“When I first read the script, I was touched because it was a script I wanted to read for many, many years,” Quan said. “It was a role that I thought was written for me, and I was so excited.”
Written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Schiert, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” stars Quan as Waymond, Evelyn’s (Michelle Yeoh) sweet and sensitive husband and Joy’s (Stephanie Hsu) father. Using the vast, endless space of the multiverse to explore the anxieties and personal relationships of a Chinese immigrant family unit, the premise of the film is simple yet structurally complex. It dominated the Oscars for a reason: A real crowd pleaser. While it’s a specific Asian-American tale, it’s not limited to genre—it’s a martial arts action movie that turns into a family drama, and a crazy comedy.
Quan’s portrayal of Waymond deserves unanimous praise. In “Everything Everywhere” he can: play action hero, a Tony Leung-like romantic lead and a vulnerable man on the verge of divorce. It’s hard enough to find honorable roles in Hollywood as an Asian-American actor, but it’s even rarer to find roles with this much depth and complexity.
“I felt everything that was missing all these years,” Quan said. “Suddenly, I felt like I was back where I needed to be.”
It felt like “Everything Everywhere All At Once” Celebration of Michelle Yeoh’s career, talent and celebrity personality. This goes for Quan and his Waymond character as well. Positive, passionate, and playful, she sticks with her childhood self, even when faced with the darkness of the apocalypse. Yeoh may be the punch of the movie, but Quan is his beating heart.