Ke Huy Quan is ready to explain the reasons behind his long disappearance from the screen. The Oscar winner will release his memoir on September 15. The memoir covers his life from leaving Vietnam in 1975, starting a new life in California, and his early days as a child actor. Quan also dives into what “kept him going through his darkest times” after the rise and fall from his early success.
Quan shot to fame at the age of 12 after starring alongside Harrison Ford in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” The actor initially sustained this momentum in the ’80s before disappearing from the screen.
Ke Huy Quan Will Talk About What Happened When He ‘Stayed Quiet’
In an interview with PEOPLE at D23, the actor opened up about his memoir. According to Quan, one of the main reasons for his tell-all is to remind people that “the path is not always straight. The actor wants to assure readers that the things they love are worth pursuing even if it takes a long time for their dreams to come true.
Quan admitted that writing wasn’t something he was comfortable with but was glad he took the step. The Oscar winner saw an image of a crowd with each person having their own thought bubble. This motivated him to talk about his own experiences. He further added that his hope for readers was “to be a little kinder because of it.”
Before his comeback, Ke Huy Quan was last onscreen in 2002. The actor was still just 32 years old at the time, but became disillusioned by the lack of chances. Despite stepping away from the camera, Quan never left the industry. Instead, the “Goonies” star worked as a stunt choreographer and assistant director. Quan worked on movies like “X-Men” and “The One” during this time.
Ke Huy Quan Is Continuing To Expand His Horizons
Ke Huy Quan was at D23 to announce the development of “Zootopia 3.” He played Gary De’Snake in the film that became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. Quan admitted voice acting didn’t come naturally to him but was willing to learn. Although he also had voice roles in “Kung Fu Panda 4” and “The Electric State,” Quan’s first time in the voice booth was for “Zootopia 2.”
“Because it was my first time and I’m new to this. I was actually really nervous, and I didn’t know what to expect,” Quan said of the recording process. “Honestly, it was such a brand new experience for me, and I loved it because voice acting is using your voice and imagination to create all these incredible, incredible things.”
Quan has taken multiple new steps in the industry in the last several years. After his big comeback, he was part of the main cast of Disney+ shows “American Born Chinese” and “Loki” season 2. Quan then stepped into his first-ever leading role in the action comedy “Love Hurts.” He also lent his voice to “Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender,” his most recent release.
