One of the great comeback stories in Hollywood history now includes an Academy Award.
As a child actor, Ke Huy Quan became a ubiquitous presence in American pop culture in the 1980s and ’90s, starring in big films like The Goonies, TV shows like Head of the Class, and especially as the unforgettable Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. But as Quan got older, he struggled to find worthwhile roles. Eventually, he quit acting, went to film school, and became an assistant director and stunt coordinator. Then a few years ago, he decided to try acting again and not long after landed the key supporting role of Waymond Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once, drawing great reviews and then a slew of awards for his performance. Now that list of awards includes the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Quan triumphed over and extremely strong field of Best Supporting Actor nominees, including Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan from The Banshees of Inisherin, a powerhouse Judd Hirsch performance in The Fabelmans, and the incredible Brian Tyree Henry in the Apple TV+ film Causeway. That’s maybe the best batch of five nominees among any of the Oscar categories this year, but in the end, Quan came out on top.
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The Oscar victory caps off an amazing year for Quan; he also won the Best Supporting Actor Award from the Golden Globes, the Critics Choice Awards, the National Society of Film Critics, and the New York Film Critics Circle. And Quan’s comeback will continue later this year when he appears in the second season of Marvel’s Loki in an undisclosed role.
You can watch Quan’s emotional acceptance speech below:
For a full list of this year’s Academy Awards winners, click here.
