Ke Huy Quan And Steven Spielberg’s Heartwarming Reunion 39 Years After 'Indiana Jones' Is Very Nostalgic

Jan 23, 2023

If you are a big "Indiana Jones" fan, you would probably faintly recognize Ke Huy Quan, who made a huge comeback in the 2022 film “Everything Everywhere All At Once” with Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis. 

Quan, a Vietnamese-American actor, made his film debut in the Steven Spielberg-directed film “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” with well-renowned actor Harrison Ford. Quan, 13 years old at the time, had everyone rooting for him when he acted as the sidekick to the adventurous Indiana Jones in the film. 

After his huge success in the film, Quan was subsequently cast in “The Goonies” along with Josh Brolin, Sean Astin, Jeff Cohen and Corey Feldman. After his big roles, Quan then received smaller and fewer roles in the entertainment industry. Since then, he stepped away from acting, which he addressed during his comeback, saying there weren’t many opportunities for an Asian actor in Hollywood. 

But after watching “Crazy Rich Asians,” in which Yeoh famously starred, something dawned on Quan:

"I was happy working behind the camera but I had serious FOMO," he told People Magazine. "I wanted to be up there with my fellow Asian actors!"

That is why when the role of Waymond Wang was offered to Quan for “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” he immediately took it. 

"I don't think I could have played Waymond had you given me the role 10, 15 years ago," he confessed. "Looking back upon my life, all the highs and lows, I reached deep within me to pour my entire life into these three different characters."

With his exceptional performance in the film, Quan finally had his big comeback in Hollywood. And during his return, he reunited with the important people who had been instrumental to his beginning, including Spielberg.

Thanks to “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” Quan was reintroduced to a younger generation of audiences and to the people who had remembered him as Indy’s sidekick and the smart "Goonies" kid. 

In October 2022, when Quan was at the Disney 23 convention, he had an adorable reunion with Ford, and they snapped a now-viral photo that struck a nostalgic chord with everyone who watched the "Indiana Jones" movies back in the day. 

When Uproxx asked Ford about reuniting with Quan again after almost two decades, he had this to say: “It was great to see him. I’ve had the opportunity to see the film. He is really terrific in his movie. And I’m so glad to see him…and what he has become. I’m so happy for him. He’s such a happy guy, too.”

On Jan. 14, 2023, Quan also had a photo with Spielberg, his first-ever director. During the red carpet at the American Film Institute luncheon, the two shared an adorable interaction, with Quan giving Spielberg a big kiss on the cheek during their incredible reunion, as he brimmed with joy and gratitude before the cameras. 

Quan’s Hollywood career seemed to be finally taking its second act as he famously won Best Supporting Actor at the 2022 Golden Globes. 

“I was raised to never forget where I came from, to always remember who gave me my first opportunity," Quan said during his acceptance speech. "I am so happy to see Steven Spielberg here tonight. Steven, thank you. When I started my career as a child actor in 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,' I felt so very lucky to have been chosen.”

He also took another photo with Spielberg during the ceremony and attributed him as the reason why he fell in love with acting in the first place. 

Are you familiar with Ke Huy Quan? What can you say about his reunion with Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford? Do you think he deserves the recognition he has achieved? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends and other loved ones!