The career resurgence of Ke Huy Quan is one of the best things about the 2020s. The actor first rose to prominence as a child in the ’80s with a couple of notable roles in films that have withstood the test of time to become classics. He disappeared for a long time but has returned in some stellar modern films.
When looking at the best movies and TV shows from Ke Huy Quan’s career, it’s an impressive mix. He has starred in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a Best Picture Academy Award-winning film, a billion-dollar animated movie, a goofy cult classic, two of the biggest ’80s flicks, and so much more.
The White Lotus (2025)
There’s a good chance you didn’t even notice that Ke Huy Quan was in The White Lotus. The TV show is a huge hit for HBO, garnering a major viewing audience and racking up the Emmy Award victories.
Each season of The White Lotus focuses on a different group of people who go on vacation at the various titular resorts around the world. You never quite know what’s going to happen next on this series that often satirizes the rich and works as a murder mystery at the same time.
Quan had a very small role in season 3 of The White Lotus. You only get to hear his voice as he talks on the phone to Jason Isaac’s character. He voices Kenny and you completely believe the frantic nature of his phone call as he expresses the panic over their situation.
Encino Man (1992)
Encino Man is an interesting case because it’s a movie that was poorly received upon its initial release. The film has a paltry 17% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was met with plenty of negative reviews, yet it has managed to become a cult classic.
The premise of Encino Man is a wacky one, as two teenagers stumble upon and thaw a frozen caveman who they then teach to adjust to the modern world. It’s goofy in the best way and boasts a great cast led by Brendan Fraser and Sean Astin.
Ke Huy Quan has a supporting part in the film as Kim, yet it’s one of his most remembered films. In fact, Encino Man is why his reunion with Brendan Fraser during awards season in 2023 was so wholesome, especially when the two left as winners at the Oscars.
Finding ‘Ohana (2021)
Although many people will point to Everything Everywhere All at Once as the comeback for Ke Huy Quan, he actually returned to movies slightly before that. In 2021, he starred in his first film role in nearly two decades in Finding ‘Ohana.
The family adventure movie streamed on Netflix and tells the story of two siblings from Brooklyn who spend a summer in a rural O’ahu town. They find a journal that points to a long-lost treasure that leads them to reconnect with their Hawaiian heritage. It made so much sense for a treasure film to be Quan’s comeback.
Quan appears as George Phan, a resident of O’ahu, a friend of the mother of the protagonists who helps them. Finding ‘Ohana features plenty of references to The Goonies, which is famously one of Ke Huy Quan’s most famous roles.
Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)
As part of his comeback, Ke Huy Quan has lent his voice to several animated projects. The first major one was Kung Fu Panda 4, the latest installment in the blockbuster DreamWorks franchise about a bear who becomes the chosen Dragon Warrior and is a master at kung fu.
The movies are always a good time and Kung Fu Panda 4 is no different, as it was another critical and commercial hit. This time around, protagonist Po must find and train his successor as Dragon Warrior while taking on the evil sorceress known as The Chameleon.
As part of this film’s main adventure, Po comes across a den of thieves, which is led by Han, voiced by Ke Huy Quan. Han, a Sunda pangolin, gets some great scenes and is one of the scene stealers in this movie, thanks in large part to the performance of Quan.
American Born Chinese (2023)
After starring with Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All At Once, the two teamed up again the following year for a different kind of project. American Born Chinese saw them reunite for a Disney+ series based on the graphic novel of the same name.
American Born Chinese centers on teen Jin Wang, who gets unexpectedly thrust into a battle of mythical Chinese gods. The series was lauded for the way it incorporated elements of Chinese folk tales, the action sequences, and the performances of the talented cast. However, it was canceled after one season for low viewership.
Ke Huy Quan’s role in American Born Chinese is a fun one. He plays Jamie Yao, a former actor who is known for portraying Freddy Wong in a sitcom titled Beyond Repair. The Wong character is based on Quan’s own character, Short Round from the Indiana Jones franchise, giving this a meta aspect.
Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom (1984)
The role that started it all for Ke Huy Quan. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is the second installment in Steven Spielberg’s iconic franchise and had a lot to live up to, considering how great Raiders of the Lost Ark is. This entry went a pretty different route and Quan was part of that.
In Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Quan debuts as Short Round, who is Jones’s young orphan sidekick. He provided some comedic relief, which allowed this sequel to feel a fair bit different from its predecessor. Spielberg was a big fan of Quan’s personality and thought he was perfect for the role.
Ultimately, reviews for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom aren’t quite as sparkling as they are for Raiders of the Lost Ark or Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade but they’re still very strong. It’s a welcome middle entry into what was a tremendous trilogy.
The Goonies (1985)
Just one year after his great debut as Short Round, Ke Huy Quan played another character in a movie that remains a beloved classic to this day. He stars in The Goonies, the iconic 1985 film about a group of children who follow a treasure map in the hopes of saving their homes from foreclosure.
The adventure they embark on is the stuff of legend and The Goonies is held in high esteem. It was well-received at the time of release and public opinion on it has only gotten better. Quan is part of a stellar cast that includes future stars Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Martha Plimpton, and more.
Quan has one of the film’s best roles as Richard “Data” Wang, the gadget maker of the team. His obsession with James Bond movies comes in handy and his friendship with the protagonist Mikey is one of the more endearing parts of the story.
Loki (2023)
It seems like everyone joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe these days and Ke Huy Quan is no exception. The first MCU show given a second season was Loki, which follows the titular protagonist on his misadventures through time as he turns from a villain into a true hero by the end.
In season 2, Loki struggles with “time slipping” as he’s displaced and must figure out how to stop. He gets help from Ouroboros, played by Quan, a Time Variance Authority technician who repairs and crafts complex tools. Quan brought his likable energy to the part and made Ouroboros a fan favorite.
He pops up all throughout the season and is part of the show’s biggest moment. Loki steps out into the Loom and becomes the person magically holding all the timelines together. It’s an epic moment that Ouroboros played a major part in.
Zootopia 2 (2025)
The most recent role of Ke Huy Quan’s career sees him return to voice acting. This time, he appears in Disney’s latest blockbuster, Zootopia 2, which grossed more than $1.6 billion and was the second-highest-grossing film of 2025.
The follow-up to the wildly popular first entry from nearly a decade prior, Zootopia 2 returns us to the titular city and we again follow Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, now working as police officer partners. This time, they look to track down Gary De’Snake and help clear him when he’s framed of a crime.
Quan voices Gary De’Snake, making him one of the most important parts of the film. Gary De’Snake is a blue pit viper and, as always, there’s something charming about Quan’s energy that can be heard through his voice, making the character someone we can root for.
Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)
There really can’t be another option for the best movie or TV show that Ke Huy Quan has ever appeared in. Everything Everywhere All At Once is a game-changing film that took the world by storm upon its arrival in 2022.
Everything Everywhere All At Once follows a Chinese-American immigrant who discovers that she can connect with versions of herself from throughout the multiverse, which she can use to stop the person looking to destroy it. The multiverse is a concept we’ve seen used in so many modern movies but none have done it better.
Ke Huy Quan plays Waymond, the husband of Michelle Yeoh’s protagonist. He’s an incredibly sweet, kind, and caring individual who is the film’s heart. Quan won Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards (and several other major award shows) for his performance.
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