The Sympathizer
Summary
Team Downey keeps their achiever streak with HBO run withThe Sympathizer . The production banner channelise by Susan Downey and Robert Downey Jr. first teamed up with the premium meshing forthePerry Masonrevival / reboot , in which the Oscar succeeder was sic to asterisk before reverting to just an executive producer due to scheduling issues . In addition to HBO , Team Downey is also working with the web ’s sister cyclosis weapons platform , Max , for twoSherlock Holmesspin - off shows .
base on Viet Thanh Nguyen ’s novel of the same name , the HBO thriller centers on a North Vietnamese undercover agent bonk as the Captain whose mission as a South Vietnam army works bear on beyond the end of the Vietnam War as he head to the US with the latter ’s General in the hopes of undermining his commission . As he builds a new life there , though , he ultimately begin to interview his mission and his loyalties . Hoa Xuande leadsthe ensembleSympathizercastas the Captain alongside Sandra Oh , Fred Nguyen Khan , Duy Nguyễn , Phanxinê , Kieu Chinh , Vy Le , Ky Duyen , Toan Le VyVy Nguyen and Alan Trong .
The young A24 & HBO miniseries The Sympathizer start out months before the Fall of Saigon during the Vietnam War and introduce its mole protagonist .
UnlikePerry Mason , HBO’sThe Sympathizerfinds Downey Jr.starring in not just one , but four different roles throughout the show . In the thriller miniseries , the Oscar success plays Claude , a CIA factor ; Niko , an auteur filmmaker inspired by Francis Ford Coppola ; Professor Hammer , an Orientalist grad school day prof ; and Ned Godwin , a Southern California Congressman . The four figures all swear out as key figure in the Captain ’s journeying both before and after his arriver in America .
Ahead of the show ’s premiere , Screen Rantparticipated in a roundtable interview with executive producers Susan Downey and Niv Fichman to discussThe Sympathizer , what inspired them to adjust the Pulitzer - winning novel for the cover , Downey Jr. ’s " brave " determination to take on multiple role , and the meta storytelling of instalment 4 .
Being Outsiders To The Vietnamese Experience “Hung Over” Downey & Fichman
Though only in the executive manufacturer chair , Downey and Fichman were key physical body in gettingThe Sympathizeroff the ground and did n’t take being outsiders to the Vietnamese experience lightly , with the former even noting that it " fall over us the entire time " . or else , they have this labour them to " meet the good , most thorough and diligent group of people " to severalise the show ’s narrative genuinely :
Niv Fichman : I mean that ’s up for you to tell apart us . We desire we did , we certainly tried super hard starting right with Viet Thanh Nguyen , who gave me , initially , the privilege and the honor of being the one that was responsible for the adjustment , and then remained a unaired friend and collaborator and partner throughout . We always destine to give full honor to the Vietnamese community , and to the hoi polloi that were limn , it was never even a question in our psyche that the series would n’t be importantly in the Vietnamese nomenclature .
We went to great lengths to throw off people that talk with the right dialect , the North and the South , and pre ' 75 , Charles William Post 75 . Also , we had Vietnamese crew and people in all departments , starting from the scriptwriting phase to the product design , costume blueprint , editing . We had Vietnamese linguistic scientist , both on set to monitor the words , and then we had Viet ’s own philology professor , who was the final self-assurance when they saw the final episodes and give us legion bank bill on the language . So , we hope we did well , but in the remnant , it ’s go to be up to you and the residential area to tell us .
Custom Image by Sam MacLennan
Susan Downey : And for sure , the question you asked is the one that hung over us the entire clock time we were making it , which is , as you said , it read a village to do this . So , we attempt to tack together the best , most thorough and persevering mathematical group of people to keep us on track . And then , for us , it was just trying to habituate all of the knowledge and experience that we have to really give a platform for a narration like this to be told and seen by the widest audience possible .
The SympathizerTook A Unique Journey To Get To Downey & Fichman
After being published closely a decade ago , the ball begin roll onThe Sympathizercoming to the screen in 2021 when Fichman was put in to the book by Vietnamese actor / producer Kim Lee . This fleetly work into a confluence with Nguyen in the Hope of getting the author ’s blessing to adapt it , which Fichman recalled look " accent " after dumbfound his approval as he postulate to then " give protection to that honor " . It was thanks to co - creators Don McKellar and Park Chan - wook and Team Downey that Fichman found the perfect team :
Niv Fichman : I was introduced to the leger by Kim Lee , who ’s a pretty well - known Vietnamese doer and manufacturer , who ’s a very close protagonist of mine . He ’s half Swedish , so he related to the main character being half European . And he introduced me to Viet , we had lunch right after he had won the Pulitzer Prize , and speak a lot about the al-Qur’an and our collective perspective on it . He gave me the honor of bestow these right , which , of grade , then it made me try because I require to pay tribute to that honor .
So , right on from that first time , that first lunch , we talk about Park Chan - wook being the right quisling for this , and I happen to have known Director Park a little bit , and so I reached out to him and he agreed to do it , and we impart on Don McKellar . Don and Viet kind of constructed the initial breakdown of the episodes , and then wrote an initial screenplay for the pilot light , and then , Susan and her team became knotty .
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.
Susan Downey : I retrieve for us , there was so many elements that contributed to our excitement about getting involved . I think that the source material being the key , we read the book a couple of time when it came in , along with the pilot and the breakdown of the rest of the time of year . And then , having Director Park on board enabled us to understand the timbre and the vision of it . So , the opportunity there for Robert to act these four persona , which he sort of really enjoy that challenge , definitely advertize Director Park to give a reason for him to play all four .
So , it was n’t just a machine , but you have this incredible playing chance for him . And from a produce side , to be part of this really gifted group of film producer , and to take on an highly intriguing piece of stuff that forced us to look at something from a very different perspective , it was just new district for us across the card . And as a result , we were leaning in .
Having Nguyen’s Input Was Key To Retaining The Southeast Asian Voice Of The Novel
Though McKellar and Director Park may not be of Vietnamese descent , Downey and Fichman were systematically receive conversations about see they hold the Southeast Asiatic vocalism ofThe Sympathizer . Ultimately , they establish that hold Nguyen on table and sharing his stimulation throughout the show ’s development was the biggest key to keeping this authenticity in position :
Niv Fichman : Well , I can say you that right from the startle , as I said , Viet was extremely involved . So , the initial conversations , which took a couple of year before Susan became involved , were very much deep and substantive conversation that Viet represented that vocalisation . We put the squad together , I put the team together , because Don McKellar , who I ’ve know for and worked with for 35 years , he ’s the one who introduced me to Director Park . And so I matte up that Don would be a really sound collaborator for him , because the two of them had worked together , so that the group kind of come together , and that Southeast Asiatic voice was Viet himself .
Susan Downey : Well , and I remember as we ’ve mentioned earlier , with someone ’s previous interrogative , there was such a abstruse workbench of Vietnamese donation , in actually all departments , whether we ’re talking about hair & makeup , costume , production designing , it was very of import . As far as finding the other director , part of the conversation was , " Is Director Park going to do all of them ? " I call up he recognized to adequately showrun the matter in the way that he want , he decided , ultimately , that he just want to take on the first three .
And then , we kind of recognize episode 4 as a bottle sequence , and you [ Niv ] had a relationship with Fernando . We knew we needed to have kind of a different , frenetic sort of wind to it . And then for the last three , Mark was just an incredible filmmaker who was really croak to allow Director Park ’s visual modality to be pushed through his lens .
And so for us , it was as as authoritative given we were kind of , I do n’t require to say cover on the Vietnamese side , because it was always something that we were very aware of , and were we doing thing properly , but to keep that kind of external character to the filmmaking as a whole . So , we ended up with director from three different countries , and that was sort of the position across all departments , and in front of the tv camera , the great unwashed from across the globe came together to make this .
Downey Jr. Didn’t Want His Multi-Character Role To Be A “Gimmick”
While one doer play multiple characters in a project typically staunch from an in - world reasoning or a comedic selection , Downey Jr. ’s four - character role inThe Sympathizeris a far inscrutable one , link up to the tarradiddle ’s theme of the Captain ’s perspective on America . This was essential not only for the show , but for Downey Jr. himself , as his wife / output partner recollect him loving the approximation of play multiple fibre but control in his conversation with Director Park that it was n’t " a gimmick " :
Susan Downey : Well , I ’ll bulge with the Robert part , the first part is kind of an easy one because we did n’t , but we can be more specific . He loved the idea , his biggest challenge back to Director Park was , " I do n’t require it to be a gimmick . So you have to come up with a reason that the Captain is seeing these valet all so standardized , even though they are singular . " And he and Don McKellar mistreat back , and they came up with something , as they bet back at the rootage stuff , and that ’s revealed by the end of the season .
But for Robert , I think he have a go at it kind of the send up of the fairly absurd , disgusting manly American . It ’s these pillars of the patriarchate , from the art and media , to regime , to the military to education . And I imagine he wanted to imbue sure characters more so than others with a real signified of humanity and depth . But he and Director Park really calibrate those performances in the smell and the sound of the guys to have it slightly deepen , as it is the perception of the Captain . So for him , he was all for it . I recollect it was obviously audacious to do and to be able to pull it off , but definitely was not hesitating .
Niv Fichman : And I can say , just think of that when we first begin calculate at this was is 2016 , so the macrocosm was very unlike . I can truthfully say never in a million years would I have conceive of back then that it would end up as an HBO / A24 prime serial as it is . So , it ’s a huge honour , but throughout the total process , A24 came first and then HBO after Team Downey joined . Everyone was perfectly supportive , super supportive . We start out pre - Parasite and Squid Game , those were n’t even observe .
But then those take place , and then the world change with a pandemic , and all of those things go on . HBO , flop from the kickoff , fall in us the carte du jour blanche to create a serial publication at this level , mostly in the Vietnamese lyric , or well in the Vietnamese language , and without any sort of noise as to the political sympathies or what it is that we ’re saying . So we ’re very , very privileged to be able to have done that .
The SympathizerIs Meant To Be As Entertaining As It Is Thought-Provoking
The source novel deals with a issue of heavy themes , including the electronegative immigrant experience , the shadiness of Hollywood production in the ' LXX and the horrors of war . But amidst all this , while Downey and Fichman are keen on spotlighting these stem , they also hope that hearing will be " leaning in " to watch every episode , as it is " entertaining " as much as dramatic :
Susan Downey : Well , we desire , first and first , that they are leaning in , because it ’s entertaining , it ’s a office that they want to render to weekly , which is always really authoritative . Even if you ’re dealing with heavy topic matter , or dark field of study topic , you want to obtain a way to make it something that , again , as HBO does , they drop it once a hebdomad , you want people to repay , so you start there . And then , I think it is our responsibility if you make art , it ’s significant what you make , and it ’s important what you ’re trying to say with it .
But it ’s evenly as significant to not handhold an audience , and to just put out provocative things and let them have their own conversation . So , with this , one of the great things with the source material , with the way of life Viet ’s looking at this , is that there are many perspective , there are multiple conversation to be had . Oftentimes , I find oneself when watching it , more so than when we were developing it , you ’re following each character ’s flight , you ’re experiencing it with them . I found myself bemused as to who I should be " settle for " in any given moment , or any give picture , and a sight of that ’s based on what was indoctrinate into my head grow up in America .
And , " Is n’t that guy the bad guy ? Is n’t that guy a good hombre ? But I ’m rootle for the bad guy wire , but I ’m sense bad for the trade good . I just do n’t know what to opine . " And I think that ’s so significant to kind of mickle with people . So I think our big Bob Hope is that it does resonate , people tend in , they come up for the fun . They come for the craziness of what Robert ’s take out off , what Director Park is doing next , but they leave really thinking about some of the deeper report .
Niv Fichman : Yeah , for me , I would sum that it ’s the immigrant experience . I ’m an immigrant to Canada , I occur to Canada as an eight - yr - onetime with my parents . So I have that , and the immigrant experience is very , very different today . It ’s very politicized , especially in this country and in Europe . Not as much so in Canada , although that ’s that ’s get , we ’ve had massive immigration . It ’s been a policy of our government for the past few twelvemonth , and legion refugees that have been welcome by communities and Syrians , welcomed by synagogue and Afghans .
It ’s very beautiful , but now it ’s turning , and for the first clip in Canada , we have an alternate , uglier voice that is speaking against that . So I just think , you know , in this suit , the immigrant experience is so prominent , and I ’m hoping that Americans and mass all over the world can see this and see this as an example of a community that has come , not by selection , to America that has kind of thrived here . And is now a massive American residential area , 50 years subsequently .
The Sympathizer’s Meta Episode 4 Was Incredibly Important To Fichman To Keep
Among the various set piece and character arcs retained fromthe reservoir material inThe Sympathizeris the fabricated output ofThe Hamlet , a Vietnam War picture show helmed by Downey Jr. ’s auteur Niko , on which the Captain is tasked with put in Communist rhetoric through the Vietnamese negotiation in the picture show . When Nguyen and Fichman first get talk of the town about conform the book into a motion picture , the author was open to the segment being edit out , but Fichman was unwilling to part way with the discharge :
Niv Fichman : So , I can tell apart you that first lunch that I had with Viet , the first matter he ask me , because we were talking at that point in time about film , not about a series , is , " What are you give-up the ghost to do about The Hamlet ? " And I said , " Well , we have to have The Hamlet , it ’s such a great part of the ledger . " He said , " Well , it could just be contract right out and nothing will change . " And I say , " Yeah , well , we ’re not going to do that . "
And of path , when it became a series , The Hamlet became kind of its own episode . But one thing that ’s significantly different from the series in the account book is that Viet pose The Hamlet in the Philippines , which of course was because that ’s where the big American war moving picture that he was satirize were set . We decided to set it in California , mostly to keep the other characters alive .
In the book , the Captain just goes there , and then all the others melt for a while , for a whole chapter . Whereas in our case , we were able to keep them all there , which I opine makes for a lot of the fun , and continues the series . Viet , when he discover that , thought , " Oh , God , I should have done that myself . " [ Laughs ] So , I think we have his postage of approval .
Susan Downey : For me , yes , there ’s all the fun that ’s the send - up of the Hollywood stuff and nonsense . That ’s just kind of all the wonderful icing on top of the bar . For me , the most important part is what the Captain locomote through during his time there . And I think that it is a pivotal degree you could not get rid of it , because up until that point , he was fairly on - mission . He understand he was a undercover agent , he really was yearn to go home . It was all about acquire the job done , and then he ’s sent off on this matter he does n’t even sympathize , " Why am I go ? What am I doing ? What it ’s gon na be like ? "
What ’s crazy is in this sham rendering of his Hamlet , grow up as a child , it became very real to him . And it is through that experience , where he was losing himself and lose his perspective and questioning his individuality in such a unassailable way of life that by the end of that instalment , he ’s literally blasted out a different theatrical role . And as you see , the ease of it is him shinny to figure out that identicalness , which really gets challenged . So yes , you have all the playfulness Hollywood send - up , but it is a pivotal worked up journey for our lead fictitious character , which is why it guarantee distance as a full bottle episode in the whole series .
With the output streamer having everything fromPerry MasontoDolittletoThe Sympathizerunder their belts , Team Downey has shown a extensive range of labor they ’ve wanted to aid bring to biography behind the scene . When it come up to compute out which projects resonate with them the most to develop , Downey jokingly said she wishes there was " some master war elbow room " with " some great game architectural plan " for their decision - making , but it ultimately comes down to one thing :
Susan Downey : Well , there ’s a tidy sum of factors that go into it . I wish I could evidence you that we baby-sit back and there ’s some master war room that we have , some great secret plan plan , and this is exactly what we ’re charting to do , and blah , blah . It ’s just not the cause . We both just direct with an esthetic centre towards what speaks to us and what value we recollect we can add to a undertaking . And sometimes , in a site like this , something perfectly suited for him pops into our circuit .
It sacrifice him a creative challenge that he has n’t faced before . It gives our party an chance to work with unbelievable the great unwashed , and severalize what we think is a very of import , and hopefully harbour at the same time , story . And then , sometimes there are thing that just do n’t make sense for him to do but we , as a fellowship , connect with it . It ’s always about what are you say , and to make anything — even the fast trail is a couple of years in your life — you just look at your ultimate bandwidth .
Robert ’s very good about pressuring me to be able to address the question of , " Why are we doing it ? What is it that we ’re get out of it ? " And that ’s not about money , that ’s about the originative experience , and kind of build on , as you enunciate , our filmography . " Is it adding a dimension that we have n’t already kind of explored ? " I care it was more than just a touch sensation , but it kind of is that with some really good questions conform to once we kind of like something . [ Chuckles ]
AboutThe Sympathizer
Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen ’s Pulitzer Prize - winning novel of the same name , THE SYMPATHIZER is an espionage thriller and cross - culture satire about the struggles of a half - Gallic , half - Vietnamese communist undercover agent during the net day of the Vietnam War and his raw aliveness as a refugee in Los Angeles , where he learns that his spying solar day are n’t over .
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New sequence of The Sympathizer breeze Sundays on HBO and Max .
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free-base on the novel by Viet Thanh Nuyen , The Sympathizer explores the last day of the Vietnam War through the eye of a half - Vietnamese , half - French spy serving for the communistic authorities . The telecasting series adaptation is set - up as a miniskirt - series and will likely still be framed as a confession from the friend as they make their way through the war . Photo is of the original novel cover .
