Backstage at the Academy Awards, speaking to the press after winning Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars Everything everywhere at onceKe Huy Quan recalled how it felt to change his name back from an American name suggested to him by a director long ago.
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“You know, when I started out as a kid, my birth name was Ke Huy Quan,” he said. And then I remember, when it got really tough, my boss said to me, ‘Maybe it would be easier to have a name that sounded American. And I was so desperate for a job that I would do anything. And it’s crazy that I, at some point, would try a different name, not the one I was given, but it can only show you how desperately I was trying to make it different.”
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But when Quan decided to return to acting three years ago after a long break during which he could not find any work, he persistently used his real name. In doing so, he felt he had honored his mother, who had sacrificed so much for him.
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“The first thing I wanted to do was go back to my birth name,” he said. Tonight to see Ariana [DeBose] Open that envelope and say, “Ke Huy Quan,” that was a really special moment for me. And then right away I was so emotional, but the first image I had was my mom — who’s the reason I’m in America, which is why I’m having a better life, I have all these opportunities. Like I said in my acceptance speech, I sacrificed a lot. She had a great life where we came from, and she gave it all up so that all of her children—there are nine of us—and every one of them would be very grateful to my dad.”
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Quan also pointed out that to him fools The co-stars have been particularly supportive of his career’s comeback. He starred as an oddball inventor named Data in the much-loved 1983 movie. Asked what his younger self would do than he is now, he said, “My younger self wouldn’t know all the hardships I’ve been through to be here. He’s had the time of his life as a kid, on set, on a pirate ship, riding a waterslide. But before Starting tonight live, Corey Feldman, one fools Brothers called. I’ve been talking to Kerry Greene, and of course tonight, Jeff Cohen, my entertainment attorney [and played Chunk in the film], here with me. was in the audience. I owe them all so much. Every one of them is very happy. Sean [Astin] Hand out, Josh [Brolin]Martha [Plimpton]And we are always connected. We are family forever. Cuenez never says die.
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