In 1983, when I was 11 years old, I had my very first audition. Steven Spielberg was gearing up to make Indiana Jones Temple of Doom and having a difficult time finding the perfect actor for “Short Round,” the hero’s sassy young sidekick. They set in motion a casting call and staged auditions in major city centers in the U.S. and Canada. I was convinced the role would be mine and, as Stevie’s BFF, I would join Hollywood’s elite ranks. Long story short: I tanked… hard, as did most of the other kids. 

But for many of us, the experience lingered and we celebrated Jonathan Ke Quan, the actor who won the role, living vicariously through his success. This was the first time I remember watching a Hollywood film where a young Asian kid stars AND is aligned with the hero. It was major. He went on to star in Goonies, and then on Head Of The Class before he grew up and became a martial arts choreographer for Hong Kong and Hollywood productions. What a role model.

For us, the abandoned Short Rounds, life continued without Spielberg on speed-dial. But when I shared the story with my friends on FB, the response was huge. It made me realize that I really had to tell the story. And now, with the help of bravoFACTUAL, we'll get to revisit this pivotal moment in our lives.

Thank you in advance for sharing this. This piece will come in at 15 minutes but all this research will help in my larger goal of turning it into a feature documentary.