Incredible comeback as Ke Huy Quan of ‘Everything Everywhere’ wins the Oscar for best supporting actor

Ke Huy Quan, discouraged by the lack of on-camera work for Asian Americans, had largely disappeared from Hollywood for more than 20 years. He made a triumphant comeback and finished off an inspiring comeback story by earning the Oscar for best supporting actor.

Quan, who joined Haing S. Ngor for “The Killing Fields” in 1984, received the award on Sunday night for his part in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” making history as the second-ever Asian winner in the supporting actor category.

Quan stood up as his name was called and embraced Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis, his co-stars who had just received supporting actress awards. His hands were placed over his lips.

“My mom is 84 years old and she’s at home watching,” Quan said. “Mom, I just won an Oscar!”

After getting a standing ovation, an emotional Quan kissed his statue several times and sobbed into the microphone. Ariana DeBose, the presenter, broke down in tears.

“My journey started on a boat. I spent a year in a refugee camp and somehow, I ended up here on Hollywood’s biggest stage,” he said. “they say stories like this only happen in the movies. I can’t believe this is happening to me. This is the American dream.”

“When I decided to get back into acting three years ago, the very first thing I wanted to do was to go back to my birth name,” he said backstage. “To see Ariana, open that envelope and say Ke Huy Quan, it was so emotional.”

“I owe everything to the love of my life, my wife Echo,” he said, “who month after month, year after year for 20 years told me that one day, one day my time will come. Dreams are something you have to believe in. I almost gave up on mine. To all of you out there, please keep your dreams alive.”

Quan returned to acting after a break following the success of the 2018 film “Crazy Rich Asians,” and she won an audition for the film “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” which received a record-breaking 11 Oscar nominations. Jeff Cohen, his erstwhile “Goonies” co-star, is his attorney and drafted the contract for his Academy Award-winning performance.