Nearly four decades later, actor Ke Huy Quan is still best known for playing Short Round in Temple of Doom and Data in The Goonies–and he credits Steven Spielberg for all of his success.
“He gave me my first job,” said Ke Huy Quan, “and, so many years later, he has not forgotten me…Every time I needed help, he’s always there.” He revealed that Spielberg continues to send him Christmas presents to this day. Hopefully, they’re not booby-trapped!
Ke Huy Quan continued, “Spielberg was the first person to put an Asian face in a Hollywood blockbuster. Short Round is funny, he’s courageous, he saves Indy’s ass.”
Quan has fond memories of his early days in Hollywood, especially working with Spielberg and George Lucas. He called being cast as Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom “the happiest time in my life” and said, “Everybody was so friendly. That was the kind of set that George and Steven would run…There was always laughter and peace.” He also compared working on The Goonies, based on Spielberg’s story, to working on a playground every day.
However, in the early ‘90s, the actor felt that being an Asian performer had significant drawbacks, mainly how he couldn’t get any work. His last Hollywood movie was 1992’s Encino Man, and, for the most part, Ke Huy Quan either wasn’t working or was only appearing in Hong Kong productions.
Now, it seems Quan is having quite a resurgence. Not only did he star in one of the best-reviewed movies of the year, Everything Everywhere All at Once, but he now has a role in season two of Marvel Cinematic Universe including Loki. He will also appear in the Russo Brothers’ The Electric State.
Ke Huy Quan also recently had a reunion with Indiana Jones himself, and Harrison Ford, at D23 earlier this year. As it turns out, Ford taught his sidekick how to swim while filming Temple of Doom. No word on if they took a dip together after reuniting.
No word on if George Lucas also sent Ke Huy Quan Christmas presents, but…probably not.