Jonathan Ke Quan is a Vietnamese-born actor and stuntman, who starred in “Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom”, but is most iconically remembered for his role in “The Goonies” as the character who was nicknamed ‘Data’. Although he might not be remembered by many, Jonathan remains an icon of Hollywood. Here is a quick look at the life and success of the actor.
Early life and family
Jonathan was born in Vietnam, in the city that is today called Ho Chi Minh, on 20 August 1971.
His hometown used to be called Saigon, but the name was changed after the fall of Saigon, when the Vietnam Republic came to an end. It was during this time that Jonathan was born, and his parents were granted political asylum and moved to the US, and where Jonathan was raised and granted citizenship.
He spent most of his childhood in Tujunga, California and later moved to Alhambra, California where he completed his high school education. At the age of 12, when auditions were held at his school, Jonathan landed the role of ‘Short Round’, Indiana Jones’ sidekick for the film “Temple of Doom”.
His brother also auditioned for the same role but was outdone by Jonathan. Jonathan has eight siblings, but most of the details of his personal life have been kept quiet, and not much is known about his parents and siblings.
Educational background
Jonathan attended the Mount Gleason Junior High in Tujunga, California, and later moved and completed high school at Alhambra High School. After matriculation, he attended the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. Jonathan was also later accepted into the University of Manchester in England.
During his time on the set of “Indiana Jones”, Jonathan received training in martial arts, and continued to train afterwards under Tao-Liang Tan.
Career
The 1984 release of “Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom” was the start of Jonathan’s promising career. A year later, he starred as the inventor Richard ‘Data’ Wang in the film “The Goonies”, and landed the role of Sam in the short-lived television series “Together We Stand”.
From there he went on to appear in many more roles in international films of Vietnamese, Japanese and South-Korean origins, which afforded him international recognition as a film star. These titles include “It Takes a Thief” in which Jonathan played a young pickpocket, and “Passenger” a Japanese drama in which he starred alongside the Japanese idol Minako Honda. This was in 1987, and should not be confused with the 2005 ‘Passenger’ Japanese film. He also starred in television roles in the early nineties, including “Head of The Class” and “Tales From The Crypt”.
Jonathan continued his success in showbiz, featuring as a stunt co-ordinator in the films “X-Men” and Jet Li’s famous “The One”, among other films and TV series during the 1990s. Today, he continues to add his talent to the filming industry, but is mostly seen behind the scenes and during the after production as both a stunt co-ordinator and stuntman. Among his many achievements, one of the most iconic moments was possibly working alongside the acclaimed action choreographer Corey Yuen.
Hobbies, favourite things and interesting facts
Little has ever been made public concerning Jonathan’s likes, dislikes and personal preferences, since he lives a conservative life and does not share insight into his personal affairs. The actor and stuntman have never been involved in any controversies or scandals, and lives a quiet private life.
He is known for being a Christian and can speak several languages fluently, including Mandarin, Vietnamese, Cantonese and of course, English. He is of Han Chinese descent, and is a practised martial artist with training in Taekwondo.
After being cast in his first film, his parents changed his name to Ke Huy.
Relationships
Jonathan has kept his romantic endeavours secret too, and successfully hid the truths about his personal life from the tabloids. However, Jonathan is married to a lucky lady by the name of Corrina, but the nature and duration of their relationship hasn’t been made public. As of yet, it is not known whether or not Jonathan has any children, or are expecting to have children.
Physical characteristics
- Date of Birth: 20 August 1971
- Hair colour: Black
- Eye colour: Black
- Height: 5ft 4ins (1.64m)
- Weight: 150lbs (68kgs)
- Shoe Size: Unknown
- Star Sign: Leo
- Nationality: American/Vietnamese
Gli attoriJonathan Ke Quan (Indiana Jones e il tempio maledetto)http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Ke_Quan
Posted by Tutto il meglio del cinema on Friday, 19 November 2010
Net worth
Jonathan has never shared the total wealth he has accumulated over the course of his prominent career, and thus only guesses can be made in regards to his net worth. On average, a stuntman makes $70,000 on an annual basis, with the most in-demand stuntman reaching well above $250,000. Taking this into regard, Jonathan has at the very least a net worth estimated by sources at over $1 million.
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