We’ve been talking about it for more than a year and a half The sympathizerthe HBO series that marks the return of Robert Downey Jr. in a major production after the end of two of Marvel’s most successful sagas: Hombre de Hierro Y avengers.
Now, the television network and production company has announced that famed Brazilian filmmaker Fernando Meirelles, director of City of God, The faithful gardener Y the two popeswill be responsible for an episode of the sympathizer.
The series, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, published by the Vietnamese-American novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen in 2015-, is a satirical thriller about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy, during the last days of the vietnam war.
Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, Meirelles was nominated for an Oscar for best director for his famous favela drama City of God. In 2019 he directed the two popeswhich garnered Academy Award, Golden Globe and British Film Academy nominations.
A return with more characters
After hanging the suit Hombre de Hierro, Downey Jr. did very little work as an actor and devoted himself more to producing. He barely played Dr. Dolittle in the 2020 film based on the vet character he previously played eddy murphy.
Now, besides the sympathizer, appears credited as a performer in four other projectsincluding the long-awaited biopic oppenheimer Y Sherlock Holmes 3.
That’s why he was in the news when a few days ago He was seen in the middle of filming the new HBO series which still doesn’t have a release date and in which, as is known, will play various antagonistic charactersincluding a congressman, a CIA agent and a Hollywood director.
Already in November he had seen it completely peeled. It was later revealed that his children had helped him shave his head completely to play the role.
Now, in a recent image posted by the newspaper’s Twitter account The New York Postthe Sherlock Holmes star showed off another surprising look: he was wearing an orange curly wig with visible receding hairline and much older lookingthanks to makeup and even some facial prosthetics.
This is Downey’s second collaboration with HBO.. The actor recently produced the series Perry Massonewhose success has managed to renew the link with the prestigious channel and production house.
Other additions to the sympathizer
In addition to Downey Jr., Sandra Oh, Kieu Chinh, Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen, Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Vy Le and Alan Trong, among others. Marc Munden was also announced as director of the episode.
The channel just announced several additions to the cast with their respective characters. Duy Nguyen as Man, the Captain’s blood brother and spy officer. “His magnetism and intellect drive the Captain to work for the communist cause.”
Kayli Tran as a communist spy, a determined woman willing to risk everything for the cause. But when she meets enemies, her commitment is tested.
And VyVy Nguyen as Major’s wife, a seemingly sweet woman whose fierce devotion to her husband and country leads to terrible consequences.
The sympathizer is a co-production between HBO, A24 and Rhombus Media. Tony Award-winning playwright Don McKellar is the showrunner along with South Korean director of Old Boy, Park Chan-wook, who also shares the direction of the series with Marc Munden and the aforementioned Meirelles.
Source: Clarin
