Goran Višnjic
Encyclopedia
Goran Višnjić is a Croatian
actor who has appeared in American and British films and television productions. He is best known for his role as Dr. Luka Kovač
in the hit television series ER
. Now credited as Goran Visnjic in his English-language work, he adopted the simplified spelling of his name when he came to the United States in the late '90s, believing it would be more accessible to American audiences.
n coastal city of Šibenik
, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia. He has one older brother, Joško. His father, Željko Višnjić, was a bus driver, and his mother, Milka, worked in a food market. He appeared in plays throughout his childhood and made his screen debut at age 16 in the controversial Yugoslav
film Braća po materi (1988), playing a young Ustaša
.
As Yugoslavia began to dissolve
, Višnjić was serving a year-long tour of duty with the Yugoslav People's Army
(JNA). He left the JNA and returned to Šibenik, where he joined the nascent Croatian Army
in defending his hometown against JNA-supported Krajina
Serbs.
After leaving the Croatian Army, he moved to Zagreb
to study at the Academy of Dramatic Arts
.
at the Dubrovnik
Summer Theatre Festival in Croatia. Originally cast as Laertes and understudy to Hamlet, he took over the role when the star dropped out of the production shortly before the first performance. He portrayed the doomed prince for seven years from 1994 to 2000, winning several Orlando Awards (the equivalent of the Tony Award
). During an episode of ER, he demonstrated his expertise in the part of Hamlet, by reciting an excerpt from the "To be or not to be" soliloquy
in Croatian. In the same episode, he demonstrated his skill in another Shakespeare-related hobby by fencing with Noah Wyle
's character, Dr. John Carter
.
Prior to ER, Visnjic had small speaking roles in films such as The Peacemaker
, Committed
and Practical Magic
. In 1998 he also appeared in Madonna's
music video "The Power of Goodbye", and had a cameo
in the movie Rounders
. But it was Visnjic's break-out role as Risto, the Bosnian driver in Welcome to Sarajevo
that lead then-producer Jack Orman to offer him the role of the then unnamed doctor who would replace the departing George Clooney on ER. Visnjic joined ER in the sixth season in late 1999, eventually becoming the show's male lead in mid-season 11. Visnjic made a series of appearances in season 14 before leaving the show early in season 15, ending his 9 year run on the medical drama.
While starring on ER, Visnjic also worked on other projects. He co-starred in the movie The Deep End
, voice-acted in Ice Age
, and starred in Posljednja volja
and Doctor Sleep
. In 2004, he starred in the television miniseries
Spartacus
and the Croatian movie and television series Duga mračna noć. He appeared with Jennifer Garner
in the 2005 movie Elektra
. During the summer of 2005, Visnjic was one of four finalists for the role of James Bond
, eventually losing out to British actor Daniel Craig
. Visnjic appeared in UNKLE's
music video for the song "Burn My Shadow", released in May 2007. In 2008, Visnjic starred in the film Helen alongside Ashley Judd
as Judd's character's husband David in the drama, which made its world premiere at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Visnjic also appeared alongside Carla Gugino
in a segment of the 2009 film New York, I Love You
, an anthology set in New York. Visnjic's segment was directed by Andrei Zvyagintsev. Although the Visnjic/Gugino segment was cut from the theatrical version of the film, it was included in the DVD version.
Visnjic appeared in the historical drama The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler
, about a young Polish woman responsible for the rescue of Jewish children in wartime Warsaw, filmed in Riga, Latvia. Produced for Hallmark Hall of Fame
, the film aired on CBS on April 19, 2009. Visnjic recently completed a role in the Mike Mills
independent film Beginners alongside Christopher Plummer
and Ewan McGregor
. At the end of 2009, he was cast in the role of Samson in the Tiger Aspect television miniseries The Deep
, shown on BBC One
in 2010. He appeared as Andrija Hebrang
in the historical drama Tito
on Croatian television. Visnjic appeared in the unsold 2010 pilot of ABC Studios' Boston's Finest in which he played a disgraced cop who works with a female officer (played by Katee Sackhoff
) to solve crimes while clearing his name. He recently appeared in the two-episode season three finale of the television series Leverage
, as international crime financier Damien Moreau, his first guest appearance on an English-language television program. Visnjic recently completed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
in which he plays Dragan Armansky, the head of a security agency; he has signed to play this role as part of a three film trilogy. and a four-episode arc in the ABC television series Pan Am
, playing a Yugoslavian attache to the United Nations.
. They reside in Los Angeles, and maintain a home and a boat on the island of Hvar
, in Croatia. The couple have two children, a son Tin, adopted in April 2007 and named after Croatian poet Tin Ujević
, and an infant son Vigo born in July, 2011, born to a surrogate mother. Visnjic has also acknowledged paternity of a daughter, Lana.
Visnjic has been active in the American and European animal rights movements, and appeared in photographs alongside his dog Bugsy in PETA
's first Eastern European anti-fur campaign. He is currently a representative for both the International Fund for Animal Welfare and an Animal Friends Croatia, as well as providing assistance to a number of small animal-rescue organizations in southern California. He has also supported a number of medical institutions in Croatia through the donation of money or equipment. Visnjic recently appeared on the nationally broadcast American benefit program Stand Up to Cancer. He also served as one of the faces of ER on NBC's long-running The More You Know campaign, appearing in public service announcements discussing topics such as family time and tolerance.
magazine's Sexiest Import in 1999 and "One of TV's Sexiest Men" in the June 5–11, 2005 TV Guide
. He was ranked #18 in Croatian-based monthly film magazine Hollywood in Best Croatian Male Movie Stars of All Time list in November 2005. He was also named as the Best Croatian actor in 2004 according to the votes of the visitors of internet magazines, for his role in the movie Duga mračna noć, according to the votes of Croatian newspaper Večernji list
.
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
actor who has appeared in American and British films and television productions. He is best known for his role as Dr. Luka Kovač
Luka Kovac
Dr. Luka Kovač is a fictional character on the television series ER portrayed by Goran Visnjic. Visnjic's character was added to the cast at the beginning of Season 6 following the mid-season 5 departure of leading character Dr. Doug Ross, played by George Clooney.Luka Kovač is an emergency room...
in the hit television series ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
. Now credited as Goran Visnjic in his English-language work, he adopted the simplified spelling of his name when he came to the United States in the late '90s, believing it would be more accessible to American audiences.
Early life
Visnjic was born in the DalmatiaDalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
n coastal city of Šibenik
Šibenik
Šibenik is a historic town in Croatia, with population of 51,553 . It is located in central Dalmatia where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea...
, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia. He has one older brother, Joško. His father, Željko Višnjić, was a bus driver, and his mother, Milka, worked in a food market. He appeared in plays throughout his childhood and made his screen debut at age 16 in the controversial Yugoslav
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
film Braća po materi (1988), playing a young Ustaša
Ustaše
The Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
.
As Yugoslavia began to dissolve
Dissolution of Yugoslavia
The Breakup of Yugoslavia refers to a series of conflicts and political upheavals resulting in the dissolution of Yugoslavia . The SFR Yugoslavia was a country that occupied a strip of land stretching from Central Europe to the Balkans – a region with a history of ethnic conflict...
, Višnjić was serving a year-long tour of duty with the Yugoslav People's Army
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
(JNA). He left the JNA and returned to Šibenik, where he joined the nascent Croatian Army
Croatian ground army
The Croatian Army is a branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia.The fundamental role and purpose of the Croatian Army is to protect vital national interests of the Republic of Croatia and defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state.Basic tasks of the Croatian Army...
in defending his hometown against JNA-supported Krajina
Republic of Serbian Krajina
The Republic of Serbian Krajina was a self-proclaimed Serb entity within Croatia. Established in 1991, it was not recognized internationally. It formally existed from 1991 to 1995, having been initiated a year earlier via smaller separatist regions. The name Krajina means "frontier"...
Serbs.
After leaving the Croatian Army, he moved to Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
to study at the Academy of Dramatic Arts
University of Zagreb
The University of Zagreb is the biggest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of Southeastern Europe...
.
Career
Visnjic was the youngest actor to be chosen for the title role in Shakespeare's HamletHamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
at the Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
Summer Theatre Festival in Croatia. Originally cast as Laertes and understudy to Hamlet, he took over the role when the star dropped out of the production shortly before the first performance. He portrayed the doomed prince for seven years from 1994 to 2000, winning several Orlando Awards (the equivalent of the Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
). During an episode of ER, he demonstrated his expertise in the part of Hamlet, by reciting an excerpt from the "To be or not to be" soliloquy
Soliloquy
A soliloquy is a device often used in drama whereby a character relates his or her thoughts and feelings to him/herself and to the audience without addressing any of the other characters, and is delivered often when they are alone or think they are alone. Soliloquy is distinct from monologue and...
in Croatian. In the same episode, he demonstrated his skill in another Shakespeare-related hobby by fencing with Noah Wyle
Noah Wyle
Noah Strausser Speer Wyle is an American film, television and theatre actor. He is best known for his role as Dr. John Truman Carter III in the Medical drama ER. He has also played Steve Jobs in the 1999 docudrama Pirates of Silicon Valley and Flynn Carsen in The Librarian franchise...
's character, Dr. John Carter
John Carter (ER)
Dr. John Truman Carter III, portrayed by Noah Wyle, is a fictional character from the television series ER. The character, called simply "Carter" by most other characters, was introduced in the pilot episode and appeared for eleven consecutive seasons. Wyle decided to leave the show as a regular...
.
Prior to ER, Visnjic had small speaking roles in films such as The Peacemaker
The Peacemaker (1997 film)
The Peacemaker is a 1997 American action/thriller film starring George Clooney and Nicole Kidman and directed by Mimi Leder. It is also notable as being the first film released by DreamWorks...
, Committed
Committed (2000 film)
- Plot :The ever-optimistic Joline faces a challenge when her husband, flaky news photographer Carl , leaves her to find himself in Texas. Joline tracks Carl down and observes him, acquainting herself with his schedule and new friends - Plot :The ever-optimistic Joline (Heather Graham) faces a...
and Practical Magic
Practical Magic
Practical Magic is a 1998 American fantasy film directed by Griffin Dunne and starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as witches who carry on a family legacy of witchcraft and tragedy. The film is based on a book of the same name by Alice Hoffman...
. In 1998 he also appeared in Madonna's
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
music video "The Power of Goodbye", and had a cameo
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
in the movie Rounders
Rounders (film)
Rounders is a 1998 film about the underground world of high-stakes poker. Directed by John Dahl and starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton, the movie follows two friends who need to quickly earn enough cash playing poker to pay off a large debt...
. But it was Visnjic's break-out role as Risto, the Bosnian driver in Welcome to Sarajevo
Welcome To Sarajevo
Welcome to Sarajevo is a British war film from 1997. It is directed by Michael Winterbottom. The screenplay is by Frank Cottrell Boyce and is based on the book Natasha's Story by Michael Nicholson.- Synopsis :...
that lead then-producer Jack Orman to offer him the role of the then unnamed doctor who would replace the departing George Clooney on ER. Visnjic joined ER in the sixth season in late 1999, eventually becoming the show's male lead in mid-season 11. Visnjic made a series of appearances in season 14 before leaving the show early in season 15, ending his 9 year run on the medical drama.
While starring on ER, Visnjic also worked on other projects. He co-starred in the movie The Deep End
The Deep End (film)
The Deep End is a 2001 film that was written and directed by David Siegel and Scott McGehee. It stars Tilda Swinton, Goran Visnjic, Jonathan Tucker and Josh Lucas and was released by Fox Searchlight Pictures. The film was very loosely adapted from the novel The Blank Wall by Elizabeth Sanxay...
, voice-acted in Ice Age
Ice Age (film)
Ice Age is a 2002 American computer-animated film created by Blue Sky Studios and released by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge from a story by Michael J. Wilson. The story follows three Paleolithical mammals attempting to return a lost human baby to its parents...
, and starred in Posljednja volja
Posljednja volja
Posljednja volja or The Last Will is a 2001 Croatian film directed by Zoran Sudar and produced by Vicenco Blagaić. It is a comedy about a tour guide in small town of Dalmatia, played by Goran Višnjić, who inherited millions from a distant relative in USA only to find himself pursued by professional...
and Doctor Sleep
Doctor Sleep
Doctor Sleep aka Close Your Eyes , Hypnotic is a 2002 film directed by Nick Willing based on the book of the same name written by Madison Smartt Bell....
. In 2004, he starred in the television miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
Spartacus
Spartacus (2004 film)
Spartacus is a 2004 North American Movie directed by Robert Dornhelm and produced by Ted Kurdyla from a teleplay by Robert Schenkkan. It stars Goran Visjnic, Alan Bates, Angus Macfadyen, Rhona Mitra, Ian McNeice, Ross Kemp and Ben Cross. It is based on the novel of the same name by Howard Fast...
and the Croatian movie and television series Duga mračna noć. He appeared with Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Anne Affleck , better known as Jennifer Garner, is an American actress and film producer. Garner gained recognition on television for her performance as CIA agent Sydney Bristow in the thriller drama series Alias, which aired on ABC for five seasons from 2001 to 2006...
in the 2005 movie Elektra
Elektra (2005 film)
Elektra is a 2005 superhero film directed by Rob Bowman. It is a spin-off from the 2003 film Daredevil, starring the Marvel comics character Elektra Natchios . The story follows Elektra, an international assassin whose weapon of choice is a pair of sai.For the screenplay, Zak Penn, Stuart Zicherman...
. During the summer of 2005, Visnjic was one of four finalists for the role of James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
, eventually losing out to British actor Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig
Daniel Wroughton Craig is an English actor. His early film roles include Elizabeth, The Power of One, A Kid in King Arthur's Court and the television episodes Sharpe's Eagle, Zorro and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Daredevils of the Desert...
. Visnjic appeared in UNKLE's
UNKLE
Unkle are a British musical outfit founded in 1994 by school friends James Lavelle and Tim Goldsworthy. Originally categorized as trip-hop, the group once included producer DJ Shadow and have employed a variety of guest artists and producers.-First incarnation :Lavelle and Goldsworthy were joined...
music video for the song "Burn My Shadow", released in May 2007. In 2008, Visnjic starred in the film Helen alongside Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd is an American television and film actress, who has played lead roles in films including Ruby in Paradise, Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy, Where the Heart Is and High Crimes...
as Judd's character's husband David in the drama, which made its world premiere at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Visnjic also appeared alongside Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino is an American actress known for her roles of Sally Jupiter in Watchmen, Dr. Vera Gorski in Sucker Punch, Lucille in Sin City, Amanda Daniels in seasons 3, 5 and 7 of Entourage, Ingrid Cortez in the Spy Kids film trilogy, and as the lead characters of the television series Karen Sisco...
in a segment of the 2009 film New York, I Love You
New York, I Love You
New York, I Love You is a 2009 romance film released in the United States on October 16, 2009. From the producer of Paris, je t'aime, it stars an ensemble cast, among them Bradley Cooper, Shia LaBeouf, Natalie Portman, Anton Yelchin, Hayden Christensen, Orlando Bloom, Irrfan Khan, Rachel Bilson,...
, an anthology set in New York. Visnjic's segment was directed by Andrei Zvyagintsev. Although the Visnjic/Gugino segment was cut from the theatrical version of the film, it was included in the DVD version.
Visnjic appeared in the historical drama The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler
The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler
The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler is a 2009 television film directed by John Kent Harrison. The film is a co-production between United States and Poland companies...
, about a young Polish woman responsible for the rescue of Jewish children in wartime Warsaw, filmed in Riga, Latvia. Produced for Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City based greeting card company. The second longest-running television program in the history of television, it has a historically long run, beginning in 1951 and continuing into 2011...
, the film aired on CBS on April 19, 2009. Visnjic recently completed a role in the Mike Mills
Mike Mills (director)
Michael C. "Mike" Mills is an American film and music video director and graphic designer. He is perhaps best known for his independent films Thumbsucker and Beginners.-Early life:...
independent film Beginners alongside Christopher Plummer
Christopher Plummer
Arthur Christopher Orne Plummer, CC is a Canadian theatre, film and television actor. He made his film debut in 1957's Stage Struck, and notable early film performances include Night of the Generals, The Return of the Pink Panther and The Man Who Would Be King.In a career that spans over five...
and Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor
Ewan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
. At the end of 2009, he was cast in the role of Samson in the Tiger Aspect television miniseries The Deep
The Deep (TV serial)
The Deep is a British television serial drama produced by Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC Wales. Written by Simon Donald, The Deep stars Minnie Driver, James Nesbitt, and Goran Visnjic as the crew of a research submarine, who encounter disaster thousands of feet underwater in the Arctic Circle.The...
, shown on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
in 2010. He appeared as Andrija Hebrang
Andrija Hebrang (father)
Andrija Hebrang was a Croatian and Yugoslav Stalinist politician.-Early life:Andrija Hebrang was born in the village of Bačevac to father Andrija Hebrang and mother Cela Strasser. During World War I, he was stationed for a time in Osijek, Zagreb, and finally the battlefields in Gorizia, Italy...
in the historical drama Tito
Tito (2010 TV series)
Tito is a 2010 Croatian documentary television miniseries about Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito. The first episode aired March 19, 2010.The series is a co-production by Croatian Radiotelevision and Mediteran film. The two first collaborated on the series Long Dark Night, which at a top audience of...
on Croatian television. Visnjic appeared in the unsold 2010 pilot of ABC Studios' Boston's Finest in which he played a disgraced cop who works with a female officer (played by Katee Sackhoff
Katee Sackhoff
Kathryn Ann "Katee" Sackhoff is an American actress known mainly for playing Captain Kara "Starbuck" Thrace on the Sci Fi Channel's television program Battlestar Galactica. In 2004 she was nominated for a Saturn Award in the "Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series" category for her work in...
) to solve crimes while clearing his name. He recently appeared in the two-episode season three finale of the television series Leverage
Leverage (TV series)
Leverage is an American television drama series on TNT that premiered in December 2008. The series is produced by director/executive producer Dean Devlin's production company Electric Television...
, as international crime financier Damien Moreau, his first guest appearance on an English-language television program. Visnjic recently completed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011 film)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is an upcoming English-language drama thriller film that is the second film based on the Swedish novel of the same name by Stieg Larsson. The first film was the 2009 Swedish-language adaptation. The upcoming film is written by Steven Zaillian and directed by David...
in which he plays Dragan Armansky, the head of a security agency; he has signed to play this role as part of a three film trilogy. and a four-episode arc in the ABC television series Pan Am
Pan Am (TV series)
Pan Am is an American period drama television series created by writer Jack Orman. Named for the iconic Pan American World Airways, the series focuses on the pilots and stewardesses of the airline as it operated in the early 1960s at the beginning of the commercial jet age.Sony licensed the rights...
, playing a Yugoslavian attache to the United Nations.
Personal life
Visnjic is married to Croatian sculptor Ivana Vrdoljak, the daughter of filmmaker Antun VrdoljakAntun Vrdoljak
Antun Vrdoljak is a Croatian screenwriter, film director and former actor and political appointee.-Life:Antun Vrdoljak was born in Imotski, Kingdom of Yugoslavia . He studied acting at the Academy of Drama Arts at the University of Zagreb. His acting debut was in 1957 film Nije bilo uzalud...
. They reside in Los Angeles, and maintain a home and a boat on the island of Hvar
Hvar
- Climate :The climate of Hvar is characterized by mild winters and warm summers. The yearly average air temperature is , 686 mm of precipitation fall on the town of Hvar on average every year and the town has a total of 2800 sunshine hours per year. For comparison Hvar has an average of 7.7...
, in Croatia. The couple have two children, a son Tin, adopted in April 2007 and named after Croatian poet Tin Ujević
Tin Ujevic
Augustin "Tin" Ujević is considered to be one of the greatest Croatian poets of all times.Ujević was born in Vrgorac, a small town in the Dalmatian hinterland, and grew up in what were then the provincial towns of Imotski and Makarska. He completed classical gymnasium in Split...
, and an infant son Vigo born in July, 2011, born to a surrogate mother. Visnjic has also acknowledged paternity of a daughter, Lana.
Visnjic has been active in the American and European animal rights movements, and appeared in photographs alongside his dog Bugsy in PETA
Peta
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...
's first Eastern European anti-fur campaign. He is currently a representative for both the International Fund for Animal Welfare and an Animal Friends Croatia, as well as providing assistance to a number of small animal-rescue organizations in southern California. He has also supported a number of medical institutions in Croatia through the donation of money or equipment. Visnjic recently appeared on the nationally broadcast American benefit program Stand Up to Cancer. He also served as one of the faces of ER on NBC's long-running The More You Know campaign, appearing in public service announcements discussing topics such as family time and tolerance.
Recognition
Visnjic was named PeoplePeople (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
magazine's Sexiest Import in 1999 and "One of TV's Sexiest Men" in the June 5–11, 2005 TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
. He was ranked #18 in Croatian-based monthly film magazine Hollywood in Best Croatian Male Movie Stars of All Time list in November 2005. He was also named as the Best Croatian actor in 2004 according to the votes of the visitors of internet magazines, for his role in the movie Duga mračna noć, according to the votes of Croatian newspaper Večernji list
Vecernji list
Večernji list is a Croatian daily newspaper published in Zagreb.The newspaper was started in the 1950s and it is today one of two largest daily newspapers in Croatia...
.
Filmography
- K-11 (2012)
- Dark Hearts (2012)
- Pan AmPan Am (TV series)Pan Am is an American period drama television series created by writer Jack Orman. Named for the iconic Pan American World Airways, the series focuses on the pilots and stewardesses of the airline as it operated in the early 1960s at the beginning of the commercial jet age.Sony licensed the rights...
(2011) - The Girl with the Dragon TattooThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011 film)The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is an upcoming English-language drama thriller film that is the second film based on the Swedish novel of the same name by Stieg Larsson. The first film was the 2009 Swedish-language adaptation. The upcoming film is written by Steven Zaillian and directed by David...
(2011) - BeginnersBeginnersBeginners is a 2010 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Mills. It tells the story of Oliver , a man reflecting on the life and death of his father while trying to forge a new romantic relationship with a woman dealing with father issues of her own.Beginners premiered at the 2010...
(2011) - LeverageLeverage (TV series)Leverage is an American television drama series on TNT that premiered in December 2008. The series is produced by director/executive producer Dean Devlin's production company Electric Television...
(2010) - The DeepThe Deep (TV serial)The Deep is a British television serial drama produced by Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC Wales. Written by Simon Donald, The Deep stars Minnie Driver, James Nesbitt, and Goran Visnjic as the crew of a research submarine, who encounter disaster thousands of feet underwater in the Arctic Circle.The...
(2010) TV Series - Tito (2010)
- The Courageous Heart of Irena SendlerThe Courageous Heart of Irena SendlerThe Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler is a 2009 television film directed by John Kent Harrison. The film is a co-production between United States and Poland companies...
(2009) - HelenHelen (film)Helen is a 2009 drama starring Ashley Judd and directed by Sandra Nettelbeck. It follows a professor who overcomes severe depression after a massive breakdown, with the help of new friend Matilda...
(2009) - New York, I Love YouNew York, I Love YouNew York, I Love You is a 2009 romance film released in the United States on October 16, 2009. From the producer of Paris, je t'aime, it stars an ensemble cast, among them Bradley Cooper, Shia LaBeouf, Natalie Portman, Anton Yelchin, Hayden Christensen, Orlando Bloom, Irrfan Khan, Rachel Bilson,...
(2009) - Unkle – "Burn My Shadow music video (2007)
- Naša mala klinikaNaša mala klinikaNaša mala klinika were three, a Slovenian, Serbian and Croatian, series broadcast by POP TV and NOVA TV respectively, between 2004 and 2007. Seven seasons were broadcast. The series was written by Marko Pokorn, Rok Vilčnik and Branko Đurić - Đuro, who also directed the series. The show won four ...
episode Bijeli misevi (2006) - Duga mračna noć (2005) TV Series
- ElektraElektra (2005 film)Elektra is a 2005 superhero film directed by Rob Bowman. It is a spin-off from the 2003 film Daredevil, starring the Marvel comics character Elektra Natchios . The story follows Elektra, an international assassin whose weapon of choice is a pair of sai.For the screenplay, Zak Penn, Stuart Zicherman...
(2005) - SpartacusSpartacus (2004 film)Spartacus is a 2004 North American Movie directed by Robert Dornhelm and produced by Ted Kurdyla from a teleplay by Robert Schenkkan. It stars Goran Visjnic, Alan Bates, Angus Macfadyen, Rhona Mitra, Ian McNeice, Ross Kemp and Ben Cross. It is based on the novel of the same name by Howard Fast...
(2004) - Duga mračna noć (2004)
- Doctor SleepDoctor SleepDoctor Sleep aka Close Your Eyes , Hypnotic is a 2002 film directed by Nick Willing based on the book of the same name written by Madison Smartt Bell....
(2002) - Ice AgeIce Age (film)Ice Age is a 2002 American computer-animated film created by Blue Sky Studios and released by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge from a story by Michael J. Wilson. The story follows three Paleolithical mammals attempting to return a lost human baby to its parents...
(voice) (2002) - Posljednja voljaPosljednja voljaPosljednja volja or The Last Will is a 2001 Croatian film directed by Zoran Sudar and produced by Vicenco Blagaić. It is a comedy about a tour guide in small town of Dalmatia, played by Goran Višnjić, who inherited millions from a distant relative in USA only to find himself pursued by professional...
(2001) - The Deep EndThe Deep End (film)The Deep End is a 2001 film that was written and directed by David Siegel and Scott McGehee. It stars Tilda Swinton, Goran Visnjic, Jonathan Tucker and Josh Lucas and was released by Fox Searchlight Pictures. The film was very loosely adapted from the novel The Blank Wall by Elizabeth Sanxay...
(2001) - CommittedCommitted (2000 film)- Plot :The ever-optimistic Joline faces a challenge when her husband, flaky news photographer Carl , leaves her to find himself in Texas. Joline tracks Carl down and observes him, acquainting herself with his schedule and new friends - Plot :The ever-optimistic Joline (Heather Graham) faces a...
(2000) - ERER (TV series)ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
(1999–2008) - MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
– "The Power of Goodbye" music video (1998) - Practical MagicPractical MagicPractical Magic is a 1998 American fantasy film directed by Griffin Dunne and starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as witches who carry on a family legacy of witchcraft and tragedy. The film is based on a book of the same name by Alice Hoffman...
(1998) - RoundersRounders (film)Rounders is a 1998 film about the underground world of high-stakes poker. Directed by John Dahl and starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton, the movie follows two friends who need to quickly earn enough cash playing poker to pay off a large debt...
(1998) - Teško je reći zbogom (1998)
- The Peacemaker (1997)
- Welcome to SarajevoWelcome To SarajevoWelcome to Sarajevo is a British war film from 1997. It is directed by Michael Winterbottom. The screenplay is by Frank Cottrell Boyce and is based on the book Natasha's Story by Michael Nicholson.- Synopsis :...
(1997) - Olujne tišine 1895-1995 (1997)
- Puška za uspavljivanje (1997)
- PrepoznavanjePrepoznavanjePrepoznavanje is a Croatian film directed by Snježana Tribuson. It was released in 1996....
(1996) - Night WatchNight Watch (1995 film)Night Watch is a 1995 American television spy film directed by David Jackson starring Pierce Brosnan and Alexandra Paul. The film, also known as Alistair MacLean's Nightwatch, was shot in Hong Kong....
(1995) - Vidimo seVidimo seSee You is a Croatian film directed by Ivan Salaj. It was released in 1995....
(1995) - Michele va alla guerra (1994)
- Paranoja (1993)
- Braća po materi (1988)