News

Kleo is a German spy action-thriller and dark comedy-drama series created by Hanno Hackfort, Richard Kropf, and Bob Konrad. The Netflix series is set in 1989, soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall and it follows the story of a former East German spy as she goes on a revenge mission to kill people who betrayed her. Kleo stars Jella Haase in the lead role with Dimitrij Schaad, Julius Feldmeier, Vincent Redetzki, and Marta Sroka starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the dark comedy, thrilling drama, and espionage in Kleo here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Killing Eve Credit – BBC America

Killing Eve is a British spy thriller and dark comedy-drama series created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Based on a novel series titled Villanelle by author Luke Jennings, the BBC America series revolves around a bored British intelligence agent who is tasked with tracking down psychotic assassin,...

Director Park Chan-wook didn’t always storyboard scenes to help his filmmaking: It wasn’t until his 2000 film “Joint Security Area” that he began using the technique. “My producer argued that America’s filmmaking process was far more advanced and he wanted me to do that,” he recalled to Variety.

Park found the storyboarding process to be arduous and time-consuming, but when he got into production, he found it paid off with more efficient filming. He says storyboarding was a necessity on HBO’s “The Sympathizer” — especially to pull off the series’ most elaborate sequence.

At the end of Episode 1 of the limited series set during the Vietnam War, The Captain (Hoa Xuande), The General (Toan Le) and their families are attempting to flee Saigon by plane and come under heavy bombing. Park, who directed the first three episodes, found that intricately storyboarding the sequence helped his team. Speaking to Variety via a translator,...

Editor’s note: Deadline’s It Starts on the Page features standout limited or anthology series scripts in 2024 Emmy contention.

“What they want to hear, Sir, is that we still share a purpose: the Mission Civilization, a faith in the good fight, the American way, et cetera,” double agent the Captain (Hoa Xuande) tells the desperate General (Toan Le) as the fall of Saigon appears imminent in the opening episode of HBO’s The Sympathizer. “A sophomore debate theme for a Fort Leavenworth alum like yourself.”

In many ways, the line from the “Death Wish” script, written by The Sympathizer creators Don McKellar and Park Chan-wook, sums up the complexities and duplicities of the premium cabler’s multi-genre limited series based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel of the same name.

Starring Robert Downey Jr in several roles personifying America and its disastrous involvement in Southeast Asia, The Sympathizer...

Robert Downey Jr.’s career has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. The Oppenheimer star has seen it all – the highs and the lows. From his early rise to fame, that was stunted by a crippling drug addiction and was at once threatened to stunt his career as well. But he bounced back in style. Since then, there has been no turning back for him. And he’s played numerous interesting roles. But on the top of his list would be a series which saw him take on the mantle of playing 4 roles.

Robert Downey Jr.’s rise (and return) to fame

Robert Downey Jr. has not taken a step back after the turn of the millennium l l Author: Georges Biard Credits: Wikimedia Commons

Ever since Robert Downey Jr. came out of rehab, it’s been about going from strength to strength for him. The 59-year-old was always known for his acting prowess.

In HBO/Max’s war drama The Sympathizer, adapted from Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel and co-created by renowned director Park Chan-wook, a communist spy from North Vietnam (The Captain, played by Hoa Xuande) accompanies a Southern Vietnamese general (Toan Le) as he prepares to flee for America or risk capture. In this scene from episode one, The General is compiling his list of names to board the getaway plane with him, while The Captain starts crossing out those who’ll stay behind, masterfully depicted onscreen through this transition (one of many impressively complex scene changes in the series) showing the paper and the red pen indicating those fated to remain and face their victors’ wrath.

Cinematographer Kim Ji-yong chose this shot out of the show’s many cinematic frames because, he says, it’s “accumulating movement. It’s not a simple, static shot.” This particular scene was filmed...

The Captain (Hoa Xuande) is our guide through both Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel and the HBO limited series version of “The Sympathizer,” but he is also a mystery — most especially to himself. A communist spy who is pulled irresistibly towards the height of Western decadence (Los Angeles in the late ’70s) and depravity (a film set in the late ’70s), the goal of the show is to mirror Nguyen’s prose and give the viewer a visceral sense of The Captain’s alienation.

While the flashiest choice “The Sympathizer” makes is Robert Downey Jr. playing all the significant Western figures who attempt to influence The Captain, there are also smaller, subtler tortures within the show’s imagery itself. The cinematography (by “Decision To Leave” maestro Kim Ji-yong and “The Hurt Locker” veteran Barry Ackroyd) continually puts pressure on The Captain through a sense of heat, sickly light, and eyes just beyond the frame.

Spoiler Alert: The following interview contains spoilers for “Endings Are Hard, Aren’t They?,” the series finale of “The Sympathizer” on HBO.

Robert Downey Jr. may have played five different characters in “The Sympathizer,” but he’s not the only actor in the cast who assumes multiple identities.

The limited series follows a North Vietnamese communist spy simply known as the Captain (Hoa Xuande) who’s embedded in a South Vietnamese community in Los Angeles after the war. Duy Nguyễn plays Man, the Captain’s handler, best friend and sole remaining connection to his home country. But for fear of surveillance, the two send decoy letters addressed to the Captain’s fictional aunt. Any real truths must be brief, focused and written in invisible ink. Therefore, when the Captain is lonely and in need of connection, he has imaginary conversations with Man as though he were with him in person.

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...

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 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,...

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...

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...

The Sympathizer took the Max streaming service by storm, leading fans to want to know more about one of the show's brightest rising stars, Vy Le.

Based on the debut novel of the same name by Vietnamese-American professor and writer Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Sympathizer is a political drama that follows a North Vietnamese plant placed in a refugee camp in the United States full of South Vietnamese people.

In the show, actress Vy Le portrays Lana, the daughter of Toan Le's The General.

Read full article on The Direct.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Exclusive: Kelly Marie Tran and Miles Robbins will star in Shal Ngo’s Control Freak, a psychological thriller from WorthenBrooks for Hulu Originals. The feature film has wrapped production and will premiere in early 2025.

Control Freak follows a motivational speaker plagued by an uncontrollable itch on her head, who becomes infected with a parasitic demon from her homeland. Tran stars as “Valerie,” alongside Robbins who plays her husband, “Robbie.”

Additional cast includes Toan Le (The Sympathizer) as Valerie’s father, “Sang” and Kieu Chinh (The Joy Luck Club) as her “Aunt Thuy.”

Toan Le and Kieu Chinh

Ngo was tapped to direct Control Freak based on the short film Control. He also wrote and directed for Season 2 of Hulu’s Bite Size Halloween. WorthenBrooks developed Control Freak for Hulu Originals with David Brooks,...

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.

From some personal stories that he shared on the set of The Sympathizer to who impressed him the most while filming, there are a few interesting facts fans should know about actor Toan Le.

Le portrays The General in HBO's The Sympathizer. 

The show follows a plant that was placed in the South Vietnam army during the war. However, when he flees to America with other South Vietnam refugees, he secretly spies on them and reports back to the Viet Cong.

Read full article on The Direct.

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,...

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.

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.

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…...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Fresh off of his Oppenheimer Oscar win, Robert Downey Jr. is playing not just one new character but four in upcoming HBO series The Sympathizer.

The series is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen, which is set at the end of the Vietnam war and follows an unnamed spy known as The Captain (played by Hoa Xuande) who flees to the United States, where he continues to gather intelligence and report back to the Viet Cong. In the show, Downey plays four different Americans who play a role in the spy’s journey: a CIA operative, a professor, a congressman and a movie director.

Park Chan-wook, who served as co-showrunner and directed several of the episodes, explained via a translator at the show’s Los Angeles premiere Tuesday that “even though each of the characters from all of the four have different...

Plot: Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, 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.

Review: The initial teaser released in 2023 showed that The Sympathizer would be something special. Featuring writing and direction from Park Chan-wook alongside writer Don McKellar and featuring Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr in five distinct roles, The Sympathizer is not only an adaptation of a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel but a masterpiece of visual storytelling. A satirical blend of dark humor and visceral drama, The Sympathizer is unlike anything in recent memory. A startling perspective on the experience of the Vietnam War from the perspective of an unreliable narrator, this series spans years and genres...

On September 15, Robert Downey Jr. will almost certainly take home his first Emmy as best supporting actor in a limited series for HBO’s The Sympathizer.

It will be the latest coronation in a year of coronations for a star who is undisputedly one of our finest, and it will be difficult to begrudge; what Downey does in The Sympathizer hits that sweet spot between “ridiculously entertaining” and “a whole lot of acting” that award-givers love.

But two things can be true: Downey’s performance in The Sympathizer can be saluted as a dexterous feat of actorly gymnastics. At the same time, it’s the misplaced fulcrum that too often causes this seven-episode adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel to lose its tonal and narrative balance.

This version of The Sympathizer is still substantive and audacious, a slab of satire and deeply felt human tragedy that’s worthy of conversation and consideration,...

Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar’s The Sympathizer is a post-Vietnam War tale about a man struggling to be two things at once: Vietnamese and American, capitalist and communist, solider and friend. Ironically, the eight-part miniseries itself achieves a similar duality, succeeding as both an almost academic inquisition into the nebulous nature of racial identity and a raucous spy tale, as well as a high-speed comedy and a dark, biting drama.

Adapted from Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Sympathizer revolves around a character known simply as the Captain. Played by Hoa Xuande, the Captain is a half-French, half-Vietnamese spy and self-described “man of two faces.” By all appearances, he’s a member of South Vietnam’s secret police and an ally to the Americans. In truth, the Captain is an agent of the communists, working undercover to ensure their revolution is a success—or,...

In one of “The Sympathizer’s” lighter scenes, our young half-French, half-Vietnamese protagonist (referred to only as “the Captain”) gets a chance to speak his mind — and, for once, he takes it. The university where he’s just started working is hosting a reception for the Oriental Studies Department, and after being trotted out like a party trick by his kimono-clad college professor, the Captain (Hoa Xuande) finds brief respite with the only other attendee of Asian descent. Sophia (Sandra Oh), a blunt-speaking American mocked by the professor for showing so little interest in her Japanese heritage, kindly offers the Captain an appetizer. He refuses, but in explaining why, he also lets slip one of his few spoken truths:

“I believe the world would be a better place if we blushed at the word ‘murder’ as much as we did the word ‘masturbation,'” the Captain says.

How he gets...

Robert Downey Jr. and Sandra Oh are stepping out for the premiere of their new HBO series!

The co-stars posed for photos on the red carpet at the premiere of The Sympathizer on Tuesday (April 9) held at The Paramount in Los Angeles.

For the premiere, the 59-year-old Oscar-winning actor sported a black sheer shirt with a tan suit while the 52-year-old Golden Globe-winning actress looked pretty in a white, cutout dress.

Fellow cast members in attendance included Hoa Xunade, Fred Nguyen, Toan Le, Duy Nguyen, Vy Le, Kieu Chinh, Kayli Tran, VyVy Nguyen, Ky Duyen, and Marine Delterme.

Keep reading to find out more…Here’s the show’s logline: Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, the show 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...

When The Infinity Saga came to its end in 2019, fans couldn’t help but long to see more of Iron Man, a character played by Robert Downey Jr. That would be the last they would see of Tony Stark – a genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist, and The Man. But that wasn’t the last they would see of the Sherlock Holmes star. Rdj continues to enthrall his fans, giving us blockbusters like Oppenheimer. And his penchant continues, with his new series, The Sympathizer ready to enthrall fans left, right, and center.

Robert Downey Jr. is all set to steal the spotlight

Robert Downey Jr. is all set to steal the show with The Sympathizer

Robert Downey Jr. is all set for his role in The Sympathizer, a series by HBO and A24. Also an executive producer on the show, he couldn’t be more excited for the chance to make his...

It's a new month, and HBO and Max will be showering their subscribers with gifts all April long! This month, the Wbd properties will welcome the arrival of unscripted projects like the premiere of Conan O’Brien’s new travel comedy series “Conan O’Brien Must Go” and the fourth season of the Emmy Award-winning drag-centric “We're Here.” Plus, Park Chan-wook and A24’s “The Sympathizer” limited series and the highly anticipated continuation of “The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst” will all be available to stream throughout the month.

Find out everything coming to Max this April, including The Streamable’s top picks to add to your watch list!

Sign Up $9.99+ / month Max.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Max in April 2024? “Alex Edelman: Just For Us” | Saturday, April 6

Filmed in front of a live audience at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre in August 2023, Alex Edelman brings his solo special,...

“Quiet on Set” Docuseries to Launch New Episode

The gripping Investigation Discovery docuseries “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” will release one more episode next month.

The recent four-episode unscripted series details the toxic culture behind some of the most iconic children’s shows of the late 1990s and early 2000s at Nickelodeon, including “The Amanda Show” and “Drake & Josh,” and at the hands of TV producer Dan Schneider.

The surprise fifth episode will reportedly feature new interviews with earlier subjects, including Drake Bell and “All That” cast members Giovonnie Samuels, to build off the revelations from the first four episodes. The episode will also feature new interviewee and “All That” cast member Shane Lyons, who will be interviewed by journalist Soledad O’Brien for a discussion about where the industry can next.

Watch the trailer for “Quiet on Set” below:

According to ID, the first four...

HBO has released the official trailer and key art for the seven-episode HBO Original limited series The Sympathizer, debuting Sunday, April 14 (9:00-10:00 p.m. Et/Pt). Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar co-showrun and executive produce. The series stars Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, Alan Trong, Emmy® winner Sandra Oh and Academy Award® nominee Robert Downey Jr., who plays multiple roles. 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-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of ... Read more...

The trailer for HBO’s upcoming limited series The Sympathizer has debuted online!

Here’s the logline: Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, the show 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.

Keep reading to find out more…

The series stars Robert Downey, Jr. (who plays multiple roles), Sandra Oh, Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, and Alan Trong.

The show will debut on Sunday (April 14) on HBO.

Watch the teaser below and see some stills in the gallery!

“Welcome to the world of spycraft!”

HBO released the newest trailer for its upcoming series The Sympathizer, based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. Robert Downey Jr. stars in and executive produces the seven-episode show alongside his wife and producing partner Susan Downey.

“Biracial. Bilingual. I was a synthesis of incompatibilities, so what did I do?” Hoa Xuande’s The Captain says at the beginning of the trailer, over scenes of his spy work. “Saigon 1975. I was a man of two faces. The war was ending, and I awaited my new assignment.”

When his handler, played by Downey, appears in Vietnam, he tells The Captain his next job for the CIA is in America. “By the time I’m through with you, you’ll be able to blend in with the Harvard rowing crew,” Downey tells him.

As the two-and-half-minute trailer goes on, it...

The Sympathizer is an upcoming miniseries that is based on the 2015 Pulitzer Award-winning novel of the same name written by American-Vietnamese writer Nguyễn Thanh Việt. The novel itself was a major hit, so it doesn’t really surprise us that A24 picked it up for an adaptation, which was later ordered by HBO to be streamed on its platform. The series is scheduled for an April 14, 2024 premiere and will consist of seven episodes, ending on May 26, 2024. Now, ahead of the upcoming release, a new trailer has been revealed, which you will be able to check out here.

Not long after HBO’s acquisition, it was revealed that Oscar-winner Robert Downey Jr. would be starring in the series in multiple roles. He will be joined by Sandra Oh in a recurring role, as the miniseries will be directed by South Korean director Park Chan-wook. The confirmed roles include:

Main

Hoa Xuande...

HBO has released the official trailer for its seven-episode limited series The Sympathizer, which will premiere on Sunday, April 14 (9:00-10:00 p.m. Et/Pt). In addition to premiering on HBO, the series will be available to stream on Max.

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-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.

Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar co-showrun and executive produce the show, which comes from A24.

The series stars Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, Alan Trong, Emmy winner Sandra Oh, and Academy Award nominee Robert Downey Jr., who plays multiple roles.

Robert Downey Jr. may newly be wearing the title of Oscar winner, but the “Oppenheimer” star is shedding all semblance of self for Park Chan-wook’s “The Sympathizer.”

Downey is a chameleon in multiple roles for the HBO seven-episode limited series, co-showrun by Park and Don McKellar who both executive produce. “The Sympathizer” is based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name and is at once an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy (Hoa Xuande) during the final days of the Vietnam War. As he starts his new life as a refugee in Los Angeles he learns that his spying days aren’t over.

“The Sympathizer” cast also includes Sandra Oh, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, and Alan Trong. The series is a co-production between A24 and HBO,...

"Welcome to the world of spycraft!" Here we go - finally a proper trailer for this! Max has revealed the full official trailer for The Sympathizer series, following two intriguing teaser trailers already. Looks damn good! This is an adaptation of the award-winning book of the same name written by Viet Thanh Nguyen. It's developed by Don McKellar as a series, along with Korean mastermind Park Chan-wook, who is directing a few episodes as well. The series is an espionage thriller from A24 + HBO Max. Near the end of the Vietnam War in the 1970s, a plant who was embedded in the South Vietnam army flees to the United States and takes up residence in a refugee community, where he continues to secretly spy and report back to the Viet Cong. Hoa Xuande stars as "The Captain" spy main character, with Robert Downey Jr. as multiple American antagonist characters (all...

Robert Downey Jr. appears to be traveling further down the road that won him the Oscar this year. After playing the antagonist Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer, Downey Jr. has landed another antagonist role in the upcoming HBO series, The Sympathizer. When glimpses of his performance in the series were released on social media, fans were pretty sure that the actor is aiming for the Primetime Emmys next.

Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer

Besides his acting role in the series, Downey Jr. and his wife Susan Downey serve as the executive producers of the series. The Sympathizer is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen.

Robert Downey Jr. Eyeing The Emmys Next After Oscar Win With New Series Role

Robert Downey Jr. aims for the Emmys with his new role(s) in The Sympathizer

Robert Downey Jr. was seen in at...

(Robert Downey Jr On Scripts Photo Credit – IMDb; Flickr )

Robert Downey Jr recently won an Oscar award in the Best Supporting Actor category for his performance in Oppenheimer. In Christopher Nolan’s 2023 biographical war drama, the actor played Lewis Strauss and left a major impact with his outstanding performance. The Oscar-winning film also stars Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Gary Oldman, Benny Safdie, Matthias Schweighofer, Jack Quaid, Rami Malek, and Josh Peck.

In his career of three decades, Rdj has won hearts with his incredible acts in several movies, including Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes, Due Date, The Judge, Tropic Thunder, and many more. For the past many years, Robert Downey Jr has been surprising his fans with exciting choices. One might think the actor is quite careful about what he signs and must be thoroughly going through the scripts and stories. However, in an interview in the past,...

Warner Bros. Discovery has announced the movies, TV shows, and live sports that will be available on the Max streaming service in April. The Max April 2024 lineup includes the HBO original limited series The Sympathizer, the Max original unscripted series Conan O’Brien Must Go, and the HBO original comedy special Alex Edelman: Just for Us.

The April schedule also includes the HBO original documentary series The Jinx – Part Two and The Synanon Fix, the HBO original documentaries Brandy Hellville & The Cult Of Fast Fashion and An American Bombing: The Road to April 19th, season four of HBO original We’re Here, And A24’s The Zone of Interest.

Sports fans will be able to watch live games from the 2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship and studio coverage airing on TBS, TNT, and truTV. The coverage will include the 2024 NCAA Men’s Final Four National Semifinals and the 2024 Men’s National Championship.