The Sympathizer trailer: Robert Downey Jr. is unrecognizable in HBO's upcoming espionage thriller as he portrays FOUR different roles
Robert Downey Jr. is continuing to prove himself as a total chameleon while tackling his first role since winning his first Oscar earlier this month.
In the official trailer for his upcoming HBO series, The Sympathizer, the 58-year-old Oppenheimer actor looked completely unrecognizable in multiple roles.
The two-and-half-minute preview begins with Downey Jr. telling Hoa Xuande’s The Captain: 'Welcome to the world of spycraft!'
Xuande, whose character describes himself as 'synthesis of incompatibilities' leverages his skills into becoming a spy.
Robert Downey Jr. is continuing to prove himself as a total chameleon while tackling his first role since winning his first Oscar earlier this month
In the official trailer for his upcoming HBO series, The Sympathizer, the 58-year-old Oppenheimer actor looked completely unrecognizable in multiple roles
Downey, who plays his handler, promises: 'By the time I’m through with you, you’ll be able to blend in with the Harvard rowing crew.'
It is later seemingly revealed in the trailer that The Captain, who is working for the CIA and Viet Cong, may be a double agent.
Among the characters portrayed by Downey Jr. in the series, the father-of-three went from a bald man in a patterned kimono robe to a cigar-smoking redhead in a suit.
He could also be seen sporting a fedora and Hawaiian shirt.
In a logline, provided to The Hollywood Reporter, the limited series is described as '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.'
The rest of the star-studded cast includes Sandra Oh, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, and Alan Trong.
The New York native will star as four different characters in Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar's seven-episode spy thriller The Sympathizer, which premieres April 18 on Max.
The two-and-half-minute preview begins with Downey Jr. (seen in March 2024) telling Hoa Xuande’s The Captain: 'Welcome to the world of spycraft!'
Xuande, whose character describes himself as 'synthesis of incompatibilities' leverages his skills into becoming a spy
Downey, who plays his handler, promises: 'By the time I’m through with you, you’ll be able to blend in with the Harvard rowing crew
Each of Robert's antagonistic characters reportedly represent a different arm of the American establishment and he told People: 'It wasn't particularly subtle, it wasn't meant to be, but I'm already proud of what I've seen.'
The small-screen adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer Prize-winning 2015 debut novel will also feature Sandra Oh, Kieu Chinh, Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen, Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Vy Le, and Alan Trong.
This marks Downey Jr.'s first project since taking home the Academy Award for best supporting actor for his role in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
Following his win, he teased that he had no plans on slowing down.
'I got a couple other tricks up my sleeve,' the Brat Packer told People at the Governor's Ball.
Downey Jr. and his wife of 18 years - Susan Levin Downey - founded their production company Team Downey a decade ago.
In addition to their spy series The Sympathizer, the couple's upcoming projects include Netflix series Sweet Tooth and Amazon MGM Studios' crime thriller Play Dirty.
It is later seemingly revealed in the trailer that The Captain, who is working for the CIA and Viet Cong, may be a double agent
Among the characters portrayed by Downey Jr. in the series, the father-of-three went from a bald man in a patterned kimono robe to a cigar-smoking redhead in a suit
The New York native will star as four different characters in Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar's seven-episode spy thriller The Sympathizer, which premieres April 18 on Max
The rest of the star-studded cast includes Sandra Oh, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Phanxine, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Kieu Chinh, Duy Nguyen, and Alan Trong
'We're just getting started,' the 50-year-old producer gushed. 'We talk about it all the time. There's so many more things we want to do together and achieve together and play together, create together.'
The Downey's Dream Cars producer-host called their partnership an 'inside job' adding: 'I believe that in our own way we have mountains yet to climb.'
As for the long-delayed Sherlock Holmes 3, Susan told the UnWrapped podcast a year ago: 'Yes, it's in the hopper. We're going to do it when it's right with the right people. But it is a priority for the company and a priority for Robert.'
This marks Downey Jr.'s first project since taking home the Academy Award for best supporting actor for his role in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer
Downey Jr. and his wife of 18 years - Susan Levin Downey - founded their production company Team Downey a decade ago and their upcoming projects include The Sympathizer, Sweet Tooth and Play Dirty (seen earlier this month)
During his acceptance speech, Robert gave a sweet shout-out to his 'veterinarian, I mean wife' considering 'she found me a snarling rescue pet and loved me back to life. That's why I'm here.'
Downey Jr. frequently credits his wife with helping him overcome his drug and alcohol addiction in 2003 after meeting on the set of Gothika, and they're proud parents of 12-year-old son Exton and nine-year-old daughter Avri.
In 2015, the performer received a full and unconditional pardon from Governor of California Jerry Brown for his prior drug convictions.
Speaking of which, Robert's eldest son Indio Falconer Downey celebrated 18 months of sobriety last November.
Downey Jr. welcomed the 30-year-old musician during his 12-year marriage to Deborah Falconer, which ended in 2004.
