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Robert Downey Jr.’s career has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. TheOppenheimerstar has seen it all – the highs and the lows. From his early rise to fame, that was stunted by a crippling drug addiction and was at once threatened to stunt his career as well. But he bounced back in style. Since then, there has been no turning back for him. And he’s played numerous interesting roles. But on the top of his list would be a series which saw him take on the mantle of playing 4 roles.
Robert Downey Jr.’s rise (and return) to fame
Ever since Robert Downey Jr. came out of rehab, it’s been about going from strength to strength for him. The 59-year-old was always known for his acting prowess. His initial rise to fame from Broadway wouldn’t have been possible without his acting caliber after all.
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No wonder he has had the opportunity to portray a versatile host of characters – be it playing Tony Stark, a“genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist”in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or an insecure and power hungry Andrew Strauss inOppenheimer.To his credit, he played both to perfection. But his versatility would be tested to the limit in Park Chan-Wook’sThe Sympathizer.
The Sympathizerwas made possible by Park Chan-Wook’s vision
Set in the post-Vietnam war era,The Sympathizerfocusses on the adventures of a Vietnamese spy who is operating in America. Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel of the same name, it stars Hoa Xuande, Toan Le, and Fred Nguyen Khan, apart from theDolittlestar. The HBO miniseries piqued the interests of fans and critics alike. It aimed to explore the Vietnamese war from the perspective of the people of Vietnam, who would label it as the American war.
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And it wouldn’t have been the success it was, had it not been for Park Chan-Wook’s prowess. He brought his vision to reality with unbelievable perspicacity. And the credit for that must go to the cast as well, including Downey Jr, who opened up about the same while he was locked in a conversation with Jodie Foster.
Robert Downey Jr. was looking to take on the challenge of playing four roles
In a conversation between two old friends forVariety,Robert Downey Jr. opened up about his role in the 2024 miniseries. As it happened, the Vietnamese war had a strong impact on both Downey and Foster. That is the reason he cherished the opportunity of working with Chan-Wook, a man who wanted to share the story from a new perspective.
The 60-year-old’s commitment to the story meant he wanted only the best, And that, according to Downey, prompted him to go all out. He told Foster,
“Director Park had a really strong take on it. He asked if I wanted to play all the white guys. Finally, it’s telling the story from the perspective of what the Vietnamese called it: “the American war.” (Variety)
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Speaking on what he meant in his mind when he took on the role, he said,
“Having just come from “Oppenheimer,” I was like, “I just want to play.” I wanted the four characters to be a little two-dimensional.”
Safe to say he was up to the challenge. His role(s) inThe Sympathizermight not have attracted as much attention as the performance inOppenheimer.But Downey knows how great the experience was.
Smriti Sneh
Articles Published :479
Smriti Sneh is a Content Writer at Fandom Wire specializing in celebrities and everything pop-culture. Being a literature research scholar, she is cashing in on her writing skills by working in the entertainment news sector - studying literary theories by day, and navigating celebrity net worth through the night. Although you’re able to find her writing poems at any and all hours.
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Park Chan-wookRobert Downey Jr.
