Everything Everywhere All at Once star Ke Huy Quan thanked Steven Spielberg in an emotional acceptance speech at the Golden Globes and talked about the child star’s past.
Quan first rose to fame at the age of 12 by playing Indiana Jones’ sidekick Short Round in the 1984 film Temple of Doom.
Read more: Ke Huy Quan explains what got him back into acting
He then played Data in The Goonies before quitting acting in the 1990s when career opportunities dried up.
However, he made his triumphant big-screen return in 2022 as versatile variants of Waymond Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once, for which he won Best Supporting Actor at Tuesday’s awards ceremony.
In the movie, Waymond is the devoted husband of Michelle Yeoh’s protagonist, who is also destined to be a multiverse guide and a hero as Alpha-Waymond.
He beat the likes of Brad Pitt, Brendan Gleeson, and Eddie Redmayne to win the Golden Globe with his first nomination.
Read more: Full list of Golden Globe 2023 winners
Taking the stage, she said: “I was raised to never forget where I came from and always remember who gave me the first opportunity. I’m so happy to see Steven Spielberg here tonight. Steven, thank you.
“When I started my career as a child actor on Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, I felt very lucky to have been selected. As I got older, I began to wonder if it was just luck.
“For many years I feared that no matter what I did, I would never surpass what I had accomplished as a child.
“Fortunately, over 30 years later, two men thought of me. They remembered that boy and gave me the opportunity to try again.
Read more: Ke Huy Quan shares sweet reunion moment with Harrison Ford
“Everything that has happened since then has been incredible. [Everything Everywhere directors] Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, thank you so much for helping me find my answer. You gave me more than I expected.”
Emotional viewers who watched Globes immediately praised Quan for his vulgar and frank talk about his career.
Quan’s career return will continue at a rapid pace for years to come, starting with a cast role on the Marvel TV show Loki for its second season.
It will also appear in the TV adaptation of the American Born Chinese comic, which consists of three separate but ultimately interconnected stories, on Disney+.
Read more: Michelle Yeoh discusses becoming a 60-year-old movie star
Quan’s co-star Michelle Yeoh also won the Golden Globe for Best Actress – Musical or Comedy, closing a great night with Everything Everywhere All at Once.
The film was also nominated for Best Picture – Musical or Comedy, but lost to The Banshees of Inisherin.
Watch: Everything Everywhere All At Once Trailer