Summary

Ke Huy Quan reflects on career struggles and milestones, longing to time-slip back to a pivotal moment in his early life.
Quan hopes to reprise his role as Ouroboros in Marvel projects after a promising discussion with Kevin Feige hinting at a potential return.
Quan connects his iconic childhood role as Data from The Goonies to his portrayal of Ouroboros in
Loki
, bringing a thoughtful approach to his craft.

Loki star Ke Huy Quan recently shared his reflections on his personal and professional life. Looking back at the struggles and milestones that have marked his career, the actor admitted that given the chance he would ‘time-slip’ back into a particular day in his early life.

In a recent conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Quan expressed his hope to return as Ouroboros, his character from Loki, in upcoming Marvel projects. This possibility was hinted at during a discussion with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. Quan reminisced about Feige’s promising words, “Ke, we always give the fans what they want,” hinting at the potential for his character’s return.

Quan’s journey through Hollywood began at a young age with notable roles in classics such as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies. Despite his early success, he faced significant challenges, including a particularly disheartening moment during his twenties. Quan shared a memory of a day he considers one of his lowest, when he was unable to secure a minor role despite being one of thirty Asian actors auditioning.

“There was one particular day in my 20s where I auditioned for a tiny role with two lines, and I couldn’t get it. I was sitting at the edge of my bed waiting for the phone to ring, and I think it was one of the lowest days of my life.”

Loki Release Date June 9, 2021 Seasons 2 Studio Disney+, Marvel Studios Franchise Marvel Expand

The rejection hit hard, leaving him contemplating his future in acting as he awaited a call that never came. Quan said that moment was a blessing in retrospect because it inspired him to go to film school, where he eventually learned the ropes of the industry.

So if I could, I would time-slip back to that particular day and tell myself that things are going to work out… that was a pivotal moment in my life because that was when the idea of stepping away from acting started percolating.

Quan considered leaving acting, a thought that, although heart-wrenching, led him to a significant life decision. He decided to attend film school, a choice that not only expanded his skill set but also revitalized his passion for the industry. Reflecting on that difficult time, Quan now sees it as a crucial turning point.

Ke Huy Quan Revisits Childhood Role to Shape His Loki Character

When Ke Huy Quan stepped into the role of Ouroboros in the Marvel series Loki, he found himself revisiting an old friend from his acting past: Data from The Goonies. This connection between his iconic childhood role and his latest character reveals a thoughtful layer to Quan’s approach to his craft.

In the same interview, Quan shared the enthusiastic, gadget-loving Data influenced his portrayal of the enigmatic TVA agent O.B. in Loki. He said:

It dawned on me that Ouroboros is a variant of Data. I just had to time-slip back to 1985 when I was a little kid and try to remember how I approached that character and his energy.

Quan’s career has been anything but ordinary. After stepping away from acting in 2002, he experienced a remarkable comeback with his role as Waymond Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once, which reignited his presence in the film industry. This resurgence has not only brought him back to the limelight but has also rejuvenated his passion for acting.

“Every time I walk on a movie set, I try to remember what it was like when I was really hungry for a role,” he explained. “I still want to maintain that sense of gratitude and enthusiasm that I felt when I walked on a set for the very first time. That’s what I wanted Ouroboros to be like; he worked by himself for all these years, yet he still approaches his job with a sense of gratitude, and there’s so much passion behind that.”

According to Quan, despite the isolation his character faced, Ouroboros still approaches his duties with a profound sense of dedication and zeal—traits that Quan himself embodies whenever he steps on set.

Loki
Season 1 & 2 are available to stream on Disney+.