Ke Huy Quan says he honored his mother by reclaiming his birth name as an adult actor; Explaining “Goonies Never Say Die” – Oscars Backstage

Backstage at the Oscars, talking to the press after winning Best Supporting Actor Everything, everywhere, all at onceKe Huy Quan recalled how it felt to change his name back from an Americanized name that a manager had suggested to him long ago.

“You know, when I started as a child, my birth name was Ke Huy Quan. And then I remember when it got really hard, my manager said to me, “Maybe it would be easier if you had an American-sounding name.” And I was so desperate for a job that I would do anything. And it’s crazy that I would end up trying a different name than the one I was given, but that just goes to show you how desperately I tried to do things differently.

But when Quan decided to return to acting three years ago after a long deadlock in which he could not find work, he resolutely used his real name. He felt he was honoring his mother who had sacrificed so much for him.

“The first thing I wanted to do was go back to my birth name,” he said. “Seeing Ariana tonight [DeBose] Open this envelope and say ‘Ke Huy Quan’, it was a very, very special moment for me. And then I was immediately so emotional, but the first image that came to my mind was my mother. That’s why I’m in America, that’s why I have a better life, that’s why I have all these opportunities. As I said in my acceptance speech, she sacrificed so much. She had a wonderful life where we come from and she gave up everything so that all her children – there are nine of us – would be so grateful to my parents.”

Quan also noted that his crazy Co-stars especially supported his career revival. Quan played the mad inventor named Data in the popular 1983 film. When asked what his younger self would think of where he is now, he said: “My younger self wouldn’t know the effort I put in to be here. He just had the time of his life as a kid, on set, on a pirate ship, on a water slide, but just before that night started, Corey Feldman, one of my crazy Brothers called, I spoke with Kerri Green and of course Jeff Cohen my entertainment attorney tonight [and played Chunk in the film]He is here with me, he was in the audience. I owe them all so much. Every one of them is so happy. sean [Astin] stuck out, Josh [Brolin]Martha [Plimpton], and we are always connected. We are family forever. Goonies never say die.