Robert Downey Jr. to star in director Park Chan-wook’s HBO drama

Robert Downey Jr. is joining director Park Chan-wook’s upcoming drama “The Sympathizer,” US online entertainment trade publication Deadline reported Friday.

The drama is an adaptation of Viet Tanh Nguyen’s 2016 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same title, a spy thriller work of historical fiction. The story centers around a spy from North Vietnam in the South Vietnamese army. The drama will follow the character in exile in the US, depicting the struggles of a communist spy and his settlement in the US after the Vietnam War.

According to Deadline, Downey will appear in multiple roles, including a congressman, a CIA agent and a director.

Downey is the producer of the drama series, along with his wife Susan Downey.

The series is a co-production between global entertainment brand HBO, the company behind Oscar-winning film “Minari” A24 and Park’s own film production company Moho Film.

“The Sympathizer” is jointly directed by “Oldboy” director Park and Canadian actor and filmmaker Don McKellar.

Meanwhile, Park’s upcoming film, “Decision to Leave,” is a romantic murder mystery starring Tang Wei and Park Hye-il.


By Lee Si-jin (sj_lee@heraldcorp.com)