Spike Lee war epic starring Vietnamese actress to hit Netflix

The American director announced Friday his new film "Da 5 Bloods" would be released globally on June 12.

The movie stars a host of Hollywood actors including Chadwick Boseman, Jean Reno, Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors and Paul Walter Hauser. It was filmed in Vietnam last summer, when Lee posted a photo of himself and Ngo Thanh Van, or Veronica Ngo, online, saying she would play Hanoi Hannah.

Ngo Thanh Van and Spike Lee on set. Photo courtesy of Spike Lee.

As Hanoi Hannah, a Vietnamese radio presenter known for her work during the war, Van portrays a real character for the first time.

"Da 5 Bloods" depicts four veterans returning to Vietnam searching for the remains of their fallen squad leader, amid the lure of buried treasure. Battling forces of humanity and nature, they are confronted by the eternal ravages of the Vietnam War. The film is currently one of Netflix’s most high profile summer releases.

Spike Lee is well-known for his directorial work in "Do the Right Thing" [1989], "Jungle Fever" [1991], "Malcolm X" [1992], "He Got Game" [1998], and especially "BlacKkKlansman" [2018], which earned him an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Ngo Thanh Van is an A-list Vietnamese actress and producer, appearing in Hollywood films like "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" [2017], "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny" [2016] and the upcoming American superhero film "The Old Guard."