Harrison Ford had nothing but good things to say about his former Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom co-star, Ke Huy Quan. During a recent interview, Ford praised Quan for the success he has found since Indiana Jones.
When the two starred together in the film, Quan was just a tender 13 years old. In the 80s, he had a short stint as a child star after appearing in both Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies.
In the film, Quan played Short Round, the young sidekick to Ford’s Indian Jones. He received high praise and several accolades for his performance.
However, by the 1990s he decided to step away from acting and started exploring film production instead. After a 20-year hiatus, Quan returned to the screen with a bang in Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Since the film premiered, he has scooped up dozens of Best Supporting Actor award nominations from many prestigious film award shows, including the Golden Globe Awards and Critic’s Choice Awards.
Ford hasn’t forgotten Quan after all these years, as he praised the actor for what he has become since then. Of his success, Ford adamantly stated, “And well deserved! Well deserved.”
Harrison Ford reunited with Ke Huy Quan
The topic of Quan came up due to a reunion that Ford and Quan had several months ago. Quan marked the sweet reunion on his Instagram page.
In the caption he wrote, “I love you, Indy,” and noted that it had been 38 years since he and Ford had starred together in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. In the heartwarming photo, Quan hugs Ford with a huge smile on his face.
Ford shared Quan’s happiness about the reunion, stating, “It was great to see him. I mean … 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.”
Ford also confirmed that he had seen Everything Everywhere All At Once and called Quan’s performance “terrific.” He and his interviewer mused that Quan might even get an Oscar nomination on top of his numerous awards for the film.
Even though 38 years have passed since the two starred in a film together, they have shown nothing but love and support for each other recently.
Why did Quan quit acting?
Back when Quan starred alongside Ford onscreen, he was considered one of the biggest child stars of his time. Before the age of 14, he had starred in two big box office hits.
He had also picked up two Youth in Film Awards and a Saturn Award for his work. Many predicted he was Hollywood’s next big thing.
However, after appearing in a smattering of small roles in small films in the 90s, Quan disappeared from the acting scene by 2001 and didn’t return until this year. In an interview with People, he opened up about how his ethnicity played into his decision to leave acting.
Unfortunately, at the time he entered the film industry, roles for Asian actors were few and far between. Meanwhile, the few roles available were often small and stereotypical.
As a result, he suffered from a lack of opportunities despite his impressive resume. By 2001, he had decided to work behind the scenes and found he enjoyed directing.
Upon watching Crazy Rich Asians, though, he was inspired to return to the screen. He stated, “I was happy working behind the camera but I had serious FOMO. I wanted to be up there with my fellow Asian actors!”
Now that he is back, he seems here to stay. Following Everything Everywhere All At Once, he was cast in The Electric State, Loki, and American Born Chinese, all of which have yet to premiere.