Robert Downey Jr. stars as not one, but four characters in HBO’s newest thriller series, “The Sympathizer.”
The limited series, which is based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel of the same name, follows a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy as he hides his identity from a refugee community in Los Angeles during the final days of the Vietnam War.
Keep on reading for the full breakdown of all the characters in “The Sympathizer,” and where you’ve seen each actor before.
Hoa Xuande in “The Sympathizer.” (Hopper Stone/HBO)
Hoa Xuande as The Captain
Hoa Xuande stars as the Captain, a spy for North Vietnam who becomes embedded in a refugee community in Los Angeles. His dual identities prompt him to get caught between his conflicting loyalties and contradicting desires.
Xuande has been featured in “Last King of the Cross,” “A Stitch in Time,” “Cowboy Bebop” and “Hungry Ghosts.
The limited series, which is based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel of the same name, follows a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy as he hides his identity from a refugee community in Los Angeles during the final days of the Vietnam War.
Keep on reading for the full breakdown of all the characters in “The Sympathizer,” and where you’ve seen each actor before.
Hoa Xuande in “The Sympathizer.” (Hopper Stone/HBO)
Hoa Xuande as The Captain
Hoa Xuande stars as the Captain, a spy for North Vietnam who becomes embedded in a refugee community in Los Angeles. His dual identities prompt him to get caught between his conflicting loyalties and contradicting desires.
Xuande has been featured in “Last King of the Cross,” “A Stitch in Time,” “Cowboy Bebop” and “Hungry Ghosts.
- 4/15/2024
- by Loree Seitz
- The Wrap
In 2008, I directed a feature film starring Zach Galifianakis called Visioneers. And I haven't made another feature since. I've been lucky enough to find work behind the camera — shooting ads and working with new media — along with some work ghostwriting. But I've faced nothing but struggle in trying to get a new feature made. I am attached to direct six different projects at various production companies; some have a cast, some have financing – none of them have moved forward into production. I've done countless rewrites for free, developed look books and shot promos for these projects. Then...
- 4/22/2014
- by Jared Drake
- The Wrap
Update: Indiewire parent company SnagFilms has announced the opening of its new social video platform to the public, with more than 5,000 newly added independent titles, including Shane Carruth's 2004 Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner "Primer," Morgan Spurlock's documentary "Super Size Me," and 2008 comedy "Visioneers," starring Zach Galifianakis and Judy Greer. The 1939 John Ford classic "Stagecoach," starring John Wayne and Claire Trevor, has also been made available.Earlier: While the studios continue to protect their old deals with the cable companies and ancillary windows, Indiewire parent SnagFilms has launched the private beta version of a new streaming social video platform in anticipation of a public launch later this summer. Check it out by signing up for an invite to the private beta here. “We believe that consumers are growing hungrier for movies on-demand," said SnagFilms CEO Rick Allen, "yet most major Hollywood studios are reluctant to embrace innovation at...
- 6/25/2013
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Hitting movie theaters this weekend:
Bad Teacher – Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Justin Timberlake
A Better Life - Demián Bichir, José Julián, Eddie ‘Piolin’ Sotelo
Cars 2 – Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine
Movie of the Week
Bad Teacher
The Stars: Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Justin Timberlake
The Plot: A comedy centered around a foul-mouthed, junior high teacher (Diaz) who, after being dumped by her sugar daddy, begins to woo a colleague — a move that pits her against a well-loved teacher.
The Buzz: Nope, no buzz. No competition here. Bad Teacher could (or should) be Diaz’ swan song as a sex symbol, she’s just not looking the part these days. Director Jake Kasdan does have some reputable directorial chops, most notably five episodes of Freaks and Geeks, but this looks to be just another lukewarm comedy. A weak cast and a weak premise will probably doom this film at the box office.
Bad Teacher – Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Justin Timberlake
A Better Life - Demián Bichir, José Julián, Eddie ‘Piolin’ Sotelo
Cars 2 – Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine
Movie of the Week
Bad Teacher
The Stars: Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Justin Timberlake
The Plot: A comedy centered around a foul-mouthed, junior high teacher (Diaz) who, after being dumped by her sugar daddy, begins to woo a colleague — a move that pits her against a well-loved teacher.
The Buzz: Nope, no buzz. No competition here. Bad Teacher could (or should) be Diaz’ swan song as a sex symbol, she’s just not looking the part these days. Director Jake Kasdan does have some reputable directorial chops, most notably five episodes of Freaks and Geeks, but this looks to be just another lukewarm comedy. A weak cast and a weak premise will probably doom this film at the box office.
- 6/22/2011
- by Aaron Ruffcorn
- The Scorecard Review
B.D. Fox Independent in conjunction with Viva Pictures will release indie comedy “Visioneers” starring Zach Galifianakis. “As a producer’s partner we are offer an uncomplicated deal based on gross wholesale revenue from DVD units sold, VOD transactions, and digital downloads,” said Brian D. Fox, president and marketing head of B.D. Fox Independent, in a statement. “Gone are the days of unaudited sales reports, overhead charges, and lengthy recoupment of marketing and distribution expenses. Profits are paid out of first revenues received, with sales reported on a daily basis. We are the only distributor doing this type of gross deal format.” Here’s the official synopsis of “Visioneers”, according to the press...
- 5/4/2011
- by monique
- ShockYa
(Clockwise from upper left: Welcome, Visioneers, Crawford, A Single Man.)
Deals. Catching up on news from the past week: Contemporary drama Welcome deals with illegal immigration and "covert border crossings." Directed by Philippe Lioret, Welcome focuses on a teenager (Firat Ayverdi) and a middle-aged swimming instructor (Vincent Lindon) who develop a strong bond, in part because they are both dealing with being separated from the women they love. Film Movement plans to release Welcome in the second quarter of 2010, according to indieWIRE. Check out the trailer after the jump.
Online / On Demand Viewing. It may be cold outside, but you don't have to go outside to watch Visioneers, which "feels fresh and invigorating," wrote Eric D. Snider in his Cinematical review. "It's a high-concept comedy, but it's down-to-earth and accessible, even a little touching." The comedy is about a man's "search for meaning in his life, and comedian Zach Galifianakis...
Deals. Catching up on news from the past week: Contemporary drama Welcome deals with illegal immigration and "covert border crossings." Directed by Philippe Lioret, Welcome focuses on a teenager (Firat Ayverdi) and a middle-aged swimming instructor (Vincent Lindon) who develop a strong bond, in part because they are both dealing with being separated from the women they love. Film Movement plans to release Welcome in the second quarter of 2010, according to indieWIRE. Check out the trailer after the jump.
Online / On Demand Viewing. It may be cold outside, but you don't have to go outside to watch Visioneers, which "feels fresh and invigorating," wrote Eric D. Snider in his Cinematical review. "It's a high-concept comedy, but it's down-to-earth and accessible, even a little touching." The comedy is about a man's "search for meaning in his life, and comedian Zach Galifianakis...
- 12/18/2009
- by Peter Martin
- Cinematical
When I interviewed Zach Galifianakis over the summer it was about two weeks before The Hangover kicked everyone's head, force-fed us all Floor-ies, and took over the damned comedy planet. Turns out, that can be good for one's career. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Galfianakis (who seems to be rocking the cast lists lately) is in talks yet again for a major flick - this time to do the voice of Humpty Dumpty for Puss In Boots. It's essentially a prequel to the Shrek films (which are still coming down the pipeline) to tell the story of the swashbuckling pussy in his days before teaming up with that big green, Scottish-sounding monster. Antonio Banderas will be too sexy in it, Salam Hayek will too sexy in it, and, possibly, Galifianakis will be way too sexy in it. And if you were wondering, here's a quick list of projects he'll be appearing in soon: Youth in Revolt Up in the Air...
- 11/5/2009
- by Dr. Cole Abaius
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
What is a romantic comedy, exactly? I’ll attempt to answer that briefly by explaining how I define a romantic comedy. Of course, there has to be romance and there has to be comedy, but more importantly the story needs to be primarily focused on the development of a romantic relationship. So, why do I bother to bring this up when it seems so obvious that Love Happens is a romantic comedy? Because it’s not.
So the film has romance and it has comedy, but the primary focus of the story is Not the romantic relationship between Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston, as the marketing of the film would have you believe. Love Happens is a much deeper story than the average rom-com, but for the sake of reviewing the film, we’ll just assume it fits nicely into my abnormally strict definition of what make a romantic comedy.
So the film has romance and it has comedy, but the primary focus of the story is Not the romantic relationship between Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston, as the marketing of the film would have you believe. Love Happens is a much deeper story than the average rom-com, but for the sake of reviewing the film, we’ll just assume it fits nicely into my abnormally strict definition of what make a romantic comedy.
- 9/18/2009
- by Travis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Todd: “My doctor says I have to pull the trigger on my gun once an hour or I’ll explode.”
Zach Galifianakis is a man of multiple talents. Comedian, pianist/musician (sort of) and or course, he’s an actor. Anyone who’s seen The Hangover knows that he’s a very funny guy, and his comedy routine, while dry and off-beat, is very good as well. But, I’m not sure everyone knows what kind of an actor he really is, at least not yet. Visioneers will give you a wonderful sneak peak into the thespian talents of Zach Galifianakis.
Visioneers is the feature film debut for director Jared Drake, working from a script by his brother Brandon Drake. The very first thing that came to mind for me early on while watching this movie was a fear that it was going to be Terry Gilliam’s Brazil all over again.
Zach Galifianakis is a man of multiple talents. Comedian, pianist/musician (sort of) and or course, he’s an actor. Anyone who’s seen The Hangover knows that he’s a very funny guy, and his comedy routine, while dry and off-beat, is very good as well. But, I’m not sure everyone knows what kind of an actor he really is, at least not yet. Visioneers will give you a wonderful sneak peak into the thespian talents of Zach Galifianakis.
Visioneers is the feature film debut for director Jared Drake, working from a script by his brother Brandon Drake. The very first thing that came to mind for me early on while watching this movie was a fear that it was going to be Terry Gilliam’s Brazil all over again.
- 8/24/2009
- by Travis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The world of Jared Drake’s feature debut, Visioneers, sits somewhere between the ugly futures of Brazil and Idiocracy, leaning less fantastical than the former and less goofy than the latter, while putting across a message they share: Things are getting bleaker and stupider, and something should probably be done about it. The film, which played festivals last year but failed to secure wider theatrical distribution, stars Zach Galifianakis—a newly minted star, thanks to The Hangover—as a cog working at the world’s largest company, the Jeffers Corporation. In an immediate cue about Visioneers’ tone, the Jeffers logo ...
- 8/5/2009
- avclub.com
Today sees some real gems dropping.. especially the Zach Galifianakis starrer Visioneers and the directors cut of Watchmen. We also have Coraline and Skeleton Crew.
So check all the details, trailers and amazon links after the break!
Visioneers (review)
Purchase at Amazon
When people begin exploding from stress, George Washington Winsterhammerman tries to ignore the epidemic and live his usual life, but then he suffers his first symptom.
Watchmen
Purchase at Amazon
Do I really need to put any more details here?
Coraline
Purchase at Amazon
A young girl walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life - only much better. But when her adventure turns dangerous, and her counterfeit parents (including Other Mother) try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery...
So check all the details, trailers and amazon links after the break!
Visioneers (review)
Purchase at Amazon
When people begin exploding from stress, George Washington Winsterhammerman tries to ignore the epidemic and live his usual life, but then he suffers his first symptom.
Watchmen
Purchase at Amazon
Do I really need to put any more details here?
Coraline
Purchase at Amazon
A young girl walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life - only much better. But when her adventure turns dangerous, and her counterfeit parents (including Other Mother) try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery...
- 7/21/2009
- QuietEarth.us
Finally after weeks of lacklustre DVD releases, we've got a decent assortment of must-buy discs to gorge on including Zack Snyder's Watchmen (both the theatrical version and the director's cut) and the beautiful stop-motion animated Coraline. There are also some interesting indie releases this week including the superhero comedy Super Capers, the surreal Zach Galifianakis flick Visioneers, and Bruce McDonald's cerebral take on the zombie genre Pontypool (unfortunately, only available in Canada at the moment). In terms of TV, we've got the second and final season of Pushing Daisies, the final season of Prison Break, and all three seasons of the cult British comedy The Mighty Boosh. Is that enough for you? What will you be picking up this week? Watchmen [1] Watchmen: Director's Cut [2] (DVD, Blu-ray [3]) Coraline [4] (DVD, Blu-ray [5]) Pontypool [6] (Canada only) The Great Buck Howard [7] (DVD, Blu-ray [8]) Echelon Conspiracy [9] (DVD, Blu-ray [10]) Visioneers [11] Super Capers [12] The Mystical...
- 7/21/2009
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Okay, fans of comedian Zach Galifianakis - all over the place now thanks to the runaway success of The Hangover - if you’re in Toronto we’ve got a little treat for you. Before The Hangover Galifianakis shot a little indie comedy titled Visioneers - a film that has received a bit of love in these pages - and it will be screening for free here in Toronto on August 6th. Details linked below and the trailer lurking below the break.
- 7/16/2009
- by Todd Brown
- Screen Anarchy
Out of the many projects Zach Galifianakis has his hands on, the independent dark comedy Visioneers may be the one that has us most bursting with expectations, though we're not nearly as likely to combust as George Washington Winsterhammerman. Galifianakis' office-toiling character fears he will become a victim of the stress-induced explosions that plague the Jeffers Corporation. After premiering in June 2008 and subsequently making the festival rounds, the film is now offering fans the opportunity to host their own screening Which is to say, "Show Us Your Tunts!"...
- 7/14/2009
- Pastemagazine.com
Headlined by Universal Pictures' Funny People, the new comedy from filmmaker Judd Apatow starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, and Leslie Mann. The darling of last year's Festival, writer-director-producer Judd Apatow is in the spotlight once again this year with his latest comedy. Apatow directs Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann in Funny People, the story of a famous comedian who has a near-death experience. Cult comedy fans are in for a treat when all five Broken Lizard members Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske take the stage to introduce the Canadian premiere of their newest film, Broken Lizard's the Slammin' Salmon. Michael Clarke Duncan is former heavyweight boxing champ Cleon Salmon, the celebrity owner of an upscale Miami restaurant. To settle a debt, the Champ offers his wait staff (enter the Broken Lizard boys) a one-night-only challenge: top selling waiter gets ten thousand...
- 7/7/2009
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Thirty minutes into Visioneers---a high concept indie dramedy that is, well, brand new to the public---i was consumed by the thought that I, most likely, will never see the movie for sale in a really choice record store. (Don't worry, this movie review will not serve as a wistful rant on the music industry courtesy of a wannabe Nick Hornby or Chuck Klosterman.) The realization got me down for a half-a-second. Nevertheless, calling Visioneers a “prized would-be staple of the ‘choice record store movie genre’” is a tidy complement that sums up how I feel about it. In the mid/late ‘90s and early ‘00s, one could find a softly-curated section of DVDs in many independent record stores. Browsing the small selection was a welcome, habitual cool-down after hours spent listening to and considering albums. Generally, the selection amounted to: concert films like Ziggy Stardust, The Show, and Bill Hicks Live.
- 7/3/2009
- by Hunter Stephenson
- Slash Film
Visioneers Directed by: Jared Drake Written by: Brandon Drake Starring: Zach Galifianakis, Judy Greer, Fay Masterson, James LeGros My first introduction to Zach Galifianakis was through his association with Tim and Eric of the Adult Swim show Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!. His bizarre and deadpan sense of humour along with his trademark unkempt beard gave him instant appeal and a strong cult following, but it was not yet clear if the mainstream was quite ready for him. Now, with the upcoming Todd Phillips movie The Hangover about to usher him into major multiplexes, it seems that Galifianakis has officially made it as a comedy star, whether audiences are ready or not. Up to this point, the majority of his acting experience has been on the small screen, but aside from a few minor roles in What Happens in Vegas and Into The Wild, he also headlined an...
- 5/31/2009
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Whether you're tired of people texting during the movie, want to relax on your couch or have a fear of catching swine flu, there's plenty of entertainment options that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home this summer, whether it's On Demand, Online, or On DVD. A helpful guide is below, and don't forget our look at the indie films that are hitting theaters this summer.
On Demand
Our sister company IFC Films will have quite the busy summer, providing at least one film a week to watch on demand and nowhere else. The company's Festival Direct summer schedule recently kicked off with the Robert Pattinson teen drama "How to Be," and will be followed on May 6th by the premieres of Pablo Proenza's haunted house thriller "Dark Mirror" and the Patrick Wilson-Amy Smart romantic dramedy "Life In Flight," which premiered at last year's Tribeca Film Festival.
On Demand
Our sister company IFC Films will have quite the busy summer, providing at least one film a week to watch on demand and nowhere else. The company's Festival Direct summer schedule recently kicked off with the Robert Pattinson teen drama "How to Be," and will be followed on May 6th by the premieres of Pablo Proenza's haunted house thriller "Dark Mirror" and the Patrick Wilson-Amy Smart romantic dramedy "Life In Flight," which premiered at last year's Tribeca Film Festival.
- 5/5/2009
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
Man, where I live (near Denver, Colorado) we really don't have much in the way of fests except for the Denver Film Festival and the one in Boulder which both heavily favor high-brow fest circuit stuff which really isn't interesting to us around here which is why I'm jealous of our own Dr. Nathan who will get to see the opening night film White Lightnin' (stills here), the story of the dancing outlaw Jesco White. Also playing will be Tokyo!, Qe favorite Visioneers (review), and the indy Norse discovery of America flick (which Magnolia picked up and I have a screener of, woop!) Severed Ways.
But Ott not only does film, they do music to.. so check it all out at the website below.
Fest website with tickets and more
Feature film descriptions and short film list after the break.
Opening Film
White Lightnin' (UK) - Canadian Premiere
7:00 @ The...
But Ott not only does film, they do music to.. so check it all out at the website below.
Fest website with tickets and more
Feature film descriptions and short film list after the break.
Opening Film
White Lightnin' (UK) - Canadian Premiere
7:00 @ The...
- 4/29/2009
- QuietEarth.us
We've posted an episode of Between Two Ferns before, back when Zach Galifianakis interviewed (and subsequently molested) poor Michael Cera. Now, though, in Episode 3 of this hysterical little bit, Zach sits down with Jon Hamm, from AMC's Mad Men and the new flick The Day the Earth Stood Still. While Hamm has made a huge name for himself lately, Galifianakis is slowly emerging as well with six films in different stages of production, including the Youth in Revolt adaptation and the Todd Phillips comedy The Hangover. I'm still waiting to catch his indie Visioneers (which we reviewed here), and these little bits he does for Funny or Die just crack me up.
Also on Funny or Die today is a little advertisement for Will Ferrell's new George Bush show, A Final Night with George W. Bush, which hits NYC in January. Watch that here, and watch the Zach interview below.
Also on Funny or Die today is a little advertisement for Will Ferrell's new George Bush show, A Final Night with George W. Bush, which hits NYC in January. Watch that here, and watch the Zach interview below.
- 12/17/2008
- by Erik Davis
- Cinematical
I freely confess to being a little slow sometimes, in whatever sense you may choose to take that. In this case, I’m a wee bit behind taking a look at Visioneers, the debut feature from brotherly writer-director duo Brandon and Jared Drake, a film that my Toronto After Dark programming cohort Peter Kuplowsky has been talking up with me for literally months now. Honest, I’ve meant to look it up every single time he’s talked about it but every single time something has driven it from my brain before I’ve actually followed through. That is until today, when Peter sent me an email with the official website so it would be right in front of my face while I was already on the computer. Peter’s smarter than me.
But I digress ... the film. It’s a near-future office comedy about a mid level exec -...
But I digress ... the film. It’s a near-future office comedy about a mid level exec -...
- 11/13/2008
- by Todd Brown
- Screen Anarchy
Year: 2008
Release date: Unknown
Director: Jared Drake
Writers: Jared Drake & Brandon Drake
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: cyberhal
Rating: 7.6 out of 10
Visioneers is the impressive feature debut of brothers Jared and Brandon Drake. A story driven exploration of an already here Corporate Dystopia, and what it takes to survive as a human being. The flick came in at under $1m and the Bros Drake adapt to circumstance by making great use of simple and retro technology. Clever dialogue had me laughing my ass off, especially in the first half, and made me think of a light hearted version of Hal Hartley in movies like the Unbelievable Truth. I love absurdist humor and word games. I thought the story lost a bit of its power when it got into the love and pole vaulting can conquer all, but I know others will disagree with me on that. Check out the official site website,...
Release date: Unknown
Director: Jared Drake
Writers: Jared Drake & Brandon Drake
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: cyberhal
Rating: 7.6 out of 10
Visioneers is the impressive feature debut of brothers Jared and Brandon Drake. A story driven exploration of an already here Corporate Dystopia, and what it takes to survive as a human being. The flick came in at under $1m and the Bros Drake adapt to circumstance by making great use of simple and retro technology. Clever dialogue had me laughing my ass off, especially in the first half, and made me think of a light hearted version of Hal Hartley in movies like the Unbelievable Truth. I love absurdist humor and word games. I thought the story lost a bit of its power when it got into the love and pole vaulting can conquer all, but I know others will disagree with me on that. Check out the official site website,...
- 11/9/2008
- QuietEarth.us
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