Tomer Capone’s 'Israeli' army kidnapping of Palestinian girl sparks "The Boys" boycott

• Resurfaced 2016 interview: A decade-old interview with the Hebrew-language outlet Ynet has resurfaced, where Tomer Capone (Frenchie) provides graphic details about his service in the 'Israeli' army.
• Kidnapping of a Palestinian girl: Capone admitted to participating in a night raid in Nablus, West Bank, where his unit kidnapped an 18-year-old Palestinian girl. He described "tearing her apart" from her family and later seeing her zip-tied and blindfolded.
• Firing at children: The actor detailed another incident where a bullet was fired toward a group of Palestinian children who were throwing stones at the soldiers.

As the final season of Amazon Prime’s hit series The Boys begins its promotional rollout, lead actor Tomer Capone is facing intense scrutiny.

A 2016 interview with the Hebrew-language outlet Ynet has resurfaced, in which Capone, who plays the fan-favorite character Frenchie, detailed his military service in the Israel Occupation Forces (IOF) with accounts that many fans are finding "horrific" and "abhorrent."

The controversy has ignited a viral #BoycottTheBoys movement on social media, with viewers questioning the show’s casting choices and its anti-fascist messaging.

Key Details from the 2016 Interview

In the archived interview, Capone, who served in the Paratroopers Brigade, recounted specific incidents that have now sparked international outrage:

• The Detention of an 18-Year-Old Girl: Capone described a night raid in Nablus, West Bank where his unit entered a family home to arrest a young woman. "The family doesn't let you take their 18-year-old daughter easily, and a fight starts," he told Ynet. He described the unit "tearing her apart" from her family and driving off, later seeing her zip-tied and blindfolded with flannel alongside eight other girls.
• Firing at Stone-Throwing Children: In another account, Capone recalled a high-pressure situation where a fellow soldier fired a bullet toward a group of Palestinian children throwing stones. He described the scene as one of "pressure" and "chaos."
• Checkpoint Incidents: Capone also admitted to "pranks" at the Huwara checkpoint, such as disassembling a fruit truck and cutting open all of a merchant’s watermelons "just for fun" because the soldiers were bored. He also recalled refusing a father passage to a hospital with a sick child due to strict orders.

Backlash and Boycott

The resurfacing of these quotes comes at a sensitive time for the production. The Boys has long been praised for its biting satire of nationalism, corporate corruption, and the rise of modern fascism. Critics on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit are now calling those themes "hypocritical" given Capone’s presence in the core cast.

Response from Amazon and Capone

As of late April 2026, Amazon Prime Video has not issued a formal statement regarding the controversy. Capone recently shared a cryptic quote on his Instagram story, which some interpreted as a response to the backlash, but he has yet to address the specific details of the 2016 interview directly.

With the final season set to be the series' most-watched installment yet, it remains to be seen if the growing calls for a boycott will impact the show’s legacy or its viewership numbers.