Actor Steve Buscemi was punched in the face in a random attack at Manhattan that left him with facial swelling and an injury to his left eye, prompting immediate medical attention at Bellevue Hospital.

The actor, 66, renowned for his roles in “Boardwalk Empire,” “Fargo,” and “Reservoir Dogs,” was assaulted in broad daylight while walking through the Kips Bay neighborhood of New York City.

The New York Police Department is actively searching for the assailant, who fled the scene post-attack. Authorities have released surveillance images of the suspect, described as a bearded man wearing a baseball cap, a blue T-shirt, and black sweatpants, in hopes of a swift apprehension.

Police said the attack happened about 11:50 a.m. on Wednesday on Third Avenue.

“I saw he was with a woman, and then through the corner of the window I saw him trip and fall backwards,” a laborer in the area who witnessed the assault told the New York Post. “He right away got up and ran in the opposite direction. I didn’t see who hit him.”

Mr. Buscemi, who also served as a firefighter with the FDNY before his illustrious movie career, has been a prominent figure in the film industry for more than four decades. He gained significant praise for his portrayal of Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, a corrupt politician in the critically acclaimed HBO series “Boardwalk Empire.”

This recent assault marks another instance of unprovoked violence against cast members from “Boardwalk Empire” on the streets of New York City. Earlier this year, Michael Stuhbarg, who played mobster Arnold Rothstein in the series, was attacked while jogging on the Upper East Side.

The assailant in that attack, identified as Xavier Israel, 27, was apprehended by the NYPD after the incident near East 90th Street and East Drive, occurring around 7:45 p.m.