Ke Huy Quan Thought He Would Never Act Again Because Hollywood ‘Didn’t Want’ Him
Everything Everywhere All at Once delights casual audiences and critics without being based on a pre-existing IP. Praise of the movie centers on the incredible performance of Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn. The role finally gives an undercelebrated actor the career coronation she has long deserved.
But for her co-star, Ke Huy Quan, his star turn as Waymond Wang showcases what he and the world missed out on in the decades since he was a working actor. Quan played key roles in timeless blockbusters as a kid but gave up on his dream due to racism in Hollywood.
It took over 20 years for him to find the inspiration to give acting another go. Quan made the absolute most of his second chance. Now, he can have the opportunities that hid from him in the ’90s.
Ke Huy Quan’s performances in mainstream hits did little for his acting prospects
At the age of 12, Quan started his acting career with a showstopper. He played the lovable sidekick Short Round in Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom. His next movie was another iconic piece of ’80s cinema. Quan was part of the ensemble crew for The Goonies, playing Data.
With two films like that under his belt, you’d expect casting directors to beg Quan to join their productions. Instead, he realized most of Hollywood had little interest in giving an Asian man the same opportunities as a white guy with Quan’s CV. His last American movie was Encino Man in 1992.
He spoke about the disheartening experience while on the panel for The Hollywood Reporter’s annual Actors Roundtable. “I love acting, but I couldn’t get a job. Hollywood didn’t want me, there were no roles for me, and I spent the majority of my time in my late teens and early 20s just waiting for the phone to ring it rarely rang, so I had no choice but to step away,” Quan said.
He went to film school at USC and found work in different behind-the-scenes roles, such as stunt choreographer and assistant director to legendary filmmaker Wong Kar-wai on his film 2046. It wasn’t until Quan saw Crazy Rich Asians that he decided to try acting again. The filmmaking duo behind Everything Everywhere were fans of Quan from childhood.
Ke Huy Quan’s comeback in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ is astounding
The complexities of the Waymond Wong character should be beyond someone who hasn’t acted in over 20 years. At the beginning of the movie, Waymond is a sweet but dopey husband who Evelyn lost all passion for. On the early evidence, you can’t really blame her.
Once the movie kicks into overdrive and Evelyn is introduced to the multiverse of possibilities, she meets Alpha-Waymond, a much more engaging version of her doting partner that sees her as a potential savior of the universe. She sees a version of Waymond who lives in a world where they never got married.
This one wears the hell out of a crisp suit and looks ready to star in a Wong Kar-wai movie. But these additional Waymonds only exist to show Evelyn and the viewers that the man she married and the life they created together are so much more special than she realizes.
Waymond’s worldview and humanity are shown in a better light as Everything Everywhere progresses. He’s a fundamentally decent man trying to make things work in an understated way. The message could easily come off as corny. But like the rest of Everything Everywhere, Quan’s performance as each Waymond is so convincing it’s impossible not to be seduced by it.
Quan has stacked nominations and awards over the last few months. He won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture and is nominated for the same award at the Academy Awards.
Quan has a number of notable roles lined up for the near future
Hollywood still has issues regarding diversity and inclusion. But the industry has advanced enough that Quan can capitalize on this newfound popularity with more significant parts.
Later this year, he will star in American Born Chinese, an adaptation of a 2006 graphic novel of the same name, for Disney+, as the character Freddy Wong. The show will immediately reunite Quan with Yeoh, who will play the lead Guanyin. He will also join the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the second season of Loki in a role that has yet to be revealed.
Quan’s next movie is Netflix’s The Electric State, a sci-fi action flick also based on a graphic novel and directed by the Russo brothers. The big-name cast includes Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Stanley Tucci, and many more. The film is set for release on the platform in January 2024.
