The Sympathizer is a period spy thriller and dark comedy series created by Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar. Based on a 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Vietnamese author Viet Thanh Nguyen, the HBO series follows the story of the Captain, a North Vietnam spy planted in the army of South Vietnam but when he is forced to flee to the United States, he keeps gathering information on his community to send it back to the Viet Cong. The Sympathizer stars Hoa Xuande in the lead role with Robert Downey Jr., Toan Le, Fred Nguyen Khan, Duy Nguyễn, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Alan Trong, and Sandra Oh starring in supporting roles. If you loved the spy thriller and dark comedy aspects of The Sympathizer here are some similar shows you could watch next.
The Americans (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – FX
The Americans is a...
The Americans (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – FX
The Americans is a...
- 5/21/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Note: This story contains spoilers from “The Sympathizer” Episode 6.
In Sunday’s episode of “The Sympathizer,” the Captain (Hoa Xuande) murders his nemesis Sonny (Alan Trong) in his apartment, following the General’s (Toan Le) orders after concerns surfaced about his reporting on their covert mission.
But the decision is fueled by more than just the directive, after The Captain learned that his girlfriend Sofia Mori (Sandra Oh) had been having an affair with Sonny while he was away, working as a Vietnamese interpreter on Nikos’ (Robert Downey Jr.) movie.
“We have a rivalry that’s obviously spanned through our childhood because we have very similar backstories. The Captain and Sonny had American education before they split ways, so they see their causes for the Vietnamese people very similarly, but they obviously act upon it in very different ways,” Xuande told TheWrap. “I can only speak on behalf of the...
In Sunday’s episode of “The Sympathizer,” the Captain (Hoa Xuande) murders his nemesis Sonny (Alan Trong) in his apartment, following the General’s (Toan Le) orders after concerns surfaced about his reporting on their covert mission.
But the decision is fueled by more than just the directive, after The Captain learned that his girlfriend Sofia Mori (Sandra Oh) had been having an affair with Sonny while he was away, working as a Vietnamese interpreter on Nikos’ (Robert Downey Jr.) movie.
“We have a rivalry that’s obviously spanned through our childhood because we have very similar backstories. The Captain and Sonny had American education before they split ways, so they see their causes for the Vietnamese people very similarly, but they obviously act upon it in very different ways,” Xuande told TheWrap. “I can only speak on behalf of the...
- 5/20/2024
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
In the upcoming episode of “The Sympathizer” titled “Endings Are Hard, Aren’t They?” viewers are in for a gripping ride as the story delves deeper into the life of the spy embedded in the South Vietnam army. Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War’s final days, tensions run high as the spy navigates his double life in the United States, torn between loyalty and survival.
As the episode unfolds at 9:00 Pm on Sunday, 26 May 2024, on HBO, audiences can expect to witness the intricate web of espionage and betrayal unravel in unexpected ways. The spy’s struggles intensify as he grapples with the moral complexities of his actions, blurring the lines between right and wrong in a world fraught with uncertainty.
With stellar performances and a riveting storyline, “The Sympathizer” continues to captivate viewers with its raw portrayal of war, identity, and the human experience. As the series reaches its seventh episode,...
As the episode unfolds at 9:00 Pm on Sunday, 26 May 2024, on HBO, audiences can expect to witness the intricate web of espionage and betrayal unravel in unexpected ways. The spy’s struggles intensify as he grapples with the moral complexities of his actions, blurring the lines between right and wrong in a world fraught with uncertainty.
With stellar performances and a riveting storyline, “The Sympathizer” continues to captivate viewers with its raw portrayal of war, identity, and the human experience. As the series reaches its seventh episode,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook is the latest auteur making the migration to television. He previously dabbled in serialized narratives by directing all six episodes of the 2018 BBC spy thriller mini-series "The Little Drummer Girl." Adapting a John Le Carré novel, famous for their intricate plots, for his second English-language work? Park's pulled off that and more.
This year, Park co-created "The Sympathizer," a Vietnam War satire starring Robert Downey Jr. and Hoa Xuande. Adapted from Viet Thanh Nguyen's 2015 novel (and Pulitzer winner), Park also directed the series' first three episodes. Most recently, it's been confirmed that he's producing a TV remake of his most famous film: 2003 revenge thriller "Oldboy."
Park is one of the most internationally known filmmakers from South Korea. The country has a thriving movie industry. (Check out /Film's picks for the best South Korean film directors here.) Before Park took off as a director,...
This year, Park co-created "The Sympathizer," a Vietnam War satire starring Robert Downey Jr. and Hoa Xuande. Adapted from Viet Thanh Nguyen's 2015 novel (and Pulitzer winner), Park also directed the series' first three episodes. Most recently, it's been confirmed that he's producing a TV remake of his most famous film: 2003 revenge thriller "Oldboy."
Park is one of the most internationally known filmmakers from South Korea. The country has a thriving movie industry. (Check out /Film's picks for the best South Korean film directors here.) Before Park took off as a director,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for If, Bridgerton and Hit Man.
If premiere
Writer-director John Krasinski joined stars Ryan Reynolds, Steve Carell, Cailey Fleming, Fiona Shaw, Alan Kim, Emily Blunt, Bradley Cooper, Awkwafina, Matt Damon, Amy Schumer, Maya Rudolph, Bobby Moynihan and Christopher Meloni at the New York premiere of If on Monday.
Bobby Moynihan, Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, Fiona Shaw and Alan Kim Bradley Cooper
Bridgerton premiere
Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Claudia Jessie, Adjoa Andoh, Ruth Gemmell, Lorraine Ashbourne, Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey walked the carpet on Monday at the New York premiere of Bridgerton‘s third season.
Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey
Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion premiere
The Paley Center for Media hosted the world premiere of documentary Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion in Los Angeles on Monday,...
If premiere
Writer-director John Krasinski joined stars Ryan Reynolds, Steve Carell, Cailey Fleming, Fiona Shaw, Alan Kim, Emily Blunt, Bradley Cooper, Awkwafina, Matt Damon, Amy Schumer, Maya Rudolph, Bobby Moynihan and Christopher Meloni at the New York premiere of If on Monday.
Bobby Moynihan, Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, Fiona Shaw and Alan Kim Bradley Cooper
Bridgerton premiere
Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Claudia Jessie, Adjoa Andoh, Ruth Gemmell, Lorraine Ashbourne, Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey walked the carpet on Monday at the New York premiere of Bridgerton‘s third season.
Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey
Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion premiere
The Paley Center for Media hosted the world premiere of documentary Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion in Los Angeles on Monday,...
- 5/17/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Robert Doweny Jr. has been exposed to many different methods of acting over his lengthy career. From playing envious scientists to egotistical billionaires, he has certainly explored his range as an actor throughout his decades-long career. Despite this, it would seem that his latest work has taught him something that none in the past were able to.
Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man
The Sympathizer follows a nameless protagonist played by Hoa Xuande named The Captain through seven episodes. In his escape from the Vietnam War to the United States, he encounters an awful lot of American men who look like Tony Stark. It is quite a well-known fact that Downey is playing four different characters in the miniseries. It is safe to say that executing this was not easy.
The Four Faces of Robert Downey Jr.
The Sympathizer sees Robert Downey Jr. in four different skins. At the very beginning,...
Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man
The Sympathizer follows a nameless protagonist played by Hoa Xuande named The Captain through seven episodes. In his escape from the Vietnam War to the United States, he encounters an awful lot of American men who look like Tony Stark. It is quite a well-known fact that Downey is playing four different characters in the miniseries. It is safe to say that executing this was not easy.
The Four Faces of Robert Downey Jr.
The Sympathizer sees Robert Downey Jr. in four different skins. At the very beginning,...
- 5/14/2024
- by Ananya Godboley
- FandomWire
The satirical spy-thriller “The Sympathizer” hopes to make a mark at the Primetime Emmys this year, as HBO/Max has submitted the show for 27 Emmy categories. The hopeful bids from creators Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar include acting recognition for breakout performer Hoa Xuande and superstar Robert Downey Jr., as well as outstanding limited or anthology series.
Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s 2015 debut novel, “The Sympathizer” tells the story of “The Captain” (Xuande), a North Vietnamese soldier in the South Vietnamese army who is forced to flee to the United States with his general near the end of the Vietnam War. While living within a community of South Vietnamese refugees, he continues to spy on the community, struggling between his original loyalties and his new life.
Fresh off his Oscar win for supporting actor in “Oppenheimer,” Downey aims to become the first male actor to win an Oscar and...
Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s 2015 debut novel, “The Sympathizer” tells the story of “The Captain” (Xuande), a North Vietnamese soldier in the South Vietnamese army who is forced to flee to the United States with his general near the end of the Vietnam War. While living within a community of South Vietnamese refugees, he continues to spy on the community, struggling between his original loyalties and his new life.
Fresh off his Oscar win for supporting actor in “Oppenheimer,” Downey aims to become the first male actor to win an Oscar and...
- 5/14/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Within the past week, Jennifer Jason Leigh (“Fargo”) lost and then regained her first place position on our Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actress Emmy odds chart. She is being given a run for her money by small screen newcomer Kali Reis (“True Detective: Night Country”), who maintained general frontrunner status from May 9-12 and is still our experts’ pick to win, as has been the case since May 3.
A week ago, Reis was also our editors’ predicted winner, but they have since gravitated back toward Leigh. Based on the forecasts of 2,400+ Gold Derby users, both women currently have 6/1 odds in their race, with their closest competitor being Aja Naomi King (“Lessons in Chemistry”) at 15/2.
The temporary toppling of Leigh occurred three weeks after “Shōgun” overtook “Fargo” in the Best Limited Series race. Since then, the consensus among our readers has been that the latter show’s best shot...
A week ago, Reis was also our editors’ predicted winner, but they have since gravitated back toward Leigh. Based on the forecasts of 2,400+ Gold Derby users, both women currently have 6/1 odds in their race, with their closest competitor being Aja Naomi King (“Lessons in Chemistry”) at 15/2.
The temporary toppling of Leigh occurred three weeks after “Shōgun” overtook “Fargo” in the Best Limited Series race. Since then, the consensus among our readers has been that the latter show’s best shot...
- 5/14/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
When prosthetic makeup designer Vincent Van Dyke first met with Robert Downey Jr., the two men somewhat immediately hit it off. And good thing, too, since just a couple of days later, Van Dyke heard from the producers of the HBO limited series “The Sympathizer” with the hope of signing him onto the ambitious project.
“Luckily we had that earlier meeting because we had to hit the ground running,” Van Dyke tells Gold Derby in an exclusive video interview. “It was a quick turnaround to start creating and designing these looks, and get them in front of everyone’s eyes.”
SEE2024 Emmy Experts predict Best Movie/Limited Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr. (‘The Sympathizer’) out front
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen and created for television by acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar, “The Sympathizer” focuses on an unnamed man called the Captain (breakout star...
“Luckily we had that earlier meeting because we had to hit the ground running,” Van Dyke tells Gold Derby in an exclusive video interview. “It was a quick turnaround to start creating and designing these looks, and get them in front of everyone’s eyes.”
SEE2024 Emmy Experts predict Best Movie/Limited Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr. (‘The Sympathizer’) out front
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen and created for television by acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar, “The Sympathizer” focuses on an unnamed man called the Captain (breakout star...
- 5/13/2024
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Get ready for an intense and gripping episode of “The Sympathizer” as Season 1 Episode 6, titled “The Oriental Mode of Destruction,” airs at 9:00 Pm on Sunday, May 19, 2024, on HBO. In this thrilling installment, viewers will be drawn deeper into the world of espionage and intrigue as the story nears its climax.
Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War’s final days, “The Sympathizer” follows a spy embedded within the South Vietnamese army as he flees to the United States and takes up residence in a refugee community. Despite his new surroundings, the spy continues to gather intelligence and report back to the Viet Cong, navigating a dangerous world of double-crosses and betrayal.
As tensions rise and the stakes escalate, viewers can expect plenty of twists and turns as the spy’s loyalties are put to the test. With its complex characters, gripping plot, and thought-provoking themes, “The Sympathizer” offers...
Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War’s final days, “The Sympathizer” follows a spy embedded within the South Vietnamese army as he flees to the United States and takes up residence in a refugee community. Despite his new surroundings, the spy continues to gather intelligence and report back to the Viet Cong, navigating a dangerous world of double-crosses and betrayal.
As tensions rise and the stakes escalate, viewers can expect plenty of twists and turns as the spy’s loyalties are put to the test. With its complex characters, gripping plot, and thought-provoking themes, “The Sympathizer” offers...
- 5/12/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
In 2019, Sandra Oh simultaneously received her seventh and eighth acting Emmy nominations for “Killing Eve” (drama lead) and “Saturday Night Live” (comedy guest). Five years later, her performance bid total is set to reach an even dozen thanks to her respective lead and supporting performances in the telefilm “Quiz Lady” and the limited series “The Sympathizer.” Earning TV academy recognition for these two roles would make her the eighth woman to compete for both possible limited program acting awards at once.
In “Quiz Lady,” which premiered on Hulu last November, Oh plays Jenny Yum, a vivacious yet reckless woman who reunites with her estranged younger sister (Awkwafina) to resolve their mother’s gambling debts. “The Sympathizer,” which began airing on HBO in April, features her in the role of Sofia Mori, a 1970s Japanese American secretary who becomes entangled with a communist spy (Hoa Xuande).
Prior to amassing her four...
In “Quiz Lady,” which premiered on Hulu last November, Oh plays Jenny Yum, a vivacious yet reckless woman who reunites with her estranged younger sister (Awkwafina) to resolve their mother’s gambling debts. “The Sympathizer,” which began airing on HBO in April, features her in the role of Sofia Mori, a 1970s Japanese American secretary who becomes entangled with a communist spy (Hoa Xuande).
Prior to amassing her four...
- 5/10/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: Megan Brophy Young, Matt Haberman and Chase Lehner have been promoted to Vice President of Talent at the leading PR firm Narrative.
Lehner will work out of the company’s Los Angeles office, with Brophy Young and Haberman continuing to co-lead the company’s New York City outpost, as Brophy Young splits her time between Texas and New York.
Young has spent more than a decade curating an impressive client roster including prominent actors, athletes, musicians, thought leaders and industry innovators. Beginning her career in-house at AMC Networks, she developed a passion for talent representation and transitioned to personal publicity in 2012. In 2017, Brophy took her expertise to Nashville where she immersed herself in the country music industry, working at Big Machine Label Group before landing at Narrative in 2018, closely after its inception. To date, she’s been the driving force for campaigns for the likes of Lily Allen, Lucy Boynton,...
Lehner will work out of the company’s Los Angeles office, with Brophy Young and Haberman continuing to co-lead the company’s New York City outpost, as Brophy Young splits her time between Texas and New York.
Young has spent more than a decade curating an impressive client roster including prominent actors, athletes, musicians, thought leaders and industry innovators. Beginning her career in-house at AMC Networks, she developed a passion for talent representation and transitioned to personal publicity in 2012. In 2017, Brophy took her expertise to Nashville where she immersed herself in the country music industry, working at Big Machine Label Group before landing at Narrative in 2018, closely after its inception. To date, she’s been the driving force for campaigns for the likes of Lily Allen, Lucy Boynton,...
- 5/9/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
[Warning: The following contains Major spoilers for The Sympathizer Season 1 Episode 4, “Give Us Some Good Lines.”] The Sympathizer Episode 4 is one of the best episodes of 2024 so far. The episode breaks form from its previous installments and plants the Captain (Hoa Xuande), a double agent pretending to be loyal to the Southern Vietnamese cause and its CIA allies, on the set of an American-made Vietnam War movie directed by Nikos Damianos (the fourth of Robert Downey Jr.‘s characters). The Captain was hired as the cultural consultant for The Hamlet, a noteworthy section of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. As the man in charge of representing the Vietnamese community, the Captain was in a unique position to both witness the racist depiction of Vietnamese people in this film and do something about it. What resulted in the making of this Apocalypse Now-style movie was a meta commentary that criticizes how Hollywood portrayed the Vietnam War...
- 5/6/2024
- TV Insider
Hoa Xuande’s life changed on Sept. 21, 2022.
It was nine months after he had sent in his audition tape for HBO’s series “The Sympathizer”; he had gone through the gamut of Zoom calls, he’d met with director Park Chan-wook, he’d traveled to South Korea and even made some trips to Los Angeles as part of the audition process. But there was no word on whether he’d gotten the part — radio silence after readings and tests had to mean the worst. But on that fateful September morning, he learned that he’d be playing the Captain, starring in the series opposite Robert Downey Jr. and Sandra Oh. “I felt like I won the lottery,” says Xuande.
The series is based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s 2016 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The Captain is a spy for North Vietnam who comes to Los Angeles and finds himself with conflicted loyalties.
It was nine months after he had sent in his audition tape for HBO’s series “The Sympathizer”; he had gone through the gamut of Zoom calls, he’d met with director Park Chan-wook, he’d traveled to South Korea and even made some trips to Los Angeles as part of the audition process. But there was no word on whether he’d gotten the part — radio silence after readings and tests had to mean the worst. But on that fateful September morning, he learned that he’d be playing the Captain, starring in the series opposite Robert Downey Jr. and Sandra Oh. “I felt like I won the lottery,” says Xuande.
The series is based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s 2016 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The Captain is a spy for North Vietnam who comes to Los Angeles and finds himself with conflicted loyalties.
- 5/6/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Note: This story contains spoilers ahead from “The Sympathizer” Episode 4.
Sunday’s episode of “The Sympathizer” saw The Captain (Hoa Xuande) go to work as an interpreter on auteur Nikos’ (Robert Downey Jr.) film about the Vietnam War.
Co-showrunner Park Chan-wook revealed in an interview with TheWrap that one key change that the series made from Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pultizer Prize-winning source material was moving the location of the film’s set from the Philippines to California.
“I think in the original novel, because it’s inspired by ‘Apocalypse Now,’ they changed the Philippines into Vietnam. But because of the financial restraints, we set this in California and changed that into Vietnam for this movie set,” Chan-wook said. “I think in hindsight, it turned out better in terms of our creative aspect… we were able to bring in our secondary characters into our story to have them play the...
Sunday’s episode of “The Sympathizer” saw The Captain (Hoa Xuande) go to work as an interpreter on auteur Nikos’ (Robert Downey Jr.) film about the Vietnam War.
Co-showrunner Park Chan-wook revealed in an interview with TheWrap that one key change that the series made from Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pultizer Prize-winning source material was moving the location of the film’s set from the Philippines to California.
“I think in the original novel, because it’s inspired by ‘Apocalypse Now,’ they changed the Philippines into Vietnam. But because of the financial restraints, we set this in California and changed that into Vietnam for this movie set,” Chan-wook said. “I think in hindsight, it turned out better in terms of our creative aspect… we were able to bring in our secondary characters into our story to have them play the...
- 5/6/2024
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
Projects about the Vietnam War and its aftermath are so plentiful as to be practically their own genre, and they’ve starred a who’s who of Hollywood icons, including John Wayne, Robert De Niro, Marlon Brando, Robin Williams, Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson and Christian Bale.
Notably missing from the casts — at least among the substantive speaking parts — have been performers of actual Vietnamese descent. That’s finally changed with The Sympathizer, HBO and A24’s limited series adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel. Robert Downey Jr. (who also executive produces) and Sandra Oh are the big names involved, but they are led by relative newcomer Hoa Xuande and joined by Vietnamese costars to tell a story about spycraft and personal and collective identity immediately following the conflict, centering the people whose lives and country were torn apart as a result.
The Hollywood Reporter spoke with eight of...
Notably missing from the casts — at least among the substantive speaking parts — have been performers of actual Vietnamese descent. That’s finally changed with The Sympathizer, HBO and A24’s limited series adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel. Robert Downey Jr. (who also executive produces) and Sandra Oh are the big names involved, but they are led by relative newcomer Hoa Xuande and joined by Vietnamese costars to tell a story about spycraft and personal and collective identity immediately following the conflict, centering the people whose lives and country were torn apart as a result.
The Hollywood Reporter spoke with eight of...
- 4/30/2024
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
[Warning: The following contains Major spoilers for The Sympathizer Season 1 Episode 3, “Love It or Leave It.”] All four Robert Downey Jr. characters came out to play in the same scene The Sympathizer Episode 3, and director Park Chan-wook tells TV Insider it was a masterclass in acting to film it. Viewers met the first two Downey characters, Claude and Professor Hammer, in The Sympathizer Episodes 1 and 2. Claude works for the CIA and has been training the Captain (Hoa Xuande) as his “protege” (he still hasn’t figured out that the Captain is a double agent with loyalty to the Northern Vietnamese cause). Hammer was the Captain’s professor during his brief stint in America. It’s through Hammer that the Captain meets his new lover, Sofia (Sandra Oh). Downey’s third character was revealed earlier in Episode 3, “Love It or Leave It.” The politician Ned Godwin is nicknamed “Napalm Ned” and is sympathetic to the Southern Vietnamese war efforts.
- 4/29/2024
- TV Insider
Getting ready to make your 2024 Emmy predictions for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actor? Be sure to scroll through our photo gallery showcasing the men who are most likely to land in the lineup. Out in front is “Fargo” star and former drama lead winner Jon Hamm, who could also pick up dual supporting bids this year for the comedy and drama series “Good Omens” and “The Morning Show.”
Hamm would be the first actor to win this award for “Fargo,” following the unsuccessful bids of inaugural season cast members Martin Freeman and Billy Bob Thornton and third season lead Ewan McGregor. As the star of “A Gentleman in Moscow,” McGregor happens to be seeking a second win in this category after being honored for “Halston” in 2021.
Others vying for bookend trophies here are Michael Douglas (“Franklin”; formerly of “Behind the Candelabra”) and Benedict Cumberbatch (“Eric”; “Sherlock”). Also in the mix is Tony Shalhoub,...
Hamm would be the first actor to win this award for “Fargo,” following the unsuccessful bids of inaugural season cast members Martin Freeman and Billy Bob Thornton and third season lead Ewan McGregor. As the star of “A Gentleman in Moscow,” McGregor happens to be seeking a second win in this category after being honored for “Halston” in 2021.
Others vying for bookend trophies here are Michael Douglas (“Franklin”; formerly of “Behind the Candelabra”) and Benedict Cumberbatch (“Eric”; “Sherlock”). Also in the mix is Tony Shalhoub,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Park Chan-wook doesn’t actually know how Robert Downey Jr. responded to his characters in “The Sympathizer.”
The acclaimed Korean director worked with Downey for the first time while adapting Viet Thanh Nguyen’s bestselling novel for HBO, and he expected a big-name star at that level to drag out the negotiation process after getting an offer. To Park’s surprise, Downey circled back quickly, and the two of them started to dig into his character — his characters.
Downey, who also executive produced the series along with wife Susan, plays four characters (so far) in the limited series, each with a unique look and voice and motivations — all of which were built in process. There’s C.I.A. agent Claude, the Orientalist Professor Hammer, filmmaker Niko, and Congressman Ned Godwin, and Downey appears to thoroughly enjoy embodying every single one. In his review of the series, IndieWire’s Ben Travers...
The acclaimed Korean director worked with Downey for the first time while adapting Viet Thanh Nguyen’s bestselling novel for HBO, and he expected a big-name star at that level to drag out the negotiation process after getting an offer. To Park’s surprise, Downey circled back quickly, and the two of them started to dig into his character — his characters.
Downey, who also executive produced the series along with wife Susan, plays four characters (so far) in the limited series, each with a unique look and voice and motivations — all of which were built in process. There’s C.I.A. agent Claude, the Orientalist Professor Hammer, filmmaker Niko, and Congressman Ned Godwin, and Downey appears to thoroughly enjoy embodying every single one. In his review of the series, IndieWire’s Ben Travers...
- 4/29/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
Robert Downey Jr. eyes the Primetime Emmy next after his Oscar win for Best Supporting Actor for Oppenheimer. Downey Jr. plays not one but four roles in the new HBO series, The Sympathizer. While the Dolittle actor surprised fans with his different looks in the trailer of the series, fans were not ready for one scene in the third episode. In this scene, Downey Jr. brought out all four characters in a single sequence, and Sandra Oh hijacked an interview to hear all about it.
Robert Downey Jr. in a still from The Sympathizer
The Iron Man actor’s four characters represent different aspects of the American establishment. These characters include CIA agent Claude, Professor Hammer, auteur filmmaker Niko, and Southern California congressman Ned Godwin.
Robert Downey Jr.’s One Scene In The Sympathizer Was Challenging To Shoot
Robert Downey Jr. and Hoa Xuande in the steakhouse scene in The Sympathizer...
Robert Downey Jr. in a still from The Sympathizer
The Iron Man actor’s four characters represent different aspects of the American establishment. These characters include CIA agent Claude, Professor Hammer, auteur filmmaker Niko, and Southern California congressman Ned Godwin.
Robert Downey Jr.’s One Scene In The Sympathizer Was Challenging To Shoot
Robert Downey Jr. and Hoa Xuande in the steakhouse scene in The Sympathizer...
- 4/29/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
The Captain has a big morale dilemma in the first season of The Sympathizer TV show on HBO. As we all know, Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether a TV show like The Sympathizer is cancelled or renewed for season two. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustrated when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we invite you to rate all of the first season episodes of The Sympathizer here.
An HBO historical dark comedy-drama series, The Sympathizer TV show stars Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, Alan Trong, Sandra Oh, and Robert Downey Jr. (in multiple roles). The story revolves around the struggles of the Captain (Xuande), a half-French, half-Vietnamese...
An HBO historical dark comedy-drama series, The Sympathizer TV show stars Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, Alan Trong, Sandra Oh, and Robert Downey Jr. (in multiple roles). The story revolves around the struggles of the Captain (Xuande), a half-French, half-Vietnamese...
- 4/29/2024
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
When “The Sympathizer” showrunner and director Park Chan-Wook brainstormed ideas for HBO’s newest miniseries, one scene struck him as a “quintessential American institution and represented the idea of America.” It took place in a steakhouse with several characters coming together.
Based on the best-selling novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen and set at the end of the Vietnam War, “The Sympathizer” follows a captain, played by Hoa Xuande, in the South Vietnamese army who’s secretly spying for the North Vietnamese communists. As Saigon falls and the U.S. retreats, the Captain remains embedded and escapes to Los Angeles. Throughout, Robert Downey Jr. pops up as various characters who interact with the Captain including Claude, the Captain’s CIA contact, as well as a professor, a congressman and an auteur.
Park toyed with the idea of casting Mark Ruffalo and even Josh Brolin along the way, but in the end,...
Based on the best-selling novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen and set at the end of the Vietnam War, “The Sympathizer” follows a captain, played by Hoa Xuande, in the South Vietnamese army who’s secretly spying for the North Vietnamese communists. As Saigon falls and the U.S. retreats, the Captain remains embedded and escapes to Los Angeles. Throughout, Robert Downey Jr. pops up as various characters who interact with the Captain including Claude, the Captain’s CIA contact, as well as a professor, a congressman and an auteur.
Park toyed with the idea of casting Mark Ruffalo and even Josh Brolin along the way, but in the end,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Spoiler Alert: This interview contains spoilers for Episode 3 of “The Sympathizer” on HBO.
Phanxine isn’t an actor.
Or so he says, though one might beg to differ after seeing his performance in “Love It or Leave It,” the third episode of HBO’s “The Sympathizer.” Though he’s no stranger to filmmaking, having directed and produced popular features such as the Vietnamese box office hit “Sweet 20,” Phanxine is a first-time performer. In fact, his involvement in “The Sympathizer” only came together after an audition he attended as a prank — more on that later.
Episode 2 saw the General (Toan Le) begin to suspect the presence of a North Vietnamese spy among the South Vietnamese community he began building in Los Angeles after the war, but he’s still far from realizing that it’s the Captain (Hoa Xuande) who’s betraying him. In an attempt to keep his cover, the...
Phanxine isn’t an actor.
Or so he says, though one might beg to differ after seeing his performance in “Love It or Leave It,” the third episode of HBO’s “The Sympathizer.” Though he’s no stranger to filmmaking, having directed and produced popular features such as the Vietnamese box office hit “Sweet 20,” Phanxine is a first-time performer. In fact, his involvement in “The Sympathizer” only came together after an audition he attended as a prank — more on that later.
Episode 2 saw the General (Toan Le) begin to suspect the presence of a North Vietnamese spy among the South Vietnamese community he began building in Los Angeles after the war, but he’s still far from realizing that it’s the Captain (Hoa Xuande) who’s betraying him. In an attempt to keep his cover, the...
- 4/29/2024
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
This Sunday on HBO, viewers are in for a gripping and thought-provoking episode of “The Sympathizer” with Season 1 Episode 4 titled “Give Us Some Good Lines.” Set near the end of the Vietnam War, the series follows the journey of a spy embedded in the South Vietnamese army who flees to the United States and settles in a refugee community. Despite his new surroundings, he continues to gather intelligence and report back to the Viet Cong.
In this installment, tensions rise as the spy navigates the complexities of his double life while grappling with the moral dilemmas that come with espionage. As the stakes escalate, viewers will be drawn deeper into the web of intrigue and deception that surrounds the protagonist.
Tune in at 9:00 Pm this Sunday, May 5th, 2024, on HBO, and immerse yourself in the thrilling world of “The Sympathizer.” It’s a riveting portrayal of loyalty, betrayal, and...
In this installment, tensions rise as the spy navigates the complexities of his double life while grappling with the moral dilemmas that come with espionage. As the stakes escalate, viewers will be drawn deeper into the web of intrigue and deception that surrounds the protagonist.
Tune in at 9:00 Pm this Sunday, May 5th, 2024, on HBO, and immerse yourself in the thrilling world of “The Sympathizer.” It’s a riveting portrayal of loyalty, betrayal, and...
- 4/28/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
Gold House, the nonprofit organization that connects and celebrates Asian Pacific creatives, companies and communities, will hold its third annual Gold Gala on May 11, toasting a star-studded group of honorees.
Cynthia Erivo, Padma Lakshmi, Lucy Liu, Saweetie, The Sympathizer star Hoa Xuande and the creator and cast of Beef will all be recognized at the event, alongside Hybe founder and chairman Bang Si-Hyuk, Hello Kitty, producer-director Karan Johar, content creator Valkyrae, the Maui first responders and Team USA’s Olympic skating team.
Presenters will also bring the star power, with a lineup including Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (aka Daniels), Regina King, Lulu Wang, John Cho, Auliʻi Cravalho, Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s Gordon Cormier, Dallas Liu and Elizabeth Yu, and Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria.
The Gold Gala serves as an annual gathering of top Asian Pacific and multicultural leaders, convening more than 600 guests to celebrate the 2024 A...
Cynthia Erivo, Padma Lakshmi, Lucy Liu, Saweetie, The Sympathizer star Hoa Xuande and the creator and cast of Beef will all be recognized at the event, alongside Hybe founder and chairman Bang Si-Hyuk, Hello Kitty, producer-director Karan Johar, content creator Valkyrae, the Maui first responders and Team USA’s Olympic skating team.
Presenters will also bring the star power, with a lineup including Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (aka Daniels), Regina King, Lulu Wang, John Cho, Auliʻi Cravalho, Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s Gordon Cormier, Dallas Liu and Elizabeth Yu, and Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria.
The Gold Gala serves as an annual gathering of top Asian Pacific and multicultural leaders, convening more than 600 guests to celebrate the 2024 A...
- 4/25/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Lucy Liu and Padma Lakshmi are among the stars who will be honored at the third annual Gold House Gala in May.
This year marks the third annual Gold Gala where top Asian Pacific and multicultural leaders will convene to celebrate the 2024 A100 List.
Gold House will announce the A100 honorees on May. 1. The list highlights the 100 most impactful Asian Pacific changemakers in culture and society over the past year.
This year’s theme, A Gold New World, imagines a tomorrow for all, built by all. Luxury brand fashion designer Prabal Gurung will help bring this vision to life as the first-ever Gold Gala Creative Director.
Speaking with Variety, Gurang said, “When we talk about Asian representation, we talk about all Asians. People are flying in from India, Taiwan, Shanghai and all over. It’s about people from their respective fields coming together to inspire.” He added, “Gold House and...
This year marks the third annual Gold Gala where top Asian Pacific and multicultural leaders will convene to celebrate the 2024 A100 List.
Gold House will announce the A100 honorees on May. 1. The list highlights the 100 most impactful Asian Pacific changemakers in culture and society over the past year.
This year’s theme, A Gold New World, imagines a tomorrow for all, built by all. Luxury brand fashion designer Prabal Gurung will help bring this vision to life as the first-ever Gold Gala Creative Director.
Speaking with Variety, Gurang said, “When we talk about Asian representation, we talk about all Asians. People are flying in from India, Taiwan, Shanghai and all over. It’s about people from their respective fields coming together to inspire.” He added, “Gold House and...
- 4/25/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
We don't have to wonder if The Sympathizer will be cancelled or renewed for a second season since it's been promoted as a limited series. Still, HBO sometimes likes to change course and find a way to keep shows going. Big Little Lies and The White Lotus are good examples. Could The Sympathizer continue beyond these seven episodes? Stay tuned.
A historical dark comedy-drama series, The Sympathizer TV show stars Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, Alan Trong, Sandra Oh, and Robert Downey Jr. (in multiple roles). The story revolves around the struggles of the Captain (Xuande), a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War. He flees to America with his general (Le) and begins a new life in Los Angeles within a...
A historical dark comedy-drama series, The Sympathizer TV show stars Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, Alan Trong, Sandra Oh, and Robert Downey Jr. (in multiple roles). The story revolves around the struggles of the Captain (Xuande), a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War. He flees to America with his general (Le) and begins a new life in Los Angeles within a...
- 4/24/2024
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Vulture Watch
The Captain has serious choices to make. Has The Sympathizer TV show been cancelled or renewed for a second season on HBO? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of The Sympathizer, season two. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?
What's This TV Show About?
A historical dark comedy-drama series airing on the HBO cable channel, The Sympathizer TV show stars Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, Alan Trong, Sandra Oh, and Robert Downey Jr. (in multiple roles). The story revolves around the struggles of the Captain (Xuande), a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War. He flees...
The Captain has serious choices to make. Has The Sympathizer TV show been cancelled or renewed for a second season on HBO? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of The Sympathizer, season two. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?
What's This TV Show About?
A historical dark comedy-drama series airing on the HBO cable channel, The Sympathizer TV show stars Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, Alan Trong, Sandra Oh, and Robert Downey Jr. (in multiple roles). The story revolves around the struggles of the Captain (Xuande), a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War. He flees...
- 4/24/2024
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
TV is positively cluttered with buzzy book adaptations; 2024 alone has given us “Ripley,” “3 Body Problem,” “Under the Bridge,” “Girls on the Bus,” “Apples Never Fall,” “Palm Royale,” and way too many others to really count. Few of these projects arrive to the screen with as much clout — and as high of expectations — as “The Sympathizer,” HBO’s newest limited series. Not only was Viet Thanh Nguyen’s 2015 novel about the queasy half-existence of a North Vietnamese spy burrowed in the South Vietnamese army extremely popular when it hit book stores in 2015, it was also highly acclaimed, receiving the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. That’s a lot for any show to live up to.
That said, the show certainly has the pedigree behind the cameras to match the original work. The HBO “Sympathizer” limited series comes from Korean auteur Park Chan-wook, who co-created the series with Don McKellar and directs...
That said, the show certainly has the pedigree behind the cameras to match the original work. The HBO “Sympathizer” limited series comes from Korean auteur Park Chan-wook, who co-created the series with Don McKellar and directs...
- 4/22/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
After giving an outstanding performance in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, and grabbing the Academy Awards for the Best Supporting Actor Robert Downey Jr. is all set to work on his new project, The Sympathizer. He is going to portray four different characters in the movie: a director, a congressional representative, a professor, and a CIA operative. This project is going to be one of the most difficult projects that the Iron Man actor has put his hands on.
Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer
However, working with Nolan in the 2023 historical drama film, helped Rdj to go nuts with his idea of character development. Susan Downey, the actor’s wife gave an insight into how the Inception director’s intensive character process helped the actor. It allowed him to work on each character’s looks and physicality, making them look different from each other.
Christopher Nolan’s Strict...
Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer
However, working with Nolan in the 2023 historical drama film, helped Rdj to go nuts with his idea of character development. Susan Downey, the actor’s wife gave an insight into how the Inception director’s intensive character process helped the actor. It allowed him to work on each character’s looks and physicality, making them look different from each other.
Christopher Nolan’s Strict...
- 4/22/2024
- by Tushar Auddy
- FandomWire
Get ready for an intense episode of “The Sympathizer” titled “Love It or Leave It,” airing on HBO at 9:00 Pm on Sunday, April 28, 2024. In this gripping installment, tensions rise as the Captain grapples with the General’s orders to eliminate the spy among them.
Feeling the weight of this task, the Captain turns to Bon for assistance in crafting and executing a plan, timed perfectly for Independence Day. As they strategize, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and the pressure mounts as they race against time to uncover the traitor in their midst.
Meanwhile, amidst the turmoil, Claude introduces the Captain to the enigmatic figure known as the Auteur during an upscale lunch. With alliances shifting and secrets lurking, the Captain finds himself navigating treacherous waters where loyalty and betrayal blur the lines.
Don’t miss out on the suspenseful twists and turns of “Love It or Leave It...
Feeling the weight of this task, the Captain turns to Bon for assistance in crafting and executing a plan, timed perfectly for Independence Day. As they strategize, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and the pressure mounts as they race against time to uncover the traitor in their midst.
Meanwhile, amidst the turmoil, Claude introduces the Captain to the enigmatic figure known as the Auteur during an upscale lunch. With alliances shifting and secrets lurking, the Captain finds himself navigating treacherous waters where loyalty and betrayal blur the lines.
Don’t miss out on the suspenseful twists and turns of “Love It or Leave It...
- 4/21/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
The Sympathizer is a historical black comedy series with elements of war, spy, politics, and mystery. Based on a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winning 2015 best-selling novel of the same name by Vietnamese-American professor Viet Thanh Nguyen, the HBO series is co-written and directed by Park Chan-wook.
The HBO series is set near the end of the Vietnam war and it follows the story of a spy embedded in the South Vietnam army as he flees to the United States to gather intelligence for the Viet Cong. The Sympathizer is simply a thrilling experience with some great comedy and layered characters that will have you glued to your screen.
The Sympathizer – Episode Guide (When Will the New Episodes Arrive?) Credit – HBO
The Sympathizer consists of seven episodes in total. The historical dark comedy series premiered on HBO with its first episode on April 14, with the rest of the episodes coming out weekly every Sunday.
The HBO series is set near the end of the Vietnam war and it follows the story of a spy embedded in the South Vietnam army as he flees to the United States to gather intelligence for the Viet Cong. The Sympathizer is simply a thrilling experience with some great comedy and layered characters that will have you glued to your screen.
The Sympathizer – Episode Guide (When Will the New Episodes Arrive?) Credit – HBO
The Sympathizer consists of seven episodes in total. The historical dark comedy series premiered on HBO with its first episode on April 14, with the rest of the episodes coming out weekly every Sunday.
- 4/19/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Oldboy, the South Korean thriller that many consider a classic despite it only being released 21 years ago, is on track for a TV series adaptation.
TVLine has learned that Lionsgate Television is partnering with Park Chan-wook on the first English-language series adaptation of his 2003 film, which was adapted from a Japanese manga of the same name and went on to become the first South Korean film to win the Grand Prix at Cannes.
More from TVLineAHS: Delicate Exposes a Major Betrayal Ahead of Season FinaleSurvivor Recap: Tribal Council Explodes Into Sheer MadnessSo Help Me Todd Is Not Preparing for Possible Cancellation
Park,...
TVLine has learned that Lionsgate Television is partnering with Park Chan-wook on the first English-language series adaptation of his 2003 film, which was adapted from a Japanese manga of the same name and went on to become the first South Korean film to win the Grand Prix at Cannes.
More from TVLineAHS: Delicate Exposes a Major Betrayal Ahead of Season FinaleSurvivor Recap: Tribal Council Explodes Into Sheer MadnessSo Help Me Todd Is Not Preparing for Possible Cancellation
Park,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Based on the combined predictions of over 2,000 Gold Derby users, Lily Gladstone (“Under the Bridge”) and Walton Goggins (“Fallout”) are not generally expected to reap 2024 Emmy bids at this time. However, their chances of soon reaching predicted nominee status greatly improved over the past week thanks to their new category placements. The limited series actress’ odds jumped from 100/1 to 66/1 after she migrated from lead to supporting, while the dramatic actor went from 62/1 to 37/1 by making the opposite move.
Gladstone’s “Under the Bridge” cast mate, Riley Keough, joined her in switching from lead to supporting but still retains her original 100/1 odds. The other two performers who rose above their previous 100/1 odds this week are lead actress Julianne Moore (“Mary & George”) and featured actor Mark Ruffalo (“All the Light We Cannot See”), both of whom hail from limited series.
At this point, the non-continuing series races are proving to be the most dynamic ones overall.
Gladstone’s “Under the Bridge” cast mate, Riley Keough, joined her in switching from lead to supporting but still retains her original 100/1 odds. The other two performers who rose above their previous 100/1 odds this week are lead actress Julianne Moore (“Mary & George”) and featured actor Mark Ruffalo (“All the Light We Cannot See”), both of whom hail from limited series.
At this point, the non-continuing series races are proving to be the most dynamic ones overall.
- 4/16/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Not long after winning an Oscar for Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, Robert Downey Jr. is starring in perhaps his most challenging project to date: another high-profile one. The Iron Man star, 59, is starring in a new HBO Max series called The Sympathizer, in which, he is playing four antagonist roles combined.
In addition to playing a CIA agent, Downey Jr. portrays a professor, a congressman, and a film director (who was influenced by Francis Ford Coppola). Meanwhile, Hoa Xuande plays The Captain (a Vietnamese spy) in the HBO series, which is based on the critically acclaimed book of a similar title by Viet Thanh Nguyen.
Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey Jr. in The Sympathizer
Behind The Sympathizer is Park Chan-wook, a renowned filmmaker best known for movies like Oldboy, and The Handmaiden. In a recent interview, the South Korean director and former film critic expressed his disappointment and regret at...
In addition to playing a CIA agent, Downey Jr. portrays a professor, a congressman, and a film director (who was influenced by Francis Ford Coppola). Meanwhile, Hoa Xuande plays The Captain (a Vietnamese spy) in the HBO series, which is based on the critically acclaimed book of a similar title by Viet Thanh Nguyen.
Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey Jr. in The Sympathizer
Behind The Sympathizer is Park Chan-wook, a renowned filmmaker best known for movies like Oldboy, and The Handmaiden. In a recent interview, the South Korean director and former film critic expressed his disappointment and regret at...
- 4/16/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
Spoiler Alert: This article contains details of the first episode of HBO’s limited series The Sympathizer, which premiered on April 14.
“All right, see you stateside,” says Robert Downey Jr’s Claude quips with some gallows humor to Hoa Xuande’s The Captain near the end of the first episode of HBO’s The Sympathizer as communist North Vietnamese forces bombard soon-to-fall Saigon in 1975.
If the slippery CIA officer was the only role Oscar winner Downey portrays in the multi-genre adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel, it would capture a lot of attention on or off cable. However, Downey plays several characters in multicultural and multinational The Sympathizer from showrunners Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar as the action moves from the dying days of the American War, as it is known in Southeast Asia, to Southern California and back again.
Along with the music-fan spymaster and mentor to the Captain,...
“All right, see you stateside,” says Robert Downey Jr’s Claude quips with some gallows humor to Hoa Xuande’s The Captain near the end of the first episode of HBO’s The Sympathizer as communist North Vietnamese forces bombard soon-to-fall Saigon in 1975.
If the slippery CIA officer was the only role Oscar winner Downey portrays in the multi-genre adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel, it would capture a lot of attention on or off cable. However, Downey plays several characters in multicultural and multinational The Sympathizer from showrunners Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar as the action moves from the dying days of the American War, as it is known in Southeast Asia, to Southern California and back again.
Along with the music-fan spymaster and mentor to the Captain,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Robert Downey Jr. stars as not one, but four characters in HBO’s newest thriller series, “The Sympathizer.”
The limited series, which is based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel of the same name, follows a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy as he hides his identity from a refugee community in Los Angeles during the final days of the Vietnam War.
Keep on reading for the full breakdown of all the characters in “The Sympathizer,” and where you’ve seen each actor before.
Hoa Xuande in “The Sympathizer.” (Hopper Stone/HBO)
Hoa Xuande as The Captain
Hoa Xuande stars as the Captain, a spy for North Vietnam who becomes embedded in a refugee community in Los Angeles. His dual identities prompt him to get caught between his conflicting loyalties and contradicting desires.
Xuande has been featured in “Last King of the Cross,” “A Stitch in Time,” “Cowboy Bebop” and “Hungry Ghosts.
The limited series, which is based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel of the same name, follows a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy as he hides his identity from a refugee community in Los Angeles during the final days of the Vietnam War.
Keep on reading for the full breakdown of all the characters in “The Sympathizer,” and where you’ve seen each actor before.
Hoa Xuande in “The Sympathizer.” (Hopper Stone/HBO)
Hoa Xuande as The Captain
Hoa Xuande stars as the Captain, a spy for North Vietnam who becomes embedded in a refugee community in Los Angeles. His dual identities prompt him to get caught between his conflicting loyalties and contradicting desires.
Xuande has been featured in “Last King of the Cross,” “A Stitch in Time,” “Cowboy Bebop” and “Hungry Ghosts.
- 4/15/2024
- by Loree Seitz
- The Wrap
With the first episode of The Sympathizer premiering this past weekend on HBO, the world is seeing just how wild this adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is. A stunning blend of war story, satire, and powerful drama, The Sympathizer boasts impressive performances from a cast featuring Hoa Xuande, Sandra Oh, and Robert Downey Jr in five distinct performances. Written by Don McKellar alongside Oldboy director Park Chan-wook, The Sympathizer is incredible. The seven-part series will be a big contender for series of the year. I got the chance to speak with the cast and producers about bringing the book to the screen, and their insights are below. Check it out.
First, I asked Sandra Oh about her layered experience making recent films like Umma, which focused on Korean identity, and the comedy Quiz Lady with Awkwafina, which touched on race and culture without making it a central part of the plot.
First, I asked Sandra Oh about her layered experience making recent films like Umma, which focused on Korean identity, and the comedy Quiz Lady with Awkwafina, which touched on race and culture without making it a central part of the plot.
- 4/15/2024
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
If you felt the instinct to pause, rewind, or repeat part of the premiere to HBO’s “The Sympathizer” on its April 14 premiere, showrunner Park Chan-Wook is one step ahead of you.
The Korean director best known for films like “Oldboy” and “The Handmaiden” and the recent “Decision to Leave” was a critical mind in shaping “The Sympathizer,” based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s bestseller, which required anticipating how the audience would receive the story. In Episode 1, we meet our unnamed protagonist, The Captain (Hoa Xuande), whose interrogation frames the flashbacks that follow.
The Captain’s confession was one element of adapting Nguyen’s story, Park told IndieWire over Zoom with a translator, but the second piece of that framework was particularly exciting: The Commandant’s (Quinn Hoàng) interruptions.
“Sometimes the commandant might get angry at the captain, or sometimes be criticizing — that is how he engages himself in this storytelling,...
The Korean director best known for films like “Oldboy” and “The Handmaiden” and the recent “Decision to Leave” was a critical mind in shaping “The Sympathizer,” based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s bestseller, which required anticipating how the audience would receive the story. In Episode 1, we meet our unnamed protagonist, The Captain (Hoa Xuande), whose interrogation frames the flashbacks that follow.
The Captain’s confession was one element of adapting Nguyen’s story, Park told IndieWire over Zoom with a translator, but the second piece of that framework was particularly exciting: The Commandant’s (Quinn Hoàng) interruptions.
“Sometimes the commandant might get angry at the captain, or sometimes be criticizing — that is how he engages himself in this storytelling,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
Network: HBO
Episodes: Seven (hour)
Seasons: One
TV show dates: April 14, 2024 -- present
Series status: Has not been cancelled
Performers include: Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, Alan Trong, Sandra Oh, and Robert Downey Jr. (in multiple roles).
TV show description:
A historical black comedy-drama series, The Sympathizer TV show is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen.
The story revolves around the struggles of the Captain (Xuande), a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War.
Read More…...
Episodes: Seven (hour)
Seasons: One
TV show dates: April 14, 2024 -- present
Series status: Has not been cancelled
Performers include: Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, Alan Trong, Sandra Oh, and Robert Downey Jr. (in multiple roles).
TV show description:
A historical black comedy-drama series, The Sympathizer TV show is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen.
The story revolves around the struggles of the Captain (Xuande), a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War.
Read More…...
- 4/15/2024
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Following Robert Downey Jr.’s Oscar win for Oppenheimer, new doors of opportunities opened for the actor. Starring in another prestige project, that came as one of his most challenging performances yet, Downey Jr. appeared in a supporting role in the recently released HBO series, The Sympathizer.
HBO series The Sympathizer (2024)
Based on the acclaimed book by Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Sympathizer stars Robert Downey Jr. in four different roles: a director, a congressional representative, a professor, and a CIA operative. While this came as a true challenge for the Iron Man star, the show creator revealed why the actor was booked to play four different roles.
The Sympathizer Creators Explained the Curious Casting of Robert Downey Jr.
Adapted from the novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen; Park Chan-wook, and Don McKellar came up with the brilliant idea for their recently released HBO show The Sympathizer. Starring Hoa Xuande as a Vietnamese spy named The Captain,...
HBO series The Sympathizer (2024)
Based on the acclaimed book by Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Sympathizer stars Robert Downey Jr. in four different roles: a director, a congressional representative, a professor, and a CIA operative. While this came as a true challenge for the Iron Man star, the show creator revealed why the actor was booked to play four different roles.
The Sympathizer Creators Explained the Curious Casting of Robert Downey Jr.
Adapted from the novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen; Park Chan-wook, and Don McKellar came up with the brilliant idea for their recently released HBO show The Sympathizer. Starring Hoa Xuande as a Vietnamese spy named The Captain,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Krittika Mukherjee
- FandomWire
[Warning: The following contains Major spoilers for The Sympathizer Season 1 Episode 1, “Death Wish.”] South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) and Don McKellar took on the task of adapting The Sympathizer book to the small screen. The limited series premiered on Sunday, April 14 on HBO, revealing its interpretation of the source material that’s highly praised for its unique style. The Sympathizer is an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his new life as a refugee in Los Angeles, where he learns that his spying days aren’t over. Those who have read Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel know the book is narrated by the unnamed main character. The Sympathizer series named its leading man the Captain (played by Hoa Xuande), and they took a creative liberty in regards to the context of his narration. In the series premiere,...
- 4/15/2024
- TV Insider
“I am a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces.”
So begins Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “The Sympathizer,” which, when released in 2015, was hailed for its humorous, biting interrogation of American perspectives on the Vietnam War.
Integrating elements of the espionage thriller à lá John le Carré with a heavy sense of irony reminiscent of Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” “The Sympathizer” is told from the viewpoint of an officer in the U.S.-supported South Vietnam army who secretly reports back to communists in North Vietnam. Framed as a confession to the people for whom he has ostensibly been spying, the narrator — who goes unnamed in the novel — chronicles the story of his journey to Southern California, where he joins the Vietnamese refugee community settling there and grapples with questions of loyalty and assimilation.
In a 2015 interview, Nguyen, who is a professor at the University of Southern California,...
So begins Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “The Sympathizer,” which, when released in 2015, was hailed for its humorous, biting interrogation of American perspectives on the Vietnam War.
Integrating elements of the espionage thriller à lá John le Carré with a heavy sense of irony reminiscent of Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” “The Sympathizer” is told from the viewpoint of an officer in the U.S.-supported South Vietnam army who secretly reports back to communists in North Vietnam. Framed as a confession to the people for whom he has ostensibly been spying, the narrator — who goes unnamed in the novel — chronicles the story of his journey to Southern California, where he joins the Vietnamese refugee community settling there and grapples with questions of loyalty and assimilation.
In a 2015 interview, Nguyen, who is a professor at the University of Southern California,...
- 4/14/2024
- by Rachel Seo
- Variety Film + TV
About a month ago, “The Sympathizer” star Fred Nguyen Khan lost his grandmother.
She was a Vietnamese refugee who sought asylum in Canada, enduring a “staggered escape” that left her and her siblings terrified they wouldn’t survive or see each other again. But were it not for the show, in which Khan now plays a refugee himself, he may never have heard that story.
Set at the end of the Vietnam War, “The Sympathizer” follows a captain in the U.S.-backed South Vietnamese army (Hoa Xuande) who’s secretly spying for the North Vietnamese communists. As Saigon falls and the U.S. retreats, the Captain (as he’s called throughout) remains embedded and escapes to the Los Angeles while continuing to report back to his side about the dealings of the General (Toan Le) and his men — including one of his best friends, Bon (Khan), who knows nothing...
She was a Vietnamese refugee who sought asylum in Canada, enduring a “staggered escape” that left her and her siblings terrified they wouldn’t survive or see each other again. But were it not for the show, in which Khan now plays a refugee himself, he may never have heard that story.
Set at the end of the Vietnam War, “The Sympathizer” follows a captain in the U.S.-backed South Vietnamese army (Hoa Xuande) who’s secretly spying for the North Vietnamese communists. As Saigon falls and the U.S. retreats, the Captain (as he’s called throughout) remains embedded and escapes to the Los Angeles while continuing to report back to his side about the dealings of the General (Toan Le) and his men — including one of his best friends, Bon (Khan), who knows nothing...
- 4/14/2024
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
The life of a spy can be exciting, glamorous, and sexy, but it can also be deadly, especially when you are a sleeper agent whose loyalties are in question. The new HBO satirical/thriller series “The Sympathizer” premieres on Sunday, April 14 at 9 p.m. Et on Max and pulls the curtain back on the world of international espionage before and after the end of the Vietnam War. Starring Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey Jr., the series has all of the makings of HBO’s next Sunday-night obsession. You can watch with a subscription to Max.
How to Watch ‘The Sympathizer’ Premiere When: Sunday, April 14, 2024 at 9:00 Pm Edt Where: Max Stream: Watch with a subscription to Max. Sign Up$9.99+ / month Max.com About ‘The Sympathizer’ Premiere
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen, “The Sympathizer” chronicles the journey of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy known as the Captain...
How to Watch ‘The Sympathizer’ Premiere When: Sunday, April 14, 2024 at 9:00 Pm Edt Where: Max Stream: Watch with a subscription to Max. Sign Up$9.99+ / month Max.com About ‘The Sympathizer’ Premiere
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen, “The Sympathizer” chronicles the journey of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy known as the Captain...
- 4/14/2024
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
Robert Downey Jr. is currently on one of the hottest runs of his four decade acting career, following his Oscar win for Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” with an unprecedented turn in Park Chan-wook’s new HBO series “The Sympathizer” that sees him playing four different characters.
The two projects showcase opposite sides of Downey’s talents. His performance as Machiavellian political operative Lewis Strauss in “Oppenheimer” was an exercise in subtlety, relying on slight gestures and layered glances to provide the ideal foil for Cillian Murphy’s J. Robert Oppenheimer. “The Sympathizer,” on the other hand, relies on the cocky screen presence that made his Tony Stark the most beloved fixture of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In a recent interview with Esquire, Downey used a very colorful metaphor to explain that shooting “The Sympathizer” right after “Oppenheimer” allowed him to recover creatively from the precision that was required to work with Nolan.
The two projects showcase opposite sides of Downey’s talents. His performance as Machiavellian political operative Lewis Strauss in “Oppenheimer” was an exercise in subtlety, relying on slight gestures and layered glances to provide the ideal foil for Cillian Murphy’s J. Robert Oppenheimer. “The Sympathizer,” on the other hand, relies on the cocky screen presence that made his Tony Stark the most beloved fixture of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In a recent interview with Esquire, Downey used a very colorful metaphor to explain that shooting “The Sympathizer” right after “Oppenheimer” allowed him to recover creatively from the precision that was required to work with Nolan.
- 4/13/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Walton Goggins is no stranger to meaty roles he can make his own, and now the Emmy-nominated “Justified” actor is sinking his teeth into Amazon’s highly anticipated “Fallout,” an adaptation of the popular video game from “Westworld” duo Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. In the darkly funny post-apocalyptic series, which is now streaming on Prime Video, Goggins pulls double duty as The Ghoul, a disfigured, centuries-old immortal cowboy who’s been stripped of all his humanity, and Cooper Howard, the Hollywood actor he was before the bombs fell. But while Goggins often steals the show — a welcome habit at this point — it’s Ella Purnell’s Lucy who anchors the narrative. Raised in the underground fallout shelters known as Vaults, Lucy travels to the irradiated surface to search for her missing father (Kyle MacLachlan), and she’s shocked to discover a hyper-violent wasteland largely at odds with her inherently optimistic disposition,...
- 4/13/2024
- by Kaitlin Thomas
- Gold Derby
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for The Sympathizer, Fallout and Quiet on Set.
Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver screening
On April 5, Netflix hosted a fan screening in New York to celebrate the upcoming release of Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver with filmmakers Zack and Deborah Snyder and stars Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Michiel Huisman, Ed Skrein, Staz Nair, Fra Fee, Elise Duffy, Stuart Martin and Ray Fisher.
Wesley Coller, Stuart Martin, Ed Skrein, Staz Nair, Deborah Snyder, Eric Newman, Zack Snyder, Ray Fisher, Fra Fee, Djimon Hounsou, Elise Duffy, Sofia Boutella and Michiel Huisman
The Sympathizer premiere
Robert Downey Jr., Sandra Oh and Hoa Xuande walked the carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of their new HBO series on Tuesday.
Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey Sandra Oh, Hoa Xuande...
Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver screening
On April 5, Netflix hosted a fan screening in New York to celebrate the upcoming release of Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver with filmmakers Zack and Deborah Snyder and stars Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Michiel Huisman, Ed Skrein, Staz Nair, Fra Fee, Elise Duffy, Stuart Martin and Ray Fisher.
Wesley Coller, Stuart Martin, Ed Skrein, Staz Nair, Deborah Snyder, Eric Newman, Zack Snyder, Ray Fisher, Fra Fee, Djimon Hounsou, Elise Duffy, Sofia Boutella and Michiel Huisman
The Sympathizer premiere
Robert Downey Jr., Sandra Oh and Hoa Xuande walked the carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of their new HBO series on Tuesday.
Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey Sandra Oh, Hoa Xuande...
- 4/12/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Come to HBO‘s sensational The Sympathizer for the stunt, to marvel at the versatility of Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr. inhabiting multiple extravagant roles, recalling Peter Sellers‘ tour de force in Dr. Strangelove. Stay to get immersed in the tortured saga of an unnamed half-Vietnamese, half-French antihero who sees himself as “a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces … cursed to see every issue from both sides.” Known only as the Captain, this Communist “sympathizer” is a double agent secretly working for the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. He embeds himself as a trusted aide to a delusional South Vietnamese general, whom he reluctantly follows to the U.S. after the fall of Saigon—memorably re-created during a harrowing and explosive evacuation sequence. His identity as a biracial, bilingual, American-educated spy makes the Captain “a synthesis of incompatibilities,” a duality that becomes even more pronounced...
- 4/12/2024
- TV Insider
This The Sympathizer review contains no spoilers.
Celebrated South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook takes his auteur-driven vision to HBO with the new television series The Sympathizer. Adapting the Pulitzer Prize-winning 2015 novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen, the series follows a Vietnamese double agent after he flees the country, finding himself drawn deep into a strange juxtaposition of espionage and Hollywood filmmaking. With its off-kilter tone and a quartet of wonderfully weird performances from co-star and executive producer Robert Downey, Jr., The Sympathizer may not be everyone’s cup of tea but, what it does, it does very well.
The Sympathizer opens under the backdrop of the fall of Saigon in 1975, following an unnamed protagonist known and credited simply as “The Captain,” played by Hoa Xuande. Secretly working as a double agent on behalf of the North Vietnamese government, the Captain serves as the right-hand man for a...
Celebrated South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook takes his auteur-driven vision to HBO with the new television series The Sympathizer. Adapting the Pulitzer Prize-winning 2015 novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen, the series follows a Vietnamese double agent after he flees the country, finding himself drawn deep into a strange juxtaposition of espionage and Hollywood filmmaking. With its off-kilter tone and a quartet of wonderfully weird performances from co-star and executive producer Robert Downey, Jr., The Sympathizer may not be everyone’s cup of tea but, what it does, it does very well.
The Sympathizer opens under the backdrop of the fall of Saigon in 1975, following an unnamed protagonist known and credited simply as “The Captain,” played by Hoa Xuande. Secretly working as a double agent on behalf of the North Vietnamese government, the Captain serves as the right-hand man for a...
- 4/12/2024
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
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