“Hanoi is an unbelievably beautiful city,” he told American magazine Hollywood Reporter.
“There’s a lot to unpack because a big part of that beauty – the incredible architecture and food in this rich, vibrant culture – is due to French colonialism.”
While in Hanoi for filming the Netflix movie, he stayed at a hotel not far from the old quarter, which gave him an opportunity to explore daily life in the vicinity.
One of his favorite experiences was sitting in a tiny plastic chair to drink a cup of coffee and eat pho (Vietnamese noodle soup), a popular breakfast among Hanoians, he said.
“I tried to eat and drink as much of the city as I could.”
He also tried banh mi (Vietnamese-style baguette) and fried catfish tossed with dill, onion, turmeric and galangal at La Vong Restaurant in the old quarter.
While shooting a scene at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, he was surprised to see puppets being manipulated underwater.
After leaving Hanoi, he visited Hoi An, which he described as “the most charming city on planet.”
“A Tourist’s Guide to Love” started streaming on April 21 and follows the story of American travel executive Amanda, played by Rachael Leigh Cook, who breaks with her boyfriend before going undercover to Vietnam to research a local tour agency.
Ben, who plays John, Amanda’s ex-boyfriend, comes to Hanoi to pursue her again.
Feldman, 43, started his movie career in 2003.
He has been in theater, with his credits including the Broadway play The Graduate, and done prominent roles in television series such as in the NBC sitcom Superstore.
