Everything you need to know about upcoming TV show, The Sympathizer, starring Robert Downey Jr
This year is an exciting one for TV adaptations, as upcoming espionage thriller The Sympathizer is set to land on Sky. Based on the 2015 Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen, the series sees Robert Downey Jr star playing multiple roles.
The official synopsis reads:
“Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Sympathizer is an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his resulting exile in the United States.”
What is the release date?
All seven episodes are available to watch now, exclusively on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
Where can I watch The Sympathizer?
Just like with all the big HBO series, if you want to watch them in the UK you’ve got to have Sky and the same goes with The Sympathizer. The series will be available to watch on Sky Atlantic. The Sympathizer is not available to watch on Netflix, it can only be watched on Sky in the UK.
Is The Sympathizer a true story?
No, The Sympathizer is not a true story. It is based on a fictional book by Vietnamese-American professor Viet Thanh Nguyen that became a best-seller before winning the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Who is in the cast?
This limited series welcomes Robert Downey Jr. as an executive producer and cast member, with Downey Jr. playing multiple roles. Additional cast include:
- Hoa Xuande
- Fred Nguyen Khan
- Toan Le
- Alan Trong
- Vy Le
- Ky Duyen
- Sandra Oh
Will I still be able to watch The Sympathizer on Sky with HBO Max launching?
Yes!
If you’re already a Sky subscriber, you will get complete continuity of the service at no extra cost via the Max app. The new deal means Sky and NOW customers benefit from more content through bundled access to the streaming service that will exclusively feature new HBO Original and Max Original shows and more.
And in the case of The Sympathizer and a range of other series, as part of Sky’s new deal with HBO, customers will continue to find shows such as House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, and The Last of Us, and any new series aired before the end of 2025, on Sky Atlantic and through Sky’s On Demand service.
Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of Sky Studios and chief content officer of Sky, said: “What’s really good about the deal that we struck is that if you’re a Sky subscriber, at no additional cost, you will have access to the Max app within your Sky platform. So, if you’re already a Sky subscriber, you have complete continuity of service. Actually, you probably have more because Max will have more content than what we have today with the HBO shows and the Warner Bros. films.
“It’s going to be completely seamless for those customers, so you’ll have a really rich experience, and that’s at no additional cost.
“Any show that we’ve had historically on our channels you’ll continue to get on the channels, including future seasons of The Last of Us and The White Lotus.”
And what about NOW TV?
In addition, NOW UK and Ireland Entertainment members will also receive bundled access to the ad-supported version of Max, seamlessly integrated into the NOW experience alongside other premium content. They will also continue to get the existing series which were available on Sky as part of their subscription.