He'll next be seen in American Born Chinese (May 24 on Disney+). Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, the series follows teenager Jin Wang (Ben Wang) who is "trying to find his own identity" when he's introduced to Chinese mythological characters that overturn his life. "It's about family. It's about love. It's about kindness." Quan plays Freddy Wong, an actor from a popular '90s sitcom whose character was based on painful Asian stereotypes. "Back then, a lot of the roles that were available to Asian actors were stereotypical, and oftentimes the butt of the joke." But, Quan says so much has changed since then. "That's why it's important to have representation. The more you see, the more you understand, and the less you're afraid of it." And Quan's openness and vulnerability in sharing his story during the awards season shows how much has changed. "For some odd reason, and I couldn't even explain it, I just wanted to tell the world my story."
What first interested you about American Born Chinese? 
A lot of people in the Asian community are very familiar with the Monkey King story. So, to be able to tell a version of [it] and introduce it to the American audience, that was really exciting for me.
Did similarities stand out to you between your character and career?&nbsp;
When I was first approached with this character, it scared the sh** out of me. A lot of times I had to tell [showrunner] Kelvin [Yu], way too similar guys, back off, don't go there, because at times I felt like I was holding up a mirror to myself. But it's important; this character shows what happens when you have portrayals like this.
Have portrayals of Asian stories in Hollywood changed for the better? 
A lot has changed in the last 10 or 20 years. I'm very grateful, and I don't think we need to put blame on what happened in the past. Back then we were looking through different lenses, we're very different now, and we've evolved.
Where do you keep your Oscar? 
I fantasized about that little golden statue for a long time. I couldn't believe that I was able to bring it home. It's in my home office because I have so much respect for what it stands for, so it's really high up on my shelf. Sometimes I cannot believe it has my name on it. It's my new best friend. -H. Alan Scott

Ke Huy Quan

English

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