Everything Everywhere All At Once Was A Script Ke Huy Quan Had Been Waiting Years To Find

“When I read the script for the first time, I was overwhelmed with emotion, because it was a script that I wanted to read for many, many years,” Quan said. “It was a role that I thought was written for me, and I was just so excited.”

Written and directed by duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Schienert, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” features Quan in the role of Waymond, the sweet and sensitive husband to Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh) and father of Joy (Stephanie Hsu). The film’s premise is simple yet structurally complex, using the vast, infinite space of the multiverse to explore the anxieties and personal relationships within a Chinese immigrant family unit. It dominated the Oscars for a reason: It’s a true crowd-pleaser. While it is a specific Asian-American tale, it’s not restricted by genre — it’s a martial arts action flick and a zany comedy that is smashed into a family drama.

Quan’s portrayal of Waymond is deserving of its unanimous praise. In “Everything Everywhere,” he’s able to play the action hero, the Tony Leung-esque romantic lead, and a vulnerable man on the brink of divorce. It’s hard enough to find dignified roles as an Asian-American actor in Hollywood, but it’s even rarer to find roles with this amount of depth and sophistication.

“I felt whatever that was missing all those years,” Quan said. “All of a sudden I felt like I was back where I needed to be.”

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” felt like a celebration of Michelle Yeoh’s career, talent, and celebrity persona. That’s also applicable to Quan and his character of Waymond. Even when facing apocalyptic darkness, he remains positive, passionate, and connected to his playful, childhood self. Yeoh may be the movie’s fist, but Quan is its beating heart.