Robert Downey Jr. is one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood, particularly from his decade-long tenure as Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After Avengers: Endgame, Downey Jr. parted ways with the franchise and has since taken on a number of projects. His first post-MCU effort, the 2020 Dolittle reboot, was a major box office flop, losing Universal an estimated $50–100 million. Fortunately, the two-time Oscar-nominated actor has seen a resurgence in his career. His latest project, Sr., an emotional documentary about his late father, earned glowing reviews. And now, Downey Jr. is back in the spotlight with The Sympathizer, a new HBO miniseries currently filming in Los Angeles. Photos of the actor have surfaced from the set of the series and, surprisingly, Downey Jr. looks unrecognizable.
The New York Post has obtained the first photos of Robert Downey Jr. on the set of the upcoming HBO miniseries. Gone is the signature goatee and dark hair of Iron Man – in its place is a curly red hairpiece with a receding hairline, and a much different style of dress. Furthermore, the actor looks to be wearing facial makeup and probably prosthetics to make him appear considerably older. It's a dramatic transformation for Downey Jr., and it's one that signals he's ready to move away from the MCU and explore new roles.
Robert Downey Jr. Takes on Multiple Antagonist Roles in HBO and A24's Miniseries
HBO and A24 have come together to bring Robert Downey Jr. back to the small screen with a limited series adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen's The Sympathizer, a gripping spy novel and a powerful story of love and friendship. The miniseries centers around a character who is half French and half Vietnamese, and is a former spy who worked for the communist forces during the end of the Vietnam War. After the war, the character is forced to flee to Los Angeles, where he lives among the Vietnamese refugee community.
It will be Robert Downey Jr.'s first live-action acting role on the small screen since appearing on Ally McBeal in the early 2000s. He'll be playing multiple villains in The Sympathizer, all of whom represent "a different arm of the American establishment, including an up-and-coming Orange County Congressman, a CIA agent and a Hollywood film director, among others." This will give him the chance to really delve into his range as an actor. Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) will serve as co-show runner, alongside series director Don McKeller. Sandra Oh, Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Vy Le, and Alan Trong also star in the film.
While this is a new challenge for Robert Downey Jr., he does have a certain level of experience in playing multiple characters in one movie - albeit, a different kind of experience. In Tropic Thunder, Downey had to give a convincing performance as an Australian method actor who had been cast as a Black character and refused to break character. It's a role that requires a great deal of skill and commitment, and Downey certainly pulled it off. It's an interesting example of how he is able to take on unique and challenging roles and deliver an incredible performance.
The release date for The Sympathizer has not been announced yet.