01In brief
Tomer Capone (also spelled Tomer Capon) is an Israeli actor best known internationally for playing Frenchie in the Amazon Prime Video series The Boys. He gained recognition in Israel and abroad through two Netflix-acquired Israeli productions: Fauda, in which he played Boaz, and When Heroes Fly, in which he starred as Aviv, a former IDF soldier coping with post-traumatic stress disorder. His path into acting began unusually early — at age eight, he took up the craft in an attempt to impress a classmate who had been cast as Queen Esther in a Purim play.
02Early Life and Path to Acting
Capone's introduction to acting came at age eight, motivated not by artistic ambition but by a childhood crush. His classmate had been selected to play Queen Esther in a Purim play, and he reportedly decided to join the production in order to attract her attention. The strategy reportedly worked: she gave him a necklace with half a heart.[2]
Despite this early start, his formal training did not proceed smoothly. He was expelled from acting school after one year, though this setback did not prevent him from subsequently landing television roles.[2] One early opportunity was the role of Yoav, the military commander of King David, in Of Prophets and Kings, a Bible-inspired soap opera that was filmed in South Africa. The program was ultimately not selected for production.[2]
Before pursuing acting professionally, Capone served as a combat soldier and paratrooper in the Israel Defense Forces.[2] That military experience would later inform his approach to character preparation, particularly for roles involving soldiers and trauma.
03Career and Notable Roles
Capone built his profile in Israeli television before crossing over to international audiences. He appeared in Fauda, playing Boaz.[2] In One Week and a Day, he played an unexpectedly sensitive stoner, while in the Israeli series Save the Date he played Assi, the protagonist's old best friend.[1] He was also expected to appear in the astronaut film Slingshot.[1]
His breakout leading role came in When Heroes Fly, a 10-episode Israeli drama centered on four veterans of a special IDF commando unit who served together during the 2006 Lebanon War and reunite eleven years later to rescue one veteran's girlfriend after she is abducted by a cartel in Colombia.[3] The series won Best Series at the inaugural Canneseries festival and was quickly guaranteed a second season.[3] Netflix acquired the show for worldwide distribution with English subtitles beginning in early 2019.[3]
To prepare for the role of Aviv — a former IDF soldier suffering from PTSD — Capone drew on his own combat service while also conducting extensive research. He read widely on the subject and spoke with people who work with PTSD sufferers in order to portray the condition with accuracy.[2]
Capone's role in The Boys established him as an international star.[1] He plays Frenchie, an expert assassin in a black-operations team created to control superheroes in the show's fictional world.[2]
04Response to the October 7 Attack
Following the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Capone used Instagram to explain to international followers what it was like to wake to an Israeli rocket-alert siren.[4][5] He said: "It's not an alarm clock, it's a f***ing alarm that sounds like a nuclear alarm, that sounds like the end of the world is coming."[4] He also described Israelis fleeing to safe rooms being slaughtered by Hamas.[4]
05Controversies
In late 2023, some fans discovered that Capone was Israeli and supportive of Israel, and they demanded a boycott of The Boys.[5] The Anti-Defamation League placed this episode within a broader pattern of boycott campaigns targeting performers accused of supporting "Zionist discourse," including people who expressed anger at the October 7 attacks or did not publicly share what activists considered sufficient outrage at Israel's counteroffensive.[5]
Sources
- 1The Jerusalem Post — Capone Profile (article-817007) (accessed September 9, 2026)
- 2The Jerusalem Post — Capon Takes on Frenchie in The Boys (accessed September 9, 2026)
- 3The Times of Israel — When Heroes Fly Acquired by Netflix (accessed September 9, 2026)
- 4The Jerusalem Post — Capone October 7 Instagram (article-767379) (accessed September 9, 2026)
- 5Anti-Defamation League — Post-10/7 BDS Boycott Campaigns (accessed September 9, 2026)
IsraelPedia Question & Answers
Who is Tomer Capone?
Tomer Capone is an Israeli actor best known internationally for playing Frenchie in the Amazon Prime Video series The Boys. He gained wider recognition through two Netflix-acquired Israeli productions: Fauda, in which he played Boaz, and When Heroes Fly, in which he starred as Aviv, a former IDF soldier coping with post-traumatic stress disorder. Before pursuing acting professionally, he served as a combat soldier and paratrooper in the Israel Defense Forces.
How did Tomer Capone get into acting?
Tomer Capone began acting at age eight, motivated not by artistic ambition but by a childhood crush. His classmate had been selected to play Queen Esther in a Purim play, and he reportedly joined the production in order to attract her attention. The strategy reportedly worked: she gave him a necklace with half a heart.
What is When Heroes Fly about, and what award did it win?
When Heroes Fly is a 10-episode Israeli drama centered on four veterans of a special IDF commando unit who served together during the 2006 Lebanon War and reunite eleven years later to rescue one veteran's girlfriend after she is abducted by a cartel in Colombia. The series won Best Series at the inaugural Canneseries festival, was quickly guaranteed a second season, and Netflix acquired it for worldwide distribution with English subtitles beginning in early 2019.
How did Tomer Capone prepare for his role as Aviv in When Heroes Fly?
To prepare for the role of Aviv — a former IDF soldier suffering from PTSD — Tomer Capone drew on his own combat service while also conducting extensive research. He read widely on the subject and spoke with people who work with PTSD sufferers in order to portray the condition with accuracy.
Who does Tomer Capone play in The Boys?
Tomer Capone plays Frenchie in The Boys, an expert assassin in a black-operations team created to control superheroes in the show's fictional world.
How did Tomer Capone respond to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel?
Following the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Tomer Capone used Instagram to explain to his international followers what it was like to wake to an Israeli rocket-alert siren, describing it as sounding "like the end of the world is coming." He also described Israelis fleeing to safe rooms being slaughtered by Hamas.
Why did some fans call for a boycott of The Boys over Tomer Capone?
In late 2023, some fans discovered that Tomer Capone was Israeli and supportive of Israel and demanded a boycott of The Boys. The Anti-Defamation League placed this episode within a broader pattern of boycott campaigns targeting performers accused of supporting "Zionist discourse," including people who expressed anger at the October 7 attacks or did not publicly share what activists considered sufficient outrage at Israel's counteroffensive.