After 20 years away from acting, the star has won his first Golden Globe (Picture: Rich Polk/NBC via Getty Images)

Ke Huy Quan said he was told ‘never to forget where I came from’, thanking Steven Spielberg for kickstarting his career as he accepted a Golden Globe onstage, 39 years later.

Vietnamese-American star Quan’s first acting role came in the 1984 blockbuster Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, in which he played the adventuring archaeologist’s (Harrison Ford) young sidekick, Short Round.

He followed that up as Data in cult classic The Goonies the following year, but acting opportunities dwindled for him as he got older, forcing him to eventually leave acting.

However, Tuesday night’s Golden Globes provided a beautiful full-circle moment for the 51-year-old as he scooped the best supporting actor award for his performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once.

The performer has been open about being inspired to return to acting by Crazy Rich Asians in 2018, after previously quitting Hollywood due to a lack of roles on offer to him.

‘I was raised to never forget where I came from, and to always remember who gave me my first opportunity. I am so happy to see Steven Spielberg here tonight – Steven, thank you,’ he began his emotional speech.

Quan delivered an honest and emotional speech about his comeback to Hollywood (Picture: NBC/Backgrid)

He gave thanks to Steven Spielberg for starting his career with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Picture: NBC/Backgrid)

‘When I started my career as a child actor in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, I felt so very lucky to have been chosen. As I grew older, I started to wonder if that was it, if that was just luck.’

With a shaking voice as he fought back tears, he admitted: ‘For so many years, I was afraid I had nothing more to offer, that no matter what I did, I would never surpass what I achieved as a kid.

‘Thankfully, more than 30 years later, two guys thought of me. They remembered that kid, and they gave me an opportunity to try again.’

Quan went on to thank his Everything Everywhere All at Once directors, the Daniels, saying they had ‘given me more than I could have ever hoped’.

He called his Golden Globe win an ‘incredible honour’, and gave a shout-out to his co-stars and ‘the entire EEAAO family’.

The Waymond Wong actor was joined as a winner by his co-star Michelle Yeoh, who won the best actress prize in a musical or comedy – and made it very clear that she was not going to be played off during her speech.

Quan finished off his touching acceptance speech by thanking his wife for being ‘the one person that never stopped believing in me’.

Quan with his fellow best supporting actor nominee Brad Pitt (Picture: Christopher Polk/NBC via Getty Images)

His EEAAO co-star, Michelle Yeoh, was also a winner (Picture: Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

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In the intervening 20 years that he wasn’t acting, Quan worked as a stunt co-ordinator and assistant director for films like X-Men and Enigma.

He is set to appear next in The Electric State and the second season of Marvel’s Loki.

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His awards victory is a sweet celebration of an incredible return to acting after 25 years away.