The 'Iron Man' actor is back on TV with the upcoming adaptation of Pulitzer Prize-winning espionage thriller which will have Park Chan-wook serving behind the lens.
- Jul 17, 2021
AceShowbiz - Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the small screen to star in a TV adaptation of Pulitzer Prize-winning espionage thriller "The Sympathizer".
The "Iron Man" star will take on a variety of supporting roles in the Vietnam War-set drama series, which will be based on the 2015 release by Vietnamese-American professor Viet Thanh Nguyen.
A global search is currently underway for the Vietnamese lead, as well as other key castmembers, reports Deadline.
"Oldboy" filmmaker Park Chan-wook will direct the project for U.S. network HBO, and also serve as co-showrunner with Don McKellar.
Park will also take on an executive producer role, alongside Downey, Jr. and his wife, Susan Downey, for their Team Downey production company. In a statement, the actor shared, "Adapting Mr. Nguyen's important and masterful work requires a visionary team. With Director Park at the helm, I expect this to be a creative producing adventure for Susan, me and Team Downey, and a stimulating process for myself in playing these complex supporting roles..."
"It's exactly the type of challenge I've been craving, and I believe we will deliver an exceptional viewing experience to our audience."
"The Sympathizer" marks Downey, Jr.'s first starring role on TV - he previously featured on legal drama series "Ally McBeal" for two years until 2002.
Meanwhile, the actor was last seen on the big screen last year in "Dolittle". He will next star in Jamie Foxx's upcoming star-studded movie "All-Star Weekend" along with Jeremy Piven, Jessica Szohr, Eva Longoria, Ken Jeong, Gerard Butler, and Benicio del Toro.
