The Poster Memorabilia blog

The Goonies Reunite for Data

A handprint ceremony, a Spielberg letter, and the day the Goonies made a grown hound cry.

By an anonymous Hollywood insider

You know, it's very rare for me to tear up when I hound for autographs. I've been at it for years and have run through the whole gamut of emotions when I do it, but I never really cried before. That is, until I saw the cast of The Goonies reunite for Ke Huy Quan (Data).

The Academy Award-winning actor was officially immortalized with a hand and foot ceremony at the famous TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California. And to make that moment more special, many of his Goonies castmates attended the event to support him.

Many of the Goonies were there: Josh Brolin (Brand), Corey Feldman (Mouth), Jeff Cohen (Chunk), and Kerri Green (Andy), plus the film's screenwriter, Chris Columbus. I'm sure some of you have already noticed one glaring absence, but just you wait. It'll get better!

Anyway, it was so cool seeing them back together again for one of their castmates. I didn't even know they remained friends. Their show of support really told me how much they must have enjoyed making the film together, which made me tear up even more since it's a favorite of mine. Watching my VHS of The Goonies again and again was one of the best parts of my childhood.

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The reunion alone already brought tears to my eyes, but hearing their speeches opened the floodgates. When Brolin called Quan “one of the last existences of the American dream,” I barely held it together. Because he was right. As an Asian-American myself, seeing Quan win big in Hollywood really is solid proof that any dream can come true in America.

And then, he read a letter from Steven Spielberg, who unfortunately wasn't at the event. In it, the director praised Quan for his two “meteoric rises,” one as a child, and another as a grown-up. It was at this point that I had to cover my face with my handkerchief because the tears really weren't stopping. I was lucky I wasn't told to leave the premises looking all crazy like that.

Everything about the ceremony got me so emotional that I forgot how I got them to sign my poster. It's possible they just saw me with it and signed it when I mindlessly handed it to them. At least, I hope that was the case. I can't help but cringe when I think that I might've asked them for their autographs with my tear-stained and snot-nosed face.

“The reunion alone already brought tears to my eyes, but hearing their speeches opened the floodgates.”

Nevertheless, I got their autographs, and I have the poster to prove it. I just needed one more: Mikey's! Sean Astin himself.

Remember how I told you that this story was gonna get better? Well, here it is.

Sean Astin wasn't at the ceremony, but he appeared at the premiere of Love Hurts, Ke Huy Quan's latest film at the time, later that day. Like the others, he showed up to support his former castmate, which is more proof of just how good a guy he is. I fortunately didn't cry this time, so I was able to get his autograph looking more put together. Still, I was just as emotional seeing Mikey and Data together again.

I think I can confidently say that seeing the Goonies reunite was one of the best days of my autograph-hounding life. I'd do it all over again, tears included, if I could!

Some things you watch. This one you keep.

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