The world finally got the red carpet reunion we've been needing, and it only took a little under 40 years.
On Thursday, Drew Barrymore and Ke Huy Quan presented Steven Spielberg with the first-ever TIME100 Impact Award at the Time100 Gala. The famed director gave both actors their first major film roles.
The reunion immediately reminded fans of the child actors' red carpet photos from the 1984 Youth in Film Awards.
\u201cKe Huy Quan y Drew Barrymore\n30 a\u00f1os de diferencia.\u201d— Melanie Camarena (@Melanie Camarena) 1682686916
At 12 years old, Quan was cast in Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1984. Barrymore was launched into stardom in Spielberg's iconic 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial when she was just seven.
Both actors were nominees at the 1984 Youth in Film Awards, Barrymore for best young actress in a motion picture for her role in Irreconcilable Differences and Quan for best young supporting actor in a motion picture for his performance in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
\u201cActors Ke Huy Quan and Drew Barrymore attends the Youth In Film Awards, US. \n\n1984\u201d— JACB \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udfad\ud83c\udfa5 \ud83d\udcf8\ud83c\udfb6\ud83c\udfb8 (@JACB \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udfad\ud83c\udfa5 \ud83d\udcf8\ud83c\udfb6\ud83c\udfb8) 1682191353
So it's only appropriate—just shy of four decades later—the duo honored Spielberg with his award.
Quan shared of Spielberg:
“Steven introduced me to this world where his imagination lived and invited me in."
"He showed me how much fun we can have when we let creativity be our guide.”
And Barrymore added her entire life could be traced back to "a choice made by one person."
“He not only changed my life, but I am so happy to be here to honor him tonight to thank him for changing all of our lives.”
“Every person on the planet has a story, and Steven has made us all feel so connected, not only in the movie theaters but in life itself. ”
The twitterverse was absolutely in awe of the full-circle moment.
\u201cSpielberg con Ke Huy Quan y Drew Barrymore \ud83e\udd79\ud83e\udd79\u201d— n\ud83c\udf1era (@n\ud83c\udf1era) 1682666440
\u201c@KeHuyQuan007 Moments like these are too precious\u201d— The Crazy Tales of Ke Huy Quan Fan Club (@The Crazy Tales of Ke Huy Quan Fan Club) 1682771636
\u201c@KeHuyQuan007 Love it \ud83d\ude02\ud83e\udd70\u201d— The Crazy Tales of Ke Huy Quan Fan Club (@The Crazy Tales of Ke Huy Quan Fan Club) 1682771636
\u201cI absolutely love that Drew Barrymore and Ke Huy Quan presented the TIME impact award to Steven Spielberg.\n\nBoth of them have said in the past that Steven Spielberg was one of the first adults to make them feel respected and protected. \n\nWhat a journey both of them have been on.\u201d— Yashar Ali \ud83d\udc18 (@Yashar Ali \ud83d\udc18) 1682734846
\u201c@yashar @PKanagaratnam So good to see a joyous, loving story of young actors \ud83e\udd70\u201d— Yashar Ali \ud83d\udc18 (@Yashar Ali \ud83d\udc18) 1682734846
\u201c@yashar\u201d— Yashar Ali \ud83d\udc18 (@Yashar Ali \ud83d\udc18) 1682734846
\u201c@FilmUpdates \ud83e\udd72\ud83e\udd72\ud83e\udd72 3 icons\u201d— Film Updates (@Film Updates) 1682683324
\u201c@FilmUpdates Beautiful\ud83e\udd17\u201d— Film Updates (@Film Updates) 1682683324
\u201c@FilmUpdates #KeHuyQuan #DrewBarrymore #StevenSpielberg together again \ud83d\udc4f\n#time sure flies \nflash from the #awesome past \ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f\u201d— Film Updates (@Film Updates) 1682683324
\u201c@EW \u2661\u2661\u2661\u201d— Entertainment Weekly (@Entertainment Weekly) 1682706430
Spielberg himself gushed about the former child actors.
"I have never been more proud in my working career than being able to find in 1981 6-year-old Drew Barrymore and in early 1983, 11-year-old Ke."
"I was so lucky to find them both, and they have not changed in all those years."
Both Quan and Barrymore were included on the 2023 TIME100 list of most influential people.
The TIME100 Gala is currently streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
Congrats to all three!
