The Sympathizer
Summary
Robert Downey Jr. plays four disjoined characters in HBO’sThe Sympathizer , and theIron Manstar is join in the cast by some new and familiar faces . Based on the Pulitzer Prize - winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen , The Sympathizertells the story of a deep - covering North Korean spy who is force to continue his deputation even after the Viet Cong come through the Vietnam War . A compelling undercover agent thriller with a rich vein of blackly comic irony , The Sympathizerhas been adapted from Thanh Nguyen ’s new byOldboydirector Park Chan - wook and screenwriter Don McKellar .
Sharing the screen withRobert Downey Jr ’s four quality inThe Sympathizeris an tout ensemble that include Sandra Oh and a stamp of Vietnamese player including the show ’s star , Hoa Xuande , Toan Lee , and Fred Nguyen Khan in supporting roles . As The Captain ( Hoa Xuande ) navigate his Modern liveliness in the United States , he interacts with various pillars of the American establishment , from academe to Hollywood to politics . These various fields of American life provide some surprisal cameos along the room , bolsteringThe Sympathizer ’s tremendous cast of characters .
Park Chan - wook squad up with Robert Downey Jr. for The Sympathizer , a satirical undercover agent thriller that subverts American perspectives on the Vietnam War .
Hoa Xuande as The Captain
Hoa Xuande is an Australian thespian of Vietnamese descent , who playsThe Sympathizer ’s admirer , The Captain . One of Hoa Xuande ’s early roles was as Walker in Jane Campion’sTop of the Lakeseason 2 , oppositeThe Handmaid ’s Tale ’s Elisabeth Moss andGame of Thrones ' Gwendoline Christie . Hoa Xuande also seem as Elvin in all six episodes ofRonny Chieng : International Studentand played Lin inNetflix ’s short - livedCowboy Beboplive - action adaptation .
The Sympathizeris Hoa Xuande ’s first lead role in a miniseries , and The Captain is a persona that he can really sink his tooth into as an actor . The son of a Vietnamese female parent and Gallic beginner , The Captain has always struggled to fit in , something that ’s only exacerbated by his role as a North Vietnamese spy . come in the United States , The Captain ’s ethnical identity crisis is complicate further as the communist spy rule himself skin to resist the temptations of corporate America .
Robert Downey Jr. as Various
Fresh from winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor forOppenheimer , Robert Downey Jr. bet four unlike Americans inThe Sympathizer . Downey Jr. was a staple of the Marvel Cinematic Universe between 2008’sIron Manand 2019’sAvengers : Endgame . His utilization of wigs and prosthetics inThe Sympathizerdraws comparison with his role in the absurd Hollywood satireTropic Thunder , which also satirized cinema ’s obsession with the Vietnam War .
intimately known as Tony Stark in theIron Manmovies , RDJ bright subverts his role as the repentant arms dealer turned superhero inThe Sympathizer . Playing a CIA agentive role , Oriental Studies prof , US senator , and Hollywood director , Robert Downey Jr. highlights that these different wings of the American institution all have the same malevolent face . It ’s a bravura performance from Robert Downey Jr. that further demonstrates how the worker is taking on some liberal artistic swing now that he ’s done playing Iron Man .
Robert Downey Jr. and his wife Susan Downey also process as producers onThe Sympathizer .
Custom image by Yeider Chacon
Robert Downey Jr. ’s new series , The Sympathizer , has debut on Rotten Tomatoes , and it continues the histrion ’s salvation after a 2020 dashing hopes .
Sandra Oh as Ms. Sofia Mori
Sandra Oh is a Canadian - American actress , born in Ontario to South Korean parent . Sandra Oh ’s breakthrough character was inSidewaysalongside Paul Giammatti and Thomas Hayden Church . However , it would be on the infirmary dramaGrey ’s AnatomythatSandra Oh became a family name , appearing in 220 episodes between 2005 and 2014 as Dr. Cristina Yang . Sandra Oh leftGrey’sAnatomyafter season 10and recently played Eve Polastri inKilling Eve , a contemporaneous spy thriller by BBC America .
While she ’s no stranger to the espionage literary genre , Sandra Oh does n’t play a spy inThe Sympathizer . Oh ’s character , Ms. Sofia Mori is the assistant to one of Robert Downey Jr. ’s four graphic symbol . Serdica is also the primary sexual love interestingness of The Captain , a human relationship that further complicates his delegacy for the North Vietnamese .
Fred Nguyen Khan as Bon
Fred Nguyen Khan is an actor and stunt performing artist who has had some uncredited performances as a freebooter in Darren Aaronofsky’smother!and the bodega proprietor inAdam Sandler’sMurder Mystery . Fred Nguyen Khan ’s most notable credited performance was as one of the Medics in Kevin Hart ’s comedy dramaFatherhood . As a stunt performer , Nguyen Khan appeared in the Shailene Woodley and Ben Mendehlson movieTo take hold of a Killer .
Bon inThe Sympathizer , therefore , is Fred Nguyen Khan ’s biggest character to date . One of The Captain ’s estimable Quaker , Bon fights for the South Vietnamese , adding considerable tension to this decade - old friendly relationship as the events ofThe Sympathizerplay out . Judging by Fred Nguyen Khan ’s terrific performance as Bon , this should be a breakthrough role for the histrion .
Duy Nguyen as Man
turn out and raised in Ha Noi , North Vietnam , Duy Nguyen is now base in Montreal , Canada . Predominantly a theater role player , Duy Nguyen ’s screen door life history is still in its early stage . Like Fred Nguyen Khan , Duy has had a handful of small theatrical role in TV demonstrate likeTransplantandGhosts . Duy Nguyen plays Man , the Captain ’s other good friend , inThe Sympathizer . Man is a Viet Cong sympathizing dental practitioner with some dark-skinned secrets that become a key part of the spy thriller ’s on-going report .
Toan Le as The General
Toan Le plays The General , the head of the North Vietnamese secret police , who is force to survive in expatriate in the USA follow the Fall of Saigon . Refusing to give up on his country , The General begin plotting a delegacy to retake Vietnam , utilise The Captain and his American contact . Toan Le plays the character beautifully , as The General becomes increasingly paranoid and unpredictable over the class ofThe Sympathizer ’s seven episodes . Toan Le has previously appeared in the Zach Galifinakis movieVisioneersand the 2012 TV MovieBigfoot , alongside Bruce Davison andThe Wire ’s Andre Rojo .
Vy Le as Lana
Playing The General ’s daughter is Vy Le , a newcomer for whomThe Sympathizerwill be a breakthrough purpose . A potential love sake for The Captain , and a gifted singer and actress , The General ’s girl is dazzle by all the opportunities that America has to offer . Predictably , this will drive a wedge between her and her family over the class ofThe Sympathizer ’s seven episodes .
Alan Trong as Sonny
One of Alan Trong ’s earliest roles was as Kumaza in James Cameron’sAlita : Battle Angel , take by Robert Rodriguez . Since then , Trong has appeared alongside Chris Pratt as Lt . Tran inThe Tomorrow War , and appear as Chris in thecontroversial Oscar nomineeTo Lesliein 2022.InThe Sympathizer , Alan Trong play Sonny , a diarist , whose coverage is a help and hindrance to The Captain ’s ongoing mission .
The Sympathizer’s Supporting Cast Of Characters
A host of actors bolsterThe Sympathizer ’s impressive supporting players cast across all seven episodes , including :
The Sympathizerpremieres April 14th at 9 pm EST on HBO
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Cast
ground on the novel by Viet Thanh Nuyen , The Sympathizer research the last day of the Vietnam War through the centre of a half - Vietnamese , half - Gallic spy service for the communist regimen . The television set series adaptation is set - up as a mini - series and will likely still be framed as a confession from the champion as they make their way through the warfare . Photo is of the original novel cover .
Based on the novel by Viet Thanh Nuyen, The Sympathizer explores the last days of the Vietnam War through the eyes of a half-Vietnamese, half-French spy serving for the communist regime. The TV series adaptation is set-up as a mini-series and will likely still be framed as a confession from the protagonist as they make their way through the war. Photo is of the original novel cover.
