‘The Dark Knight Rises’ actor Alon Aboutboul dies, aged 60

Alon Aboutboul, the Israeli actor who appeared in blockbusters The Dark Knight Rises and Rambo 3, has died aged 60.

The celebrated star had been acting in film and television since the early 1980s. According to a report from The Jerusalem Post (via Deadline), Aboutboul died unexpectedly on HaBonim Beach in Tel Aviv on Tuesday morning. He is said to have collapsed suddenly, with subsequent CPR proving unsuccessful.

On X (formerly Twitter), Israel’s Minister for Culture and Sport paid tribute to the actor. The post, translated from Hebrew, read: “I was deeply saddened to hear about the sudden passing of the actor Alon Aboutboul, may his memory be blessed. 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”.

כאבתי מאוד לשמוע על מותו הפתאומי של השחקן אלון אבוטבול ז"ל.
אמש צפיתי בראיון עימו, שבו דיבר על צילומי סרט שהשתתף בו לאחרונה, והתשוקה למקצוע שקרנה ממנו החוצה הייתה ניכרת גם אחרי כל כך הרבה שנים בתחום.
אלון היה זוכה פרס אופיר ופרס האקדמיה לטלוויזיה וגילם לאורך השנים מגוון רחב של…

— Miki Zohar מיקי זוהר (@zoharm7) July 29, 2025

The tribute concluded: “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”.

Enjoying a prolific career in Israeli film, he is best known to Western audiences for his roles in 1988’s Rambo 3, where he played the character of Nissem; as well as Steven Spielberg’s Oscar nominated 2005 drama Munich; and 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises.

In the Christopher Nolan superhero movie, he plays the role of Dr. Leonid Pavel, a scientist who is brought out by Bane (Tom Hardy) during the destruction of a football stadium. He is used to introduce the nuclear bomb that the villain threatens to use to destroy Gotham City.

On television, he played the character Avi Drexler for 25 episodes of the FX series Snowfall. He also featured in episodes of 2017’s Twin Peaks revival; sci-fi show Fringe; and crime series The Blacklist.

Alon Aboutboul is survived by his wife, Israeli director Shir Bilya, and their four children.

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