Unexpected Temple of Doom Residuals
Ke Huy Quan Recalls Receiving A Life-Changing $100,000 Temple of Doom Residual Check
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Quan wrote that the residuals arrived two years after he first signed onto “Temple of Doom,” making the payment especially unexpected because he believed he had already been fully compensated for the film.
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Quan emphasized how extraordinary the arrangement was for the period: “Back then, almost no actors got a piece of a movie’s profits. Even today, only the biggest stars do.” He said including a first-time child actor in the deal was “unheard of.”
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He said the generosity was even more striking because “Temple of Doom” was the sequel to the highly successful “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” a film widely expected to make substantial profits.
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Quan recalled that Harrison Ford would greet him with a warm “Hey, kid,” and said he simply enjoyed being near Ford rather than realizing at the time that Spielberg was sending him over to lift the star’s spirits.
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The memoir also places Quan’s early career in the context of his role as Data in Richard Donner’s 1985 film “The Goonies,” another prominent child-acting credit before his decades-long break from performing.
Ke Huy Quan received an unexpected $100,000 residuals check from Lucasfilm two years after filming Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as a 12-year-old, according to his upcoming memoir Never Say Die. OK Magazine reports the payment came as a shock to Quan, who didn't initially understand why Steven Spielberg and George Lucas had sent additional money after he'd already been paid for the film.
The windfall proved transformative for Quan's family and remarkably generous for a child actor in the 1980s. Quan emphasized that profit-sharing arrangements were virtually unheard of for young performers back then, making his inclusion in the deal from the wildly successful sequel extraordinary.
An Unusual Profit-Sharing Deal for a Child Actor
Quan says the arrangement was exceptional even by today's standards. Mandatory notes he wrote that "back then, almost no actors got a piece of a movie's profits. Even today, only the biggest stars do." Including a first-time child actor in such a deal was, Quan emphasized, "unheard of" at the time.
The generosity loomed even larger because Temple of Doom was a sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark, which had already become a massive box office hit. Spielberg and Lucas clearly expected substantial profits from the follow-up—and they chose to share them with the young performer.
A Warm Connection With Harrison Ford on Set
Quan recalled that Harrison Ford greeted him with a casual "Hey, kid" on set. Yahoo reports that Quan said he simply enjoyed being near Ford, not realizing at the time that Spielberg was intentionally sending him over to lift the star's spirits during demanding shoot days.
These interactions became fond memories for Quan, who was still a child when filming the 1984 adventure film. The gesture revealed the collaborative warmth of Spielberg's on-set culture during production.
Returning After Decades Away From Acting
Quan's early credits included playing Data in Richard Donner's 1985 film The Goonies, another prominent child-acting role. Entertainment Now notes his memoir contextualizes these early performances within his remarkable journey—a decades-long break from the industry followed by an Oscar-winning return to acting.
Never Say Die, releasing in September 2026, recounts Quan's full arc: his refugee experience, early Hollywood success, years away from performing, and his celebrated comeback. The residuals check represents just one chapter in an extraordinary life story.
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