In war saga ‘The Sympathizer,’ Vietnamese voices are no longer stuck in the background

By TERRY TANG
Associated Press

For decades, Vietnamese people often been relegated to the background in popular cinematic depictions of the Vietnam War. Films like “Full Metal Jacket” and “Apocalypse Now” typically only examined the price the U.S. and its soldiers paid. In the HBO adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “The Sympathizer,” it is South Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers’ struggles with loss, loyalty and identity that take centerstage. The series, which premieres Sunday, also co-stars Robert Downey Jr. and Sandra Oh. The Vietnamese cast members are not shying away from retelling what was a traumatic time even for their own families.