Ke Huy Quan says he doesn't know what's next after Oscars win: 'I'm going to call my agent'
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Ke Huy Quan just won his first Oscar — and he's already looking ahead to his next project.
The 51-year-old star won Best Supporting Actor at Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony for his comeback role in Everything Everywhere All at Once (which snagged seven Oscars in total). Speaking to reporters backstage after his win, Quan opened up about his winding career path and post-Oscars plans.
"I don't know what I'm doing next," Quan told reporters. "All I know is first thing tomorrow, I'm going to call my agent!"
Quan built his career as a child actor, starring in classics like The Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, but he's said that the roles quickly dried up once he reached his 20s. Early in the pandemic, he lost his health insurance because he couldn't land a single acting job.
"I remember when I was struggling, I would call my agent," Quan said in the press room Sunday night. "I tried not to bother him too much, but I would call him every three months or every six months, and I would say, 'Hey, is there anything for me?' And the answer was always the same: 'I'm so sorry. There's nothing out there, but I'll continue to look.' But hopefully, when I call my agent tomorrow, he will have a different answer!"
ABC Ke Huy Quan wins Best Supporting Actor at the 2023 Oscars
Quan's breakout came with Everything Everywhere All at Once, a surprise hit that grossed nearly $108 million at the global box office. It also scored big at the Oscars: The film won major categories like Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, as well as acting wins for Quan's costars Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Backstage after his win, Quan opened up about staying humble, even as he's continued to rack up the award season hardware.
"It's how I was brought up," he explained. "It's how I was taught. That's why I always say: Never forget where you come from because if you forget that, all humility goes out the window. I remember how difficult it was for me, so that's why every time I walk on a movie set, I'm so grateful. Tonight, I certainly didn't think was possible. I don't ever want to forget that."
In the meantime, Quan is staying busy: He'll next appear in season 2 of the Marvel series Loki, and he'll reunite with costar Yeoh on the Disney+ show American Born Chinese. He's also starring in the Russo brothers' upcoming film The Electric State.
Additional reporting by Maureen Lee Lenker.
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