While Indiana Jones fans are looking forward to the release of the upcoming fifth film, many still fondly look back at the original trilogy from the 1990s. At D23, there was a moment when Harrison Ford reunited with Short Round actor Ke Huy Quan, with whom he co-starred in 1984’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. An image of the reunion went viral as fans loved seeing the two back together again after 38 years.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Ke Huy Quan (@kehuyquan)
Reflecting on the meeting for an upcoming article from New York Times reporter Kyle Buchanan, Quan detailed exactly how this meeting came to be. The actor explained how they were both at D23, as he was there for Everything Everywhere All at Once while Ford was on hand for an Indiana Jones 5 panel. That they just happened to be in the same building allowed for the epic reunion to happen, but as he approached Ford, Quan couldn’t help but feel nervous that he wouldn’t even be recognized after nearly four decades had passed.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Ke Huy Quan (@kehuyquan)
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
“We’re in this green room with so many actors, producers, and directors, and the person who was assigned to assist me said, ‘Harrison Ford is right outside the green room. Would you want to go say hi?’ I’m thinking, ‘Of course! I haven’t seen him in 38 years.’ So I walk out and I see him about 15 feet away talking to Phoebe Waller-Bridge, they’re there to promote Indy 5. And as I walk close, my heart is pounding. I’m thinking, ‘Is he gonna recognize me? The last time he saw me, I was a little kid.’”
What Did Harrison Ford Think of Seeing Ke Huy Quan?
Lucasfilm Ltd.
Fortunately, as Quan explains, Ford knew right away who he was looking at once he saw him, greeting his old co-star with a big hug. Any anxiety that was there before then dissipated as Quan was flooded with memories of his youth when he was on the set of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom with Ford.
The only thing that would make this reunion better is if Quan were to also appear in Indiana Jones 5 for Indy and Short Round to reunite canonically as well. They may not ever get the chance to do so onscreen now that Ford has stated he is finished with the Indiana Jones franchise. But if Quan gets his wish of getting a Short Round spinoff one day, then maybe Ford would be up for a special cameo to make the moment happen.
“As I get closer, he turns and points his finger at me, and he has that classic, famous, grumpy Harrison Ford look. I go, ‘Oh my gosh, he probably thinks I’m a fan and he’s gonna tell me not to come near him.’ But he looks and points at me and says, ‘Are you Short Round?’ Immediately, I was transported back to 1984, when I was a little kid, and I said, ‘Yes, Indy.’ And he said, ‘Come here,’ and gave me a big hug. When I wrapped my arms around him, all those wonderful memories I had on the set came flooding back. It felt so comfortable. It was amazing, and he’s an amazing man - one of the most generous men on the planet.”
Catch Ford’s final hurrah as Indy when Indiana Jones 5 is released on June 30, 2023. As for Quan, you can watch for the actor to appear in the upcoming second season of Loki on Disney+.
