“Nobody wants to hire me” After 19 years without a role, this actor saw his career take off thanks to this science fiction film that won seven Oscars

News culture “Nobody wants to hire me” After 19 years without a role, this actor saw his career take off thanks to this science fiction film that won seven Oscars

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Two iconic roles and then nothing…

Unless you grew up in the 1980s and paid particular attention to the names of the actors in your favorite films back then, the name of Ke Huy Quan shouldn’t tell you much. But in 1984 and 1985 he took on two of the most popular roles in Hollywood at the time and worked with two absolutely phenomenal directors: George Lucas et Steven Spielberg. As a matter of fact, Ke Huy Quan began his acting career as Half Moon in Indiana Jones and as Temple of Doom and Data in The Goonies. Suffice it to say, his energy and compassion were immediately apparent to viewers who still remember these characters 40 years later.

Unfortunately, Ke Huy Quan’s career didn’t really take off after these two big successes, on the contrary. Indeed, although he still managed to star in a few smaller films and television series Californian man, For the second time or Be a teacher and keep your mouth shut, he never managed to return to prominence. When invited to the microphone of the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, the actor confided that after his work, the opportunities became less frequent The Goonies et Indiana Jones. Sometimes he had to wait more than a year and a half before he got another chance, and these were often smaller projects. Eventually, Ke Huy Quan decided to give up and take a different path by becoming a stunt coordinator and then an assistant directortwo shadowy jobs that still enabled him to gain a foothold in the industry.

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…until a triumphant return to the top

However, 19 years after his last acting role, Ke Huy Quan tried again and was finally chosen for a role in the film Ohana or the hidden treasure. Obviously, it wasn’t exactly the movie of the century… but maybe it was just what he needed to triumphantly return to the spotlight. In fact, barely a year after his return as an actor, Ke Huy Quan landed a leading role in the science fiction film Everything Everywhere All at Once directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. This name should usually mean something to you, since it is none other than the film that won seven Oscars in 2022, including that of best movie and some best performance. Even better, Ke Huy Quan received his own statuette as his role won him the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

And if you thought that his career would last a moment of emptiness like in the 1980s, everything indicates that this will not be the case! As a matter of fact, Very shortly after the release of Everything Everywhere All at Once, Ke Huy Quan received a call from Kevin Feige himself. He then suggested that he join MCU through interpreting Ouroborosa character from the series Loki which you may have seen in season 2. Speaking to the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the actor said:

When Everything Everywhere All at Once came out, the first call I got was from Kevin Feige, who politely asked me if I wanted to join the MCU. I called Jonathan (Wang) and said, “You know what? Nobody wants to hire me except Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Wong Kar-wai, the Daniels and Kevin Feige. It’s incredible ! 2022 is the year that I will always remember as one of the happiest of my life!

If we had to wait 40 years for him to return to the place he deserved, everything suggests that Ke Huy Quan has no plans to leave anytime soon! Thanks to his role in the MCU and the recognition he received from his role in Everything Everywhere All at Once, the actor could well become one of the most popular actors of the moment. A beautiful revenge on life that proves that sometimes it’s good to keep hope and try again, even several decades later.