This is Hoa Xuande of 'The Sympathizer', the HBO hit series about Vietnam

The HBO series 'The Sympathiser' has been gaining popularity not only as an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name but also for its theme focus and stellar cast! Hoa Xuande is the series' breakout star, and this is his story.

Hoa Xuande is an Australian actor who plays 'the Captain' in HBO's 'The Sympathiser'. He is of Vietnamese heritage, which fits the show's setting of the Vietnam War.

Hoa Xuande was born as Hoa Xuan Nguyen in Sydney, Australia. According to GQ, the actor will be 36 years old in 2024 and the offspring of Vietnamese refugees.

According to his own IMDB page, Hoa Xuande landed his first acting gig in 2010, when he starred in a minor role in ‘Sea Patrol’. It was only till 2016 that he landed a role on TV.

Hoa Xuande’s first TV role was quite an impactful one, as it was also one of his standout main roles. He starred opposite Malaysian comedian Ronny Chieng in the ABC comedy series 'Ronny Chieng: International Student', playing the role of Elvin!

Image: ABC

His work in 'Ronny Chieng: International Student' did push Hoa Xuande to new heights, as it landed him roles in more major productions such as SBS' 'Hungry Ghosts'.

Image: ABC

One other major production Hoa Xuande was involved in was Netflix's live-action adaptation of the popular Japanese anime of the same name, 'Cowboy Bebop'. According to Gizmodo, he was cast as Lin, a minor character.

Image: hoaxuande / Instagram

Hoa Xuande's work with Netflix on ‘Cowboy Bebop’ was not his last major one, as he would then land an even bigger role with HBO when he was cast as the main character in 'The Sympathizer'.

Image: HBO

HBO's 'The Sympathizer' is based on the novel of the same name written by Viet Thanh Nguyen. According to The Guardian, Hoa Xuande plays the dual role of a spy, where he is stuck in-between his allegiance towards the US and the Vietnamese communists.

Image: HBO

This marks Hoa Xuande entering the big leagues acting-wise, as he is not only spearheading 'The Sympathizer' as the lead character but also starring alongside industry heavyweights like Robert Downey Jr. and Sandra Oh!

According to Variety, Hoa Xuande himself had not imagined that he would land the leading role in 'The Sympathizer' and felt his casting was akin to "winning the lottery". The role was also a personal one for him, as it helped him reconnect with his Vietnamese roots.

Image: HBO

Hoa Xuande’s role in 'The Sympathizer' was a stellar one and one that proved his acting talent, as the actor was nominated for a Gotham TV Award for Outstanding Performance and for the 'Breakthrough Limited Series' category alongside his cast members, reports Deadline.