Ke Huy Quan spent months on the set of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, surrounded by creepy props and intense action. But there was one thing he wasn’t allowed to see: the film’s most infamous death scene.
When Temple of Doom hit theaters in 1984, it wasn’t just another action-adventure. It changed movie ratings forever. The sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark took Indiana Jones to India, where he uncovered a sinister cult. The film packed in horror elements that went far beyond the usual PG rating, shocking parents and forcing the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) to introduce PG-13.
Spielberg had always pushed boundaries. Jaws was rated PG despite its terrifying shark attacks. Raiders had melting faces. But Temple of Doom went further, especially in one scene.
The moment that made audiences squirm? A ritual sacrifice where the villain rips a still-beating heart from a man’s chest. Even for a Hollywood set, it was a lot. Quan, who played Short Round, was on set for most of the action but wasn’t allowed near that scene.
“No, it didn’t scare me — it was fun!” Quan told Yahoo!. “I saw a lot of the scary stuff, except for the scene where the guy gets his heart pulled out. I wasn’t allowed to see that. But it’s all movie magic, so it’s really fun to be in the presence of that stuff. The best part is when they put it all together and you watch it onscreen with sound effects and music. I remember watching Temple of Doom for the first time at Mann’s Chinese Theatre where we had the L.A. premiere. I was blown away by everything that was up on the screen, and that’s where I fell in love with moviemaking and acting.”
Quan might have missed that gruesome moment in real-time, but seeing the final cut on the big screen cemented his love for cinema.
At just 12 years old, Quan held his own next to Harrison Ford. His chemistry with Ford made Short Round one of the most beloved sidekicks in the franchise. After Temple of Doom, he landed another classic – The Goonies. But Hollywood didn’t offer many roles for Asian actors, and Quan eventually stepped away from acting.
For years, Quan was the guy making things happen behind the scenes—stunt work, assistant directing, you name it. Then Crazy Rich Asians hit, and he realized Hollywood was finally shifting. So, he made his move. Enter Everything Everywhere All at Once—his epic comeback. And let’s be real, he didn’t just return; he reminded everyone why he was a star in the first place.
His Temple of Doom days might have sparked his passion, but his second act is just getting started.
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