Golden Globe-Nominated Actor Attacked in New York City

Boardwalk Empire actor Michael Stuhlbarg was assaulted by a homeless man throwing a rock at him in Central Park on Sunday. At around 7:45 p.m., Stuhlbarg, 55, was walking near East Drive at East 90th Street in New York City when the object struck him in the back of the head, reports ABC7. According to reports, he is reported to have been attacked less than 2 miles from where his character Arnold Rothstein in HBO's hit drama Boardwalk Empire was fatally shot.

In the aftermath of the incident, Stuhlbarg chased after his suspected attacker, 27-year-old Xavier Israel, to the front of the Russian Consulate on East 91st Street. He was taken into custody by two uniformed officers. A witness later informed police that they saw Israel pick up the rock and throw it into a crowd.

Israel had three previous arrests, two for misdemeanors and one for theft, all of which had occurred in January 2022. On a January morning in 2022, the authorities caught Israel on surveillance video footage beating up a good Samaritan who had given him a coat and stealing his wallet as well, according to law enforcement sources at the time, per the New York Post.

He was arrested shortly afterward and discovered he had stolen nearly $1,500 from this stranger. In addition to the attack, it was the second time in a week that Israel had turned on someone who was trying to help him.

Days before this incident, Israel was arrested, charged with assault, and released on a desk appearance ticket after he battered a 49-year-old woman who was reportedly trying to help him, sources told the New York Post. Additionally, Israel allegedly assaulted two more victims on Jan. 2 in Central Park — a man and a woman — sources told the outlet. The 18-year-olds were sitting on a rock within the green space when Israel was accused of punching them randomly. He has been charged with felony assault. A $50,000 cash bail was set at his arraignment on Monday evening.

Sources and police report that Stuhlbarg declined medical attention for bruising and pain in the back of his neck. During his stay in New York, Stuhlbarg has been preparing for his lead role in Patriots, a Broadway play about the rise of Vladimir Putin written by Peter Morgan, creator of The Crown.

In the play, which starts previews on Monday, he will play Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky. The actor has also appeared in numerous other projects such as A Serious Man, Dopesick, The Staircase, Call Me by Your Name, The Shape of Water, and others.