ovation of the ceremony. He began to get emotional as he hugged his castmates and walked up to the stage.

“My journey started on a boat. I spent a year in a refugee camp. And somehow, I ended up here on Hollywood’s biggest stage,” the actor said. “They say stories like this only happen in the movies. I cannot believe it’s happening to me. This is the American dream!”

Through tears, he went on to say that he almost gave up on his dream of acting, but the film gave him a chance to come back. He then told the audience to never give up and keep their dreams alive.

Quan was nominated with Brendan Gleeson for The Banshees of Inisherin, Judd Hirsch for The Fabelmans, Barry Keoghan for The Banshees of Inisherin and Bryan Tyree Henry for Causeway.

At the end of the night, Quan was able to celebrate onstage with Ford, who presented the best picture award to Everything Everywhere.