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Ke Huy Quan Recalls 'Life-Changing' Residual Check From 'Indiana Jones
Confirmed
In Short: In his new memoir, 'Never Say Die,' Ke Huy Quan recounts the moment he received a $100,000 residual check from 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' at age 13.
Quan, who played Short Round in the 1984 film, said his parents were equally surprised when they showed him the check, which came two years after he signed on for the movie.
One afternoon, I walked into the kitchen and found my parents standing together at the table,' Quan wrote in his book. 'Mom was holding an envelope with my name printed across it. Dad had the papers that had been inside. They were both smiling, the kind of smile that comes from surprise and disbelief mixed together.
Quan explained that he did not understand the concept of residuals at the time and was bewildered by the amount of money. 'I didn’t understand how more money could suddenly appear,' he said.
The actor credits Steven Spielberg and George Lucas for including a residuals clause in his contract, a gesture he describes as 'life-changing' for his family.
Quan’s memoir also details his early life, including fleeing Vietnam with his father and spending time in refugee camps before becoming a child actor.
Quan’s unexpected windfall from 'Indiana Jones' highlights the significant financial impact residuals can have on actors, especially those who start their careers at a young age.
While the $100,000 check was a surprise, it was also a pivotal moment that shaped Quan’s career and life.
Quan’s memoir, released Tuesday, provides a glimpse into his journey from refugee to Hollywood star, with the 'Indiana Jones' check serving as a pivotal moment in his story.
What's confirmed
- “One afternoon, I walked into the kitchen and found my parents standing together at the table,” Quan wrote in his memoir Never Say Die, which came out on Tuesday.
- He called the residuals clause “a quiet gesture from Steven [Spielberg] and George [Lucas].” “Back then, almost no actors got a piece of a movie’s profits,” Quan continued.
- It was the sequel to a massive hit, a movie everyone knew would make a lot of money.
- “That small share was life-changing for my family,” he said.
- “I didn’t understand how more money could suddenly appear,” Quan expresses in his memoir.
- Ke Huy Quan is recalling his reaction to learning as a child that his first residual check for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was $100,000.
What's still developing
- “Whenever he was in a bad mood, Steven would tell someone, ‘Send Ke over.’ I had no idea any of that was happening,” the actor wrote in his book.
- The actor, who won an Oscar recently for Everything Everywhere All at Once, began his career in the early 1980s with roles in Indiana Jones and The Goonies.
- Quan did not note the year he received the check, but if we estimate that the check was received in 1985, that same $100,000 would be worth around $311,000 today.
- For TV work, residuals begin once a show starts re-airing or is released to video/DVD, pay television, broadcast TV, basic cable, or new media.
- Home » Entertainment » Ke Huy Quan recalls life-changing moment of receiving $100,000 residual check for Indiana Jones film in new memoir Ke Huy Quan recently shared a poignant memory from his childhood that reflects the transformative power of early opportunities in the film industry.
- In his newly released memoir, Never Say Die, Quan delves into a significant moment of his youth, revealing his astonished reaction upon discovering that his residual check for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom amounted to $100,000.
- However, he was unaware that beyond his initial compensation, he would also earn residuals—an additional payment that many actors often don’t receive, especially in the case of newcomers.
- The check from Lucasfilm, which totaled nearly $100,000, seemed surreal to the young actor.
- “As I grew older, I started to wonder if that was it, if that was just luck,” Quan added at the time.
- The Oscar winner opened up about the life-changing moment in his new memoir Never Say Die, which hit bookstands on Tuesday.
- While accepting the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role in any motion picture during the 2023 Golden Globes for Everything Everywhere All at Once, he made sure to thank Spielberg.
- He returned to the spotlight in 2023 after decades for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” winning the Oscar for best supporting actor.