Alon Aboutboul, Israeli Actor Known in U.S. for Roles in ‘Snowfall’ and ‘The Dark Knight Rises,’ Dies at 60

Israeli actor Alon Aboutboul, known in the U.S. for his roles in the FX series Snowfall and the movies Rambo III, Munich and The Dark Knight Rises, has died. He was 60.

Aboutboul died after collapsing on HaBonim Beach near Tel Aviv on Tuesday morning, Aboutboul’s manager Mark Teitelbaum told The Hollywood Reporter.

“Alon was a brilliant actor, a true artist, an Israeli icon…but more importantly, he was a loving father of his four children, and a dear friend of mine and many others,” Teitelbaum told THR. “He possessed both a moral and spiritual clarity that is rare to find. As you might imagine, his family is in shock. He will be deeply missed. May his memory be a blessing.”

According to reports, Aboutboul received CPR but couldn’t be revived and had told bystanders, after emerging from the water, that he wasn’t well, according to a report in Ynet.

“It happened in an instant. He went into the water and everything seemed perfectly fine,” one beachgoer told Ynet, translated via The Evening Standard. “After a few minutes, he suddenly came out of the water, approached people and said he wasn’t feeling well, and then they called for help. Everyone was really scared. He came out of the water and collapsed on the beach. Everyone wanted to help, and they recognized who it was when he came out of the water. This is a terrible tragedy here this morning, everyone here is in shock.”

Israel’s culture and sport minister Miki Zohar said he was “deeply saddened” to hear of Aboutboul’s death in a post on X. “Last night, I watched an interview with him where he spoke about filming a movie he recently participated in, and the passion for his craft that radiated from him was evident even after so many years in the industry. Alon was a recipient of the Ophir Award and the Television Academy Award, and over the years, he portrayed a wide range of characters, bringing depth and emotion to them, leaving a profound mark on Israeli culture.”

Born in Kiryat Ata, Israel, Aboutboul had one of his first film roles in Eli Cohen’s 1986 movie Ricochets about a platoon of soldiers in Israel in Lebanon in the mid-’80s.

He won the Ophir Award for best supporting actor for his role in Savi Gabizon’s Nina’s Tragedies, and he shared a 2008 best actor award at the Jerusalem Film Festival with co-star Moshe Ivgy for his role in Out of the Blue.

His other film credits include Wild Dogs, A Place in Heaven and Forgiveness. International TV roles include parts in The German, Harem and Sirens.

In the U.S., he appeared in Rambo III; Steven Spielberg’s Munich; Ridley Scott’s Body of Lies, which starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe; Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, the concluding film in the acclaimed director’s Batman trilogy; and London Has Fallen.

On the small screen in the U.S., he appeared in Homeland, Twin Peaks, The Leftovers and FBI: International. He most recently starred in the FX crack drama Snowfall as a drug supplier to Damson Idris’ Franklin Saint.

Idris remembered Aboutboul with an Instagram Story post, writing over a photo of the two of them together, “Thank you for teaching me so much.”

Fellow Snowfall alums Sergio Peris-Mencheta and Amin Joseph also remembered Aboutboul on social media.

Peris-Mencheta posted a few images of the actor to his Instagram Story, writing on one, “Mon frère… thanks for your art and friendship.”

And Joseph wrote in part on Instagram, captioning a carousel of photos of the actor, “Rest in peace to the plug … Your work … on Snowfall left a lasting impression — sharp, layered, unforgettable. You brought truth to every frame. Grateful we shared the screen.”

Aboutboul is survived by his wife Shir Bilia and their four children.