What Happened To Steve Buscemi? The Actor's New York City Attack, Explained
Steve Buscemi is a national treasure. He's starred in some incredible films, with a few of the best Buscemi movies being "Fargo," "Reservoir Dogs," and "Ghost World." Even though he tends to play villains, Buscemi's a nice guy in real life, as he's a former firefighter who answered the call of duty to assist first responders in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. That's what makes it all the more unnerving to hear what happened to the actor. No one deserves to be assaulted, and fans were undoubtedly horrified to learn that the "Big Lebowski" star was attacked in New York City in broad daylight.
The New York Post reported on the incident, which occurred on May 8. The article also includes a picture of Buscemi's alleged assailant, who remains at large as of this writing. Buscemi immediately received medical treatment from Bellevue Hospital, and he was photographed days later sporting a black eye.
Buscemi's publicist provided the following statement to the Post: "He is [okay] and appreciates everyone's well wishes, though incredibly sad for everyone that this has happened to him while also walking the streets of New York." Hopefully, the perpetrator is apprehended before doing something like this again. It certainly seems ill-advised to mess with the guy who played Garland Greene, the most dangerous convict in all of "Con Air."
One of Steve Buscemi's Boardwalk Empire co-stars was also recently assaulted in New York City
While certain media outlets may try to paint a portrait of a city falling into disarray, it's paramount to note how many major crimes have decreased in recent years in New York City. However, there is a disturbing trend of random assaults that have cropped up as of late, perplexing law enforcement. Steve Buscemi's attack is far from the first time something like this has happened; an actor he worked with experienced something similar not too long ago.
In April, Michael Stuhlbarg, who stars alongside Buscemi on HBO's "Boardwalk Empire," was also attacked while in the city. A man threw a rock that scraped the back of Stuhlbarg's neck. The actor chased the man down, and the assailant was eventually apprehended and charged with assault. Actors aren't the only ones who need to watch their backs. Earlier this year, a disheartening TikTok trend emerged, as women filmed themselves shortly after being randomly assaulted in New York City, often describing how someone came up to them and punched or slapped them before running away.
Hopefully, Buscemi and everyone else who's been a victim within this string of assaults make full recoveries. It's unclear what's causing this to happen (if there's any cause at all). But these days, it's vital for anyone walking around New York City to stay safe and remain vigilant.