So, as we celebrate Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage (AAPI) month this May, let’s delve into Hoa’s past and learn more about the rising star.

What films and TV series has Hoa Xuande starred in?

While his role in the Downey-produced The Sympathizer marks the first time many audiences came to know of him, Hoa had in fact already scored one of his first Hollywood roles in 2016 – in the comedy series Ronny Chieng: International Student, produced by the Asian-Australian actor Chieng. He also starred in the 2021 live-action rendition of Cowboy Bebop.

That ultimately led him landing his role of The Captain in HBO-A24 drama The Sympathizer, a story about a Vietnamese double agent spy planted in the US after the Vietnam war who struggles to find himself as he juggles the two identities of being a Viet Cong spy and an American. The seven-part series is an adaptation of the Pulitzer-winning black comedy novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen.

Can Hoa Xuande speak Vietnamese?

Despite both his parents being Vietnamese, the Australian-raised actor didn’t quite embrace the language until he was picked to play The Captain. He had to take a two-week crash course to refine his Vietnamese language skills, according to Variety.

In a recent interview with CNN, Hoa revealed, “All my friends were Australian. I never really felt rooted in the culture that my Vietnamese parents would explain to me, about what it was like to grow up during the time of the war.”

His connection to Vietnam was particularly important – not just because of his role, but because the series’ ensemble cast included a host of seasoned Vietnamese actors including Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Vy Le, Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen, Alan Trong, Phanxine and Kieu Chinh, according to the same interview.

Did Hoa Xuande read the book The Sympathizer before getting the role?

Hoa shared that, while he had picked up the book years ago when it was first released, he never quite got through the entire novel. But as soon as he received the casting call for the film, he dove headfirst into the story.

“I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got to get my hands on this book again.’ So I went and bought it, read it cover to cover, and went through the hoops and hurdles of auditioning for the next nine months,” he shared in a Vanity Fair interview.

Did Hoa Xuande have mentors on the production of The Sympathizer?

The experience was even more complicated as Downey takes on a number of different roles in the series, with many of them heavily helped along with make-up, prosthetics and costumes.

But between Downey and Oh, he must have had a stellar line-up of mentors who helped him throughout production. He recalled being reassured when he met the Marvel star on set for the first time, saying to Vanity Fair, “[He] put his hand on my shoulder and was just like, ‘Brother, don’t worry about it. We’re gonna screw this up together.’”

What did Hoa Xuande do before getting into acting?

As to what Hoa is like off camera, little is known about him. The 36-year-old grew up between Sydney and Melbourne, and worked a number of odd jobs after earning his degree in journalism. He then studied at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, which set him off on his journey as an actor.

While the actor’s star is on the rise, he seems to prefer to maintain a low profile; he had no public social media presence before his The Sympathizer gig.