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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

Joe Taslim Delves into Investigative Journalist Role Through Documentaries for 'The Furious'

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Actor Joe Taslim researched investigative journalists by watching documentaries to prepare for his role in the Hollywood film 'The Furious.'
  • In the film, Taslim plays Navin, an investigative journalist probing human trafficking in Southeast Asia, a role he found more akin to a detective.
  • 'The Furious,' which also stars Xie Miao and Yayan Ruhian, is scheduled for release in Indonesian cinemas on June 17, 2026, and has received a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Joe Taslim is set to portray an investigative journalist in the upcoming Hollywood film 'The Furious.' To embody the character of Navin, Taslim immersed himself in the world of investigative journalism by studying numerous documentaries, particularly those focusing on social trafficking in Southeast Asia.

I watched a lot of documentaries, so many on YouTube, from ABC, In Depth, mostly about what investigative journalists do, mostly from Australia, about social trafficking in Southeast Asian countries.

— Joe TaslimTaslim described his research process for portraying an investigative journalist in 'The Furious.'

"I watched a lot of documentaries, so many on YouTube, from ABC, In Depth, mostly about what investigative journalists do, mostly from Australia, about social trafficking in Southeast Asian countries," Taslim shared during a press conference in Jakarta on Friday, June 5, 2026. He explained that this preparation, which took place before filming in Bangkok, Thailand, was crucial for understanding the on-the-ground realities and risks faced by these journalists.

Taslim described the investigative journalist's work as resembling that of a detective, involving deep dives, evidence gathering, and undercover operations, often with life-threatening consequences. "He could die doing that, because the risks are too high," he stated. In 'The Furious,' Navin's personal mission is to find his wife, also an investigative journalist, who disappeared while on assignment, forcing him to confront the possibility of her death.

So to know this character, you have to follow the documentary journey, feel their journey, no longer an ordinary journalist, but truly like a detective, he looks for evidence, goes undercover.

— Joe TaslimTaslim explained how he prepared for his role, likening the investigative journalist's work to that of a detective.

The film, which also features Xie Miao as a father searching for his kidnapped daughter and Yayan Ruhian, is slated for release in Indonesian cinemas on June 17, 2026. It has garnered significant attention, achieving a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes as of Friday, June 5.

He could die doing that, because the risks are too high.

— Joe TaslimTaslim highlighted the extreme dangers faced by investigative journalists in the field.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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