Ke Huy Quan Is ‘Still Getting Used to’ Life After Oscar Win: ‘Maybe I Belong Here’ (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Ke Huy Quan on Oct. 19.Photo:Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Ke Huy Quan’s life changed when he made hisOscar-winning comeback. Now he’s everywhere — and it happened all at once.“Everything that has happened in the last two years, I’m still getting used to it,” Quan, 54, tells PEOPLE, reflecting on his time since starring inEverything Everywhere All at Once. “For a long time my internal narrative was very different,” he admits. “My internal narrative for a long time was that I always felt like I wasn’t doing good enough.”Before the 2022 hit fromthe Danielsswept awards season (also winning Oscars forMichelle YeohandJamie Lee Curtis), Quan had been on a20-year hiatus from acting— not for lack of trying. After initially working as a child star in the 1980s, breaking out in 1984’sIndiana Jones and the Temple of Doomand 1985’sThe Goonies, the Vietnamese-American star struggled to land roles as an adult and instead worked behind the camera as an action choreographer.Now, he says, things are different. “Ever since I won the Oscar, that narrative is slowly changing. I feel like maybe I belong here, maybe I can do this and it’s heading that direction.”Ke Huy Quan in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’.Allyson RiggsWith roles inAmerican Born Chinese,Lokiseason 2and now hisfirst lead role inLove Hurts(in theaters Feb. 7, 2025), Quan is putting his days of wishing for such work behind him. “I always fantasized about being the number one on the call sheet or putting myself in the shoes of the leading man,” he says.Leading director Jonathan Eusebio’s action-comedy, he adds, “is an incredible feeling. This was always what I wanted and I can’t believe this is happening to me. AndLove Hurtsis the perfect movie for me to do this.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Ke Huy Quan in ‘Love Hurts’.Universal PicturesAt the same time, Quan says, he feels pressure to keep that career momentum going. “There has been so much love and support ever since I became an actor again. And I feel like I carry this responsibility on my shoulder hoping that I don’t disappoint my fans and the people who have supported me and everything that I do. I hope I can make them proud.”Love Hurts, costarringAriana DeBose, Daniel Wu and Marshawn Lynch, is in theaters Feb. 7, 2025. Quan also stars in Joe and Anthony Russo’sThe Electric State(on Netflix March 14, 2025) and will voice a character inZootopia 2(in theaters Nov. 26, 2025).

Ke Huy Quan’s life changed when he made hisOscar-winning comeback. Now he’s everywhere — and it happened all at once.

“Everything that has happened in the last two years, I’m still getting used to it,” Quan, 54, tells PEOPLE, reflecting on his time since starring inEverything Everywhere All at Once. “For a long time my internal narrative was very different,” he admits. “My internal narrative for a long time was that I always felt like I wasn’t doing good enough.”

Before the 2022 hit fromthe Danielsswept awards season (also winning Oscars forMichelle YeohandJamie Lee Curtis), Quan had been on a20-year hiatus from acting— not for lack of trying. After initially working as a child star in the 1980s, breaking out in 1984’sIndiana Jones and the Temple of Doomand 1985’sThe Goonies, the Vietnamese-American star struggled to land roles as an adult and instead worked behind the camera as an action choreographer.

Now, he says, things are different. “Ever since I won the Oscar, that narrative is slowly changing. I feel like maybe I belong here, maybe I can do this and it’s heading that direction.”

Ke Huy Quan in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’.Allyson Riggs

With roles inAmerican Born Chinese,Lokiseason 2and now hisfirst lead role inLove Hurts(in theaters Feb. 7, 2025), Quan is putting his days of wishing for such work behind him. “I always fantasized about being the number one on the call sheet or putting myself in the shoes of the leading man,” he says.

Leading director Jonathan Eusebio’s action-comedy, he adds, “is an incredible feeling. This was always what I wanted and I can’t believe this is happening to me. AndLove Hurtsis the perfect movie for me to do this.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Ke Huy Quan in ‘Love Hurts’.Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures

At the same time, Quan says, he feels pressure to keep that career momentum going. “There has been so much love and support ever since I became an actor again. And I feel like I carry this responsibility on my shoulder hoping that I don’t disappoint my fans and the people who have supported me and everything that I do. I hope I can make them proud.”

Love Hurts, costarringAriana DeBose, Daniel Wu and Marshawn Lynch, is in theaters Feb. 7, 2025. Quan also stars in Joe and Anthony Russo’sThe Electric State(on Netflix March 14, 2025) and will voice a character inZootopia 2(in theaters Nov. 26, 2025).

source: people.com