Ke Huy Quan was just 13 years old when he took on his first role alongside Harrison Ford in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” in 1984, but director Steven Spielberg still sends the 51-year-old actor Christmas gifts to this day.
Quan spoke about his relationship with the director in an interview with The Guardian during an awards season press tour for A24’s 2022 film “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
“He gave me my first job and, so many years later, he has not forgotten me,” he said. “Every time I needed help, he’s always there.”
Quan was catapulted into the spotlight as a child actor, going on to star as James Bond fan Data in 1985’s “The Goonies,” which was executive produced by Spielberg.
“On ‘Indiana Jones’ I was the only kid, so I got all of the love and attention,” he told the publication. “On ‘The Goonies,’ I was one of seven, so I was constantly fighting for attention. But it was something that was very familiar to me – my parents had nine kids. It was a lot of fun, especially those amazing sets. Going to work was like going to the playground.”
Quan went on to praise Spielberg for being “the first person to put an Asian face in a Hollywood blockbuster. Short Round is funny, he’s courageous, he saves Indy’s ass.”
The actor returned to the big screen in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” opposite Michelle Yeoh. Quan is widely predicted to receive an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor for that role.
Featured Image via Getty
