Robert Downey Jr. isn’t expecting any sympathy from fans shocked by his alarming new look.
The 57-year-old actor appeared very unrecognizable in photos snapped on the set of his new HBO TV series “The Sympathizer” this week.
Incorporating some Hollywood hair and makeup magic, Marvel’s “Iron Man” donned a bald cap prosthetic and fuzzy red wig to shoot scenes of the top secret project. .
The two-time Oscar nominee — for “Chaplin” and “Tropic Thunder” — also sported vintage-style navy trousers, a pink button-down shirt and a maroon jacket.
Last October, Downey Jr. shocked fans when he shaved his head and cheekily shared his new ‘do on social media. His two youngest kids Exton, 10, and Avri, 8, sheared his scalp for the upcoming limited series.
“The things we do for our work… and our kids. #Sympathizer set ready,” the father of three captioned his fun clip.
The now-viral video — with nearly 2 million likes — showed his children helping him get ready for the show by cutting off his locks.
“I don’t want to have to wear a bald cap — so will you guys shave my head?” Downey asked his kids.
Downey Jr. then debuted his new buzzcut at the “Sr.” screening last November.
“The Sympathizer” was announced in July 2021 and he is set to star and executive produce the show.
The project is based on author Viet Thanh Nguyen’s 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name.
The show takes place during the final days of the Vietnam War in 1975 and will chronicle The Captain (Hoa Xuande), a French/Vietnamese spy, who lives in Los Angeles.
Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Vy Le, Alan Trong and 13-time Emmy nominee Sandra Oh of “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Killing Eve” fame are also a part of the cast.
Downey Jr. is portraying the villain of the story, who — according to Deadline — is playing “multiple supporting roles as the main antagonists, all of whom represent a different arm of the American establishment.”
Director Park Chan-wook gushed over the “Iron Man” alum in a recent Variety profile: “Working with Robert — he’s such an amazing actor and such an energetic man and a joy to be around. It’s been really great to be working with him.”
The South Korean filmmaker also spilled details about the upcoming series at the 2023 Golden Globes on Tuesday, teasing what viewers can expect.
“Overall, it’s a seven-episode series, and it’s set in 1975, immediately after the Vietnam War,” Park told IndieWire on the Globes red carpet. “The story covers Vietnamese refugees who have migrated to L.A. and the stories surrounding that environment. Because of the context, casting revolves around having a lot of diversity, especially a heavy presence of Vietnamese and Vietnamese Americans.”
