【2023 MOTY】多重宇宙裡那顆耀眼的星！關繼威：「每一個人生遭遇，都發生在最完美的時機。」
以天才童星之姿出道，經歷無人聞問的路人演員時期、電影幕後團隊的紮實訓練，最後再憑另類電影裡的角色奪得奧斯卡，關繼威的好萊塢之路，是奇蹟與血淚交織的勵志故事。不管憑的是運氣或努力，關繼威說，每一個人生遭遇，都發生在最完美的時機。
今年三月奧斯卡頒獎典禮上，兼具口碑與話題的《媽的多重宇宙》橫掃多項大獎，其中最動人的一幕，大概就是關繼威獲得最佳男配角獎時，聲淚俱下地說出感謝詞，他敘述自己幼年時從越南西貢跳上大船，在香港難民營待了一年，隨後20年間嘗到星途的大起大落後，最後仍登上好萊塢最高舞台的經歷，並藉此讚頌了美國夢一番。
末了，做為一個過去差點放棄夢想的當事人，他不忘呼籲大家，請持續相信、堅持夢想。因為對他來說，這夢想代價曾經非常昂貴，花去 20 年的等待、追尋、自我懷疑，都在這一刻深深值得了。他說在得獎後的轉播廣告空檔，他走向史蒂芬·史匹柏，大導演給他一個大大擁抱，告訴他說：「小關，現在你是奧斯卡金獎演員了！」
他的人生故事，其戲劇張力之大，可能比很多勵志電影還充滿正向效應。這是小卒打下漂亮一役，局外人打進權力核心，失去自我認同的人，在漫長黑暗的隧道盡頭找到柳暗花明的故事。今年是關繼威的黃金年，除了贏得奧斯卡獎，他同時入選《GQ》Icon of the Year 與《時代雜誌》百大人物。得獎後，關繼威有出席不完的名流派對、品牌邀約、頒獎典禮，許多新角色也紛紛上門，說沒有些許受寵若驚感是騙人的。
「那些時刻非常混亂、瘋狂。等所有活動都跑一輪一後，我開始覺得很困惑，有時連活動名稱都記不起來，幸好我當下拍了很多照片，幾乎是毫無羞恥心地狂拍，看到名人我就跟小孩子一樣興奮。」這是他人生睽違多年後，第二度品嘗到蜂擁而來的名氣帶來的紅利，他想要好好抓住這些時刻。
“從金童淪為路人”
故事要從他 12 歲那年說起，和許多名人出道的路徑類似，他陪別人（這回是他的弟弟）去參加《魔宮傳奇》（1984，由史蒂芬·史匹柏執導）試鏡，順利打敗許多對手贏得上海孤兒小滑溜的角色。在那個亞裔面孔在好萊塢還是少數的年代，關繼威的清秀臉龐和自然演技讓觀眾留下深刻印象。隨後，他又以《七寶奇謀》中少年尋寶團中的發明家 Data，贏得漂亮的第二戰。
這個搭著難民船來美國的越南華裔青少年，起先在這片夢想之地上面臨了重大身分危機，卻意外在好萊塢中找到一席之地，在片場和大明星們平起平坐，享受鎂光燈帶來的注目。
「我父母都是華人，家裡講廣東話。到了美國，我看起來不像美國人；在華人社群裡，我們又因為越南出身而被視為越南人。等我回到中國，又被當外國人看。有很長一段時間，我有很嚴重的認同危機。」
和電影情節不一樣的是，一時出名不代表從此一帆風順，現實生活總是比較寫實殘酷。然後，就沒有然後了。除了一些龍套角色以外，關繼威無片可拍，他記得一次去參加試鏡，演的是出場講兩句話就領便當的角色，但一到現場大概有 30 個亞裔試鏡對手，現實就是如此不留情。
在那段青黃不接的時期，關繼威主動出擊規劃自己的生涯，他到南加大攻讀電影，先學好幕後的製作環節。畢業後在 2000 年他受元奎邀請，幫忙編排《X戰警》的動作場景，2004 年還擔任王家衛《2046》的副導演。電影之神依舊眷顧著他，只是讓這太早出名的神童演員多繞一些路，為日後那光榮時刻做準備。
“武戲文戲的各種鍛鍊”
說到與兩大電影名人合作。「元奎對我照顧有加，教會我很多關於動作編排，以及動作場景的拍攝與編導等技術層面的東西。但不只技術，這些場景還需要注入大量創意才行。」也難怪，在《媽的多重宇宙》中他飾演的王威門可以用一只大叔風霹靂腰包打遍天下無敵手，大概也是這些年導武戲想出來的新花招。「這時候的我卸下演員身分，第一次站到幕後去，心理上還在調適，而元奎幫了我很大的忙。」他說。
與王家衛一起拍片又是另一種風景了。「他是了不起的導演，在他身上我學到『毅力』的展現，他很注重細節，精雕細琢的，拍他的片要搞很久，所以你可以想像花在裡頭的心血與決心有多驚人了。人家拍一部片只要幾個月，他要花五年，但是你可以從中學到太多了，所以工作團隊和演員都願意一起花時間幫他實現願景。只是有時難免拍得很挫折，你不知道片子何時會殺青，但當你事後在大銀幕上看到成果，你知道你參與了一部美麗至極的片，所有挫折都可以丟到窗外去，一切都值得了。接著你忍不住會問：『那下一部何時開拍呢？』」關繼威笑說。
王家衛花時間琢磨電影是主動，關繼威花時間待機會上門卻是被動，只是兩個人等待的同樣都是某個美麗至極時刻的降臨。關繼威這條幕後之路一繞就是 20 年。說到耐心，可能好萊塢數不出幾個人比關繼威更有耐心的了。如今外人看起來，20 年是一眼瞬間就過去的事，但對當時困在其中的關繼威來說，這是一段漫長的乾枯期（Dry Period）。關繼威笑說，華人的家庭教育，就是要小孩吃苦耐勞有毅力，在最艱難的環境也要力求表現。但他也經常自問：「我這麼做是對的嗎？」
另一個和他一樣有耐心的，或許是妻子 Echo 了。即便在事業上最烏雲滿天的時候，Echo 總是給他最大的支持。兩人當初在王家衛的片場認識，在一起超過 20 年的光陰。「20 年來，她總是對我說：『聽我的準沒錯，你的時機會來，相信我。』她陪著我走過每一步，在我低潮她鼓舞我，現在我人生終於抵達高峰，她一定是陪伴我身旁的人。沒有她我到不了今天這地步。」
“當電影之神來敲門”
而當《媽》的導演雙人組 Daniels──關家永（Daniel Kwan）和 Daniel Scheinert 找上門，決定給予關繼威那扭轉人生的神祕時刻時，Echo 的預言終於要實現了。
楊紫瓊在受訪時曾說，其實在拍《媽的多重宇宙》的時候，她經常有「我是誰？我在哪？」的感覺，但關繼威說自己是完全相反。「我一讀到劇本，就立刻愛上這個角色和故事了。雖然當時我無法預料本片會大大成功，但這劇本寫超好，我馬上看懂它的笑點，以及它想傳達的訊息。它太瘋狂，太有創意了！搞得我又哭又笑，對白又優美，我以前從沒看過這樣的敘事。（Echo 也擔任本片的翻譯，負責把對白翻成中文）。」
拍攝的當下，沒人能預見這部片會成為吸金（全球共 1 億 1 千萬票房）和得獎大片，但電影之神再度施展魔法，把裡頭所有人帶上一條刺激的急流之旅，於是有了此刻眼前的關繼威，即便事隔快一年了，他還捨不得拍掉身上的奧斯卡亮粉，還是不敢相信自己成為年度 Icon，還為著某天在哪裡見到了 Harrison Ford 或 Kim Kardashan 而興奮好久。
他早已經成為他們的一員了，但他仍在細細咀嚼這一切。多年來，他的身世為他帶來了認同危機，但換個角度想，這何嘗不是驅動他前進，無論蟄伏多久都要設法縱身一跳，重新回到鏡頭前的動力？
「過去不管我去到哪，都覺得自己沒有根，沒有歸屬感。而在 80 年代我剛進入這圈子時，那孤寂感更強烈，因為在片場我常是唯一的小孩，還是個亞裔小孩。不過時代已經改變很多了，越來越多亞裔到好萊塢參與幕前幕後的拍攝，現在的我的確感覺沒那麼局外了，我加入了一個大家庭，裡頭有各種膚色各種文化，大家同心協力走在同一條路上，那就是把故事說得精采。」關繼威說：「而過去幾個月來，好萊塢真心張開雙手擁抱我的回歸。這令我非常非常快樂！」
“不可能又來個高峰吧”
名氣曾經在他少年時眷顧他一次，如今 52 歲的他，要怎麼好好抓住這二度從天而降的運氣，趁機把握這與當年相比大有進展的政治氣候與文化地景，不再跌出鏡頭之外？
「我出道的早，成功來得太快太容易，我沒有把握它的智慧與歷練。所以當機會溜走時，我才明白，這對當年那個小孩來說，是很難得的成就。成人以後我常想，該不會我的人生高峰在12歲那年達到，從此就走下坡了吧？這也太慘了！」他笑說：「所以這第二次的感覺真的很不錯。」
「但不管第一次還是第二次，名氣都不會因此而改變我這個人的內在。我在這行夠久了，過去我一直努力在電影圈中找到一席之地，現在我只想保持真實，繼續當那個拚命三郎關繼威。名氣只是個濾鏡，別人會透過這個濾鏡看你，但我不想改變我的為人和目標。」
走過的每一步都算數，沒有那個在片場忙做武術指導、跟著攝影機鏡頭跑、被大導演磨練、在家中苦蹲等機會上門、還差點因沒工作丟了健保的關繼威的多重宇宙，也就不會有今天把王威門演到入木三分，登上奧斯卡獎台的關繼威。翻看歷史就知道，好萊塢有多少瞬間散發光芒卻又迅速隕落的明星，從此消失人海，再也爬不回來了。但關繼威不是，他不僅一步步地爬了回來，還爬上山的頂巔，對大家大喊：「謝謝你們給我機會！」若把每一個關繼威宇宙疊在一起，就形成一個堅不可催的，小兵逆轉勝的動人故事，雖然他早已從小兵搖身成為大將，但內心那個小兵魂仍敦促著他不能鬆懈、保持真我，恆心毅力還是要有。
“漫威大家庭的溫暖”
他聊到得獎後經歷的其中一個神奇時刻，就是在開車時接到漫威總裁 Kevin Feige（過去兩人在 2000年拍攝《X戰警》而認識，當時Feige擔任助理製片）親自打給他的電話，告訴他：「我太喜歡《媽的多重宇宙》這部作品，也太喜歡你的表演了，我要你來加入漫威電影宇宙（MCU）大家庭，我們這裡有個角色很適合你。」
正在開車的關繼威，只覺得眼前的路逐漸模糊，感動的眼淚湧上來，讓他不得不請 Feige 稍等一下，讓他把車開到路邊停，把身心整頓好，接受這次邀請。於是在今年十月 Disney+ 頻道播映的《洛基第二季》（Loki 2），我們可以看到關繼威飾演的 OB（Ouroboros），他是時間變異管理局（TVA）的檔案員，在地下室獨自工作了四百年，是個有點古怪的科學宅，負責修復和建造東西，對工作有著極大的熱情，成為洛基不可多得的好助手。
「這角色讓我想起自己在《七寶奇謀》演的角色 Data，他一樣喜歡擅長發明新奇的玩意。而 OB 大概就是 Data 長大以後的樣子，《七》粉看了應該會更有感覺吧。」他笑說。
起先他也擔心第二季才加入拍攝，恐怕要花點時間融入大家，沒想到整個團隊依舊敞開雙手迎接他，飾演洛基的 Tom Hiddleston，還不吝跟他分享要怎麼樣才能精準流暢地念出一長串包含各種科技專有名詞的台詞才不會吃螺絲。
除了《洛基第二季》和《西遊ABC》，關繼威接下來還有Netflix電影《電幻國度》要上映，電影之神這次來真的，準備好好犒賞他20多年的耐心等待。關繼威的多重宇宙還在持續擴張中，向外漂浮化成浩瀚無垠的星塵，唯一不變的，是他那始終熱愛電影的真實核心。
Ke Huy Quan Ke’s Multiverse
He debuted as a beloved child actor. Ke Huy Quan Ke's journey in Hollywood is a motivational tale woven with miracles and tears. He ultimately won an Oscar for a role in an unexpected film. Whether it was luck or effort, Ke believes that everything in life comes at the perfect time.
In March 2023, the critically acclaimed film Everything Everywhere All at Once swept numerous major awards at the Academy Awards. Perhaps the most touching moment was when Ke Huy Quan won Best Supporting Actor. Through tears and a choked-up voice, he delivered a heartfelt acceptance speech, recounting his childhood journey by ship from Saigon, Vietnam, to Hong Kong,where he spent a year in a refugee camp. He then described the highs and lows of his 40-year career in the entertainment industry, before finally ascending to the most coveted stage of Hollywood. In doing so, he praised the American dream.
As someone who nearly gave up on his dreams in the past, he didn’t end his speech before encouraging everyone else to believe and persist in their own. For him, the cost of this dream was once very high: 20 years of waiting, searching and self-doubt—all worth it in that moment.
During the commercial break after receiving the award, he approached Steven Spielberg. The renowned director gave him a big hug and told him, “Ke, you are now an Academy Award winning actor.”
His life story, with its immense dramatic tension, could be even more motivational than many an inspirational film. It's a tale of an underdog making a stunning comeback, of an outsider breaking into the halls of power, and of a person who had once lost their self-identity, only to find the light at the end of the tunnel.
This year is Ke's golden year. In addition to winning an Oscar, he was also selected as GQ's Icon of the Year and featured in TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People. After the win, Ke attended a multitude of celebrity parties, brand events and awards ceremonies. Numerous new roles also came knocking on his door. To say that he wasn't somewhat overwhelmed by the sudden attention would be a lie.
“Those moments were very hectic, very crazy. And then when it was all over, you start to get a little confused. Like, what is this event? So, luckily, I was able to take a lot of pictures; I was shameless. When I see famous people, I'm like a kid.”
This is his second taste of the kind of success that had eluded him for many years in his life. He wants to seize these moments and make the most of the renewed recognition.
From golden boy to nobody
Ke’s story begins when he was only 12 years old, and it’s similar to how many celebrities first set foot in the industry. He accompanied his younger brother to audition for 1984’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, directed by Spielberg. He ended up beating out many competitors himself many competitors himself and ultimately won the role of Short Round, an orphan from Shanghai. In an era where Asian faces were still a minority in Hollywood, Ke's dapper appearance and natural acting left a profound impression on the audience. Later on, he scored another impressive role as the inventive Data in The Goonies (1985).
This Vietnamese born, Chinese teenager, who had arrived in the United States on a refugee boat, initially faced a significant identity crisis in the land of dreams. However, he unexpectedly found a place in Hollywood, standing side by side with big stars on set and basking in the attention of the spotlight.
“I have Chinese parents. We speak Cantonese at home. When we immigrated to the United States, I didn’t look American. And because I was born in Vietnam, people think I’m Vietnamese. Then when I go back to China, people think I’m a foreigner. So for the longest time, you know, I was having a lot of identity problems.”
Unlike in the movies, becoming famous overnight doesn't mean smooth sailing from then on. Real life is often more harsh.
Apart from a few supporting film roles, Ke had no opportunities. He recalls attending an audition where he played a character with only a couple of lines before getting killed off. There were approximately 30 Asians there. Reality was merciless.
During that challenging period, when opportunities were scarce, Ke took the initiative to plan his own career. He enrolled at the University of Southern California to study film, mastering the production aspects behind the scenes. After graduating in 2000, Corey Yuen enlisted him to help choreograph the action scenes for X-Men (2000). In 2004, he was the assistant director for Wong Kar-wai's 2046. The film gods continued to favor him, guiding this prodigious actor on a slightly more challenging path, and preparing him for the glorious moments that would come later in his career.
Training for both action and drama
He recounted his collaboration with two major movie celebrities. “Corey took me under his wings and taught me so much about choreographing, shooting and directing action sequences—all the technical stuff. And in fact, not just technical. There’s a lot of creativity that goes into a fight sequence.”
No wonder his Everything character Waymond Wang, a middle-aged man, can defeat all enemies just by whipping around a fanny pack. It's probably some new trick he came up with in his years choreographing action sequences. “It was the first time I stepped behind the camera. I wasn’t an actor anymore. So mentally, it took a little adjusting. And Corey was there to lend a helping hand.”
Shooting a film with Wong was a whole other story. “He’s a wonderful filmmaker, and one of the things I learned most from him was perseverance. He’s very detail-oriented, very meticulous, and his movies take forever! So you can only imagine how much dedication and determination it takes to make a movie with him. Everybody does it in a couple of months, but for him, it’s five years. But you learn so much from it, so the crew and actors are all willing to support such a vision over a long period of time.”
He laughs, “And of course, sometimes it can be frustrating because you don’t know when it’s going to be finished. When it’s finished, you see it on the big screen, and it's one of the most beautiful movies you’ve ever seen. All those frustrations go right out the window. And then you just ask him, ‘When are we going to make another one?’”
Wong chose to spend his time contemplating film, while Ke patiently waited for opportunities to come. Both were simply waiting for an exceptionally beautiful moment to arrive. Ke's journey behind the scenes was an endeavor lasting two decades. When it comes to patience, there are probably few in Hollywood who can match him.
To outsiders now, 20 years may seem like a fleeting moment. But for Ke, who was trapped in it at the time, it was a long, dry period. Ke jokingly said that Chinese family education emphasizes teaching children to endure hardships, to be resilient, and to strive to excel even in the most challenging of times. However, he often questioned himself. "Am I doing it right?"
Another person who shares the same level of patience might be his wife, Echo. Even during the darkest times in his career, Echo has always been his greatest support. The two first met on Wong’s film set and have spent more than 20 years together.
“For 20 years, she’s always said to me, ‘Just trust me. Your day will come. Trust me.’ She’s just been there every step of the way, constantly trying to lift my spirit up when I was down. And now she’s here to share the highs with me. I don’t think I could have done it without her.”
When the film gods come knocking
When directing duo “the Daniels”—Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert of Everything—came knocking, this decision became a turning point for Ke, and Echo's prophecy was finally about to come true.
Michelle Yeoh once mentioned in an interview that while filming Everything, she often thought, "Who am I? Where am I?" Ke said he was the complete opposite.
“When I read the script, I fell in love with my character right away. Of course, I could not have predicted the success that we had, but I knew it was just so well written. I got all the jokes and the message. It was so wild and very creative! I was laughing out loud, and also just crying, tears streaming down my face when I was reading those wonderful scenes. And it was like nothing that I’ve ever read.” (Echo was the film’s translator, responsible for translating the dialogue into Chinese.)
During filming, no one could foresee that this film would become a box office hit (with a global revenue of $110 million) and an award-winning masterpiece. However, the film gods once again worked their magic, taking everyone on an exhilarating journey.
Now we have the Ke Huy Quan of today. Almost a year has passed, it’s still hard to part with that Oscars glow. He cannot believe he has become Icon of the Year and still gets excited to reunite with old friends like Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg and have the opportunity to meet new people - like Kim Kardashian, who Ke met just the other day.
He has long been one of them, but he is savoring it slowly nonetheless.
Over the years, his background has brought about an identity crisis. From another perspective, it may have been what was driving him forward. No matter how long he had to lie low, he held on to the motivation to return before the cameras and found a way to leap back in the spotlight.
“No matter where I went, I felt like I didn’t have any roots, like I didn’t belong to any group of people. At the time that I started in our business, in the early 80s, I felt very alone because oftentimes I was the only Asian and child. But a lot has changed; we are in a different era. There are a lot more Asians working in Hollywood, both in front and behind the cameras. Now I don’t feel like an outsider. I feel like I’m part of a big family with all colors of people and cultures, who share one single path, which is storytelling.
“These past few months, Hollywood has embraced my return with their arms wide open. And I could not be happier!”
Is it possible to reach another peak?
Fame favored him once in his youth, and now at the age of 52, how is he going to seize this second stroke of good luck? In the current political and cultural climate, how does he ensure his place is secure in front of the camera?
“I was very young when I started in the industry, and success came very easily. I was just a kid, and I didn’t have the wisdom to appreciate what I had. When those opportunities went away, then I realized it’s not that easy to achieve what I achieved as a kid.
“As I got older, as an adult I often thought, ‘Oh, my gosh, the pinnacle of my success might’ve been when I was only 12 years old. That might’ve been it.’ It was miserable to be constantly thinking that. So this time around, it's an amazing feeling,” he said with a laugh.
“But you know, I realized that fame doesn’t really change me at the core. I’ve been in this business for so long, and I’ve always struggled to find my place in the industry, but now I’m just committed to staying authentic, to stay true to myself. Fame is just a filter; it’s how people see you, and I don’t want that to change who I am and my focus.”
Every step counts. Without the multiverse of Ke Huy Quan, who busied himself on set as an action choreographer, ran alongside the camera, faced challenges from renowned directors, patiently waited for opportunities, and even risked losing health insurance due to lack of work—without all these experiences, there wouldn’t be the Ke Huy Quan we see today, who portrayed Waymond with such depth, and who stood on the Oscars stage.
Looking back at the history of Hollywood, one finds many film stars have shone brightly for a moment, only to quickly fall and fade into memory. But not Ke. He not only climbed back up step by step, but also reached the summit, telling everyone at the top of his lungs, "Thank you for giving me the chance!"
If you combine the universes that Ke has lived through, they create an unwavering, inspiring tale of an underdog making a grand return. Although he has long transformed into an alpha, the spirit of the underdog still reminds him not to slack off, to stay true to himself, and to maintain perseverance and determination.
Welcome to the Marvel family
After Ke’s performance in Everything Everywhere made its global impact, he received a call from Marvel’s Kevin Feige while he was driving. The two had met back in 2000 during the filming of X-Men, where Feige was the assistant producer. Feige personally called him to say, “I loved Everything Everywhere All at Once, and your performance. I want you to come join the MCU family. I have a wonderful character for you.”
Ke, driving, felt the road ahead begin to blur as he was overcome with emotion, and his eyes welled up. He had to put Feige on hold, pull over to the side of the road and compose himself before accepting the offer. And so, in the second season of Loki, which aired on Disney+ this October, we see Ke play O.B. (Ouroboros). He is an archivist for the Time Variance Authority, working alone in the basement for 400 years. A bit eccentric and passionate about his work, he excels in repairing and building things, making him a valuable asset to the God of Mischief.
“He reminded me of the character Data that I played 35 years ago in The Goonies. He was this kid that was fascinated with gadgets and inventions. And O.B. is kind of like Data as an adult, so Goonies fans might really love that connection,” he said with a smile.
Initially, he was concerned about joining in the second season and feared it might take some time to fit in with the team. However, the entire crew welcomed him with open arms. Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki, was generous in sharing tips on how to accurately and smoothly deliver lengthy lines containing technical jargon without getting tripped up.
In addition to season 2 of Loki, Ke stars in the Disney+ series American Born Chinese and the upcoming Netflix film The Electric State. The film gods truly are set to reward him for over 20 years of patience. Ke's multiverse continues to expand, pushing outward like a vast cosmic cloud. The only constant is his genuine and enduring love for cinema.
Photography_Eric Ray Davidson
Creative Direction & Editor_Kevin Wang
Text_Christine Lee
Translate_Litta Lee
Production_Annee Elliot、Patricia Bilotti
Talent Manager_Sylvie Yeh、Tracy Shaffer
Styling_Brandon Tan
Styling Assistant_Aiden Palermo
Tailor_Hasmik Kourinian
Groomer_Sonia Lee
Brands_Gucci
Prop Stylist_Cody Rogers
Prop Stylist assistant_Nikki Kauten
Digital Tech_Pixelated Digital
Lighting Tech_Jack Shelton
Fashion Brands_Amiri、Artemis Quibble、Alessandro Vasini、Cartier、Christian Louboutin、David Yurman、Drakes、Eli Halili、Gucci、Maximum Henry、Oliver Peoples、Tom Ford
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