Cory Stillman
Producers Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell are the masterminds behind Team Downey, the production company co-founded by Susan and her husband, Robert Downey Jr., the Oscar-winning actor.
Team Downey’s catalogue comprises a wide range of television and film, including such recent hits as HBO and A24’s The Sympathizer and Netflix’s Sweet Tooth. Of course, the former features RDJ as four different characters, a masterstroke of casting that attests to both his talent as an actor, not to mention the ingenuity of Team Downey and their collaborators.
“Director Park [Chan-Wook] gets all that credit,” says Downey. “He was the one who had the idea based on the material, that a single actor should play each of these characters, and that they all kind of represent different aspects of the American patriarchy.”
The legendary South Korean director had already outlined his entire vision for The Sympathizer by the time he approached Team Downey with the idea. It was important to him, as well as RDJ, that the clever casting felt like more than just a gimmick. Fortunately, the show’s finale brings RDJ’s collection of roles full circle, and injects new meaning into his every performance.
Team Downey was founded in 2010, and has produced several notable films starring its legendary founder. “Sr.” is among the most underrated documentaries on Netflix, exploring the relationship between Robert Downey Jr and his father, Robert Downey Sr. Likewise, a collection of Sherlock Holmes spin-offs for Warner Bros. and Max should excite fans of the original films. Clearly, Downey and Burrell have managed to develop a profoundly successful working relationship with both Netflix and Max, peppering each streamer’s lineup with a diverse array of programming. But for Team Downey, the project always comes first.
“We figure out what we want to do and then try and find the best home for it,” says Downey.
HBO proved to be a natural fit for The Sympathizer, particularly after Team Downey collaborated with the network on Perry Mason just a couple years earlier. Indeed, with such iconic directors like Park and Fernando Meirelles attached to the miniseries, The Sympathizer feels right at home on a network that consistently features some of the biggest shows in television. Likewise, Sweet Tooth clearly managed to tap into Netflix audiences’ appetite for complex and compelling children’s television, transporting young viewers (and their parents) to a uniquely cozy post-apocalyptic world. The show has already earned twenty nominations at the Children’s and Family Emmy Awards across its first two seasons, winning four.
“What we felt is that it had wide audience potential,” says Burrell. “We were going to be able to get younger viewers, but also older viewers, and really family co-viewing. As mothers, we love the idea of telling stories that allow for a family to sit down and watch together, but also are able to tackle darker subject matter and challenge a younger audience.”
Sweet Tooth‘s third and final season began streaming on Netflix on June 6th, 2024, so fans can watch both Sweet Tooth and The Sympathizer in full now. They are streaming on Netflix and Max, respectively.
Check out our full conversation with Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell below to hear more about how these incredible shows came to life.
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