With Love Hurts set to debut in theaters, Ke Huy Quan reflects on the circumstances that ultimately led him to embark on a 19-year hiatus from his acting career. The actor gained recognition in the 1980s as a child actor, portraying Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Data in The Goonies. Quan would return to prominence through his Academy Award-winning role of Waymond Wang in Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, alongside several other high-profile roles in Loki, Kung Fu Panda 4, and the upcoming Zootopia 2.
Recently, Quan opened up to EMPIRE about his acting hiatus and the factors that ultimately led to him leaving behind on-screen roles for almost two decades. After his final 1990s Hollywood feature Red Pirate failed, the actor was left unable to find further roles beyond the heights of his child-acting career, especially following his return to North America:
That was actually the last movie I ever did before stepping away. I was disappointed, because I had a great time and worked really hard, but it didn’t do anything. Nobody really talked about it. I did a few movies in Asia, and a 40-episode TV series, but they never became big hits. It was a tough period, because when I went back to Asia [after Indiana Jones and The Goonies], I was treated like a big movie star. You know, there would be fans waiting for me at the H๏τel I was staying in, and at the studio where we were working. But that never turned into a meaningful career. So when that dried up, I came back [to America]… and then it was even worse!
Ultimately, Quan saw that turning his back on acting might be for the best when his agent returned to him with a two-line role portraying a Vietcong. Check out Quan’s recollection below:
That was after I finished Red Pirate, where I was the star. I came back to Hollywood and my agent said, “Well, we don’t have much, but we want to keep you working. There’s this role that only has two lines. It’s a Vietcong role. You want to go try out for it?” And when I couldn’t even get that, that was one of the lowest points of my life.
What Quan’s Retirement Meant For His Hollywood Career?
His Resurgence Is One Many Feel Is Well Deserved
Despite Quan turning away from acting in the early 2000s, the actor still played a role behind the scenes in several high-profile productions. Quan became a frequent collaborator of Corey Yuen to develop fight choreography on X-Men, with his creative roles including choreographer, editor, and ᴀssistant director.
However, with his stunt role in many beloved classics, his return to on-screen acting was met with much celebration from audiences. With him having been an essential part of many childhoods, viewers felt that he surely deserved more recognition than what had been offered to him in the lead-up to his hiatus. As such, many have enjoyed watching his career revitalization, and are eager to see him continue to prosper.
Our Thoughts On Quan’s Hollywood Status
The Actor’s Leading Role Is Hoped To Be The First Of Many
While Quan has played many key roles since his success with Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, Love Hurts is one of his most highly anticipated upcoming projects. The action comedy sees Quan take on a leading role as a former ᴀssᴀssin trying to put his past behind him, allowing him to display his acting skills and fight choreography background. Alongside reuniting with fellow Goonies star Sean Astin and collaborating with John Wick director David Leitch, Quan’s involvement has left Love Hurts as one of 2025’s standout features.
Though it is clear from Quan’s recollection that this period of his career remains an unpleasant memory, many may be more relieved to see that the actor has finally earned the recognition he deserved. With him earning an Academy Award upon his return to acting, Quan will likely remain a key force in Hollywood.
Source: EMPIRE
