The Tragic Death Of NCIS: Los Angeles Actor Ravil Isyanov
Actor Ravil Isyanov, who played Anatoli Kirkin on "NCIS: Los Angeles," died on September 29, People is now reporting. The 59-year-old Russian-born actor had cancer, though, per People, it hasn't been indicated what type.
Isyanov's manager, Frederick Levy, told the outlet that Isyanov "was one of a kind. He was a true gentleman, extremely generous and incredibly talented." The star suggested the producers write off his character from "NCIS" as his cancer worsened. "He knew that his future looked bleak because of the cancer and he let producers know, and if they wanted to write him off, they might want to do it, soon ..." Levy said. "I just thought it was really sweet that they were able to give him a proper send off."
Isyanov's "NCIS" character Kirkin was indeed written off back in April, according to Express. On the show, his character Kirkin dove to push Marty Deeks, played by Eric Christian Olsen, out of harm's way, but ended up sacrificing himself as a result. Many fans were devastated, as Kirkin was one of the show's most popular characters. "I proper loved him," one Twitter user wrote. "[H]e's one of the best side characters," another penned. Now, not only will Isyanov's character be missed, but the man himself.
Ravil Isyanov was a Hollywood go-to for decades
"NCIS: Los Angeles" was far from Ravil Isyanov's only credit. In fact, he had been acting for more than three decades, with more than two decades in Hollywood under his belt, according to Variety. He recently appeared in Netflix's "Glow" and FX's "The Americans," and also appeared on the big screen in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" and "Holes." He seemed to have been typecast during his time in Hollywood, often playing hardened Russians like his "NCIS: Los Angeles" character Kirkin. Per his IMDb, he played a Russian character regularly, including in "GoldenEye," "Defiance," and "K-19: The Widowmaker."
That said, Isyanov was clearly adored by many in his inner circle, like agent Tanya Kleckner, who confirmed the news to Variety. "He was a true gentleman and worked up until [his] passing. I've worked with him for 20 years and we became firm friends," Kleckner penned. "He will be sorely missed. We are all heartbroken by this tragic loss, a beautiful soul gone way too soon."
Isynov's typecast, however, may have emerged out of lived experience. He was born in 1962 in the Soviet Union, per Variety, and served in the Soviet Air Force before transitioning into acting. Yet, it appears that Isyanov broke his streak with his final two roles. The film "25 Cents Per Minute" is set to be released this year, and, per IMDb, Isyanov will also appear in the Marilyn Monroe biopic "Blonde" as director Billy Wilder.