He played the little Half-Moon, Indy’s great ally in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”. 38 years later, actor Ke Huy Quan recalls his memories and shares a touching anecdote about Steven Spielberg.
The return of Ke Huy Quan
In 1984, spectators around the world discovered Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doomthe second part of the saga started in 1981 and still directed by Steven Spielberg.
In this new adventure which takes him to India, the famous doctor of archeology meets a 11 year old chinese boy who will help him in his mission. Baptized Demi-Lune (Short Round in VO), it was interpreted by the young Vietnamese actor Ke Huy Quan, 13 years old at the time of the shooting. A little protege of Steven Spielberg, he will shoot the following year in The Goonies by Richard Donner (produced by Spielberg).
After long years of absence, he made his great return to the cinema in 2022 in the movie Everything Everywhere All At Once. He will also be present in season 2 of the series. Loki. It was during the presentation of the latter at Disney’s D23 that he met Harrison Ford again (who was presenting Indiana Jones 5).
A strong moment in nostalgia for Ke Huy Quan, now 51 years old.
“Steven Spielberg never forgot me”
In an interview given to The Guardian, Ke Huy Quan said he had to leave Hollywood in his twenties for lack of good roles for Asians. He decided to come back in 2018 after watching the hit romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians.
Asked about his memories of filmingIndiana Jones 2, Ke Huy Quan has made a touching revelation about Steven Spielberg. Indeed, he confided that the latter always sent him a Christmas presenteven 38 years later.
He gave me my first job, and all these years later he hasn’t forgotten me. Whenever I needed help, he was there.
Still regarding the director, he added:
Spielberg was the first person to put an Asian in a Hollywood blockbuster. Demi-Lune is funny, brave, and he saves Indy. It was rare at the time. For several years, we had come back to the starting point.
