Ke Huy Quan says a $100,000 residual check from Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom was life‑changing for his family when he was a child actor.
Ke Huy Quan’s memoir, Never Say Die, recounts that he received a residual check of almost $100,000 from Lucasfilm for his role as Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. He wrote that, as a 12‑year‑old, the amount “didn’t make any sense” and that the surprise payment was “life‑changing for my family.”
Quan noted that at the time “almost no actors got a piece of a movie’s profits,” and that a child actor receiving such a share was “unheard of,” especially for a high‑profile sequel. He contrasted that with today’s practice where only the biggest stars typically receive profit participation.
The article also references Quan’s earlier child roles, including The Goonies, and his 2023 Oscar‑winning comeback in Everything Everywhere All at Once. The reporting is limited to the Variety piece and the memoir excerpts it cites; no additional sources or commentary are provided.