Goran Visnjic - Biography

Last Editor: sashsb				Goran Visnjic Biography -   Name : Goran Visnjic Date of Birth : September 9, 1972 Place of Birth : Sibenik, Croatia, Yugoslavia (now Sibenik, Croatia) Height : 6'4'' Education : Academy of Dramatic Arts, Zagreb, Croatia Nationality : Croatian Profession : actor Claim to Fame : as Dr. Luka Kovac on the NBC hit medical drama ER (1999) Nickname : Sime (pronounced SHIH-meh)

Goran Visnjic Trivia -

The younger of two sons. Father was a bus driver; mother worked in a food market. Trained as a paratrooper in the Croatian army at age 18, and volunteered to stay on for an additional three months during the war with Serbia. Appeared in Madonna's 1998 music video, "The Power of Goodbye." Named People magazine's Sexiest Import (1999) Last name is pronounced 'VISH-nyich' Trained at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb. Played Hamlet at the Dubrovnik Summer Festival each each year from 1993 to 2000 six years. Hobbies are fencing, swimming, and diving. Is married to a Croatian sculptor named Ivana, daughter of film director Antun Vrdoljak. Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world [2000] When word came through that he had been accepted in the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb, his brother volunteered to take his place in the Army so he could study his craft. At age 18, he trained during peacetime for basic crowd control and as a paratrooper in the Yugoslavian People's Army. He ended up fighting in Slovenia when the Serbian forces led by Slobodan Milosevic attacked this now former province of Yugoslavia, planning to cleanse their Slavic homeland of "unwanted ethnicities," Croats being one of them. When Goran's tour of duty was done he returned home where the Serbian forces had begun their attacks on Croatia (by the time of his return, Croatia had declared their independence). He volunteered to join the new Croatian Army, breaking his own promise to himself to never pick up a gun again. Appeared in an anti-fur billboard campaign for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals with his dog, Bugsy, beginning in January 2003. The ads read: "If you wouldn't wear your dog, please don't wear any fur." The campaign was PETA's first in eastern Europe. Wind surfs and practices kung fu. Has a large scar on his stomach from gastric ulcer surgery. May 26, 2002 - Donated 1000 pounds in prize money that he won on a Croatian quiz show, giving it to the country's theatres. At the time, he had never been on a TV quiz show. In a full-page article entitled, "Goran Visnjic Dr. Do Good" in the February 2005 issue of In Style magazine, he announced his support for, and collaboration with, the IFAW's (International Fund for Animal Welfare) efforts to save wildlife and the environment, by becoming a spokesperson for that organization's efforts to protect whales and fur bearing seals. Named as the Best Croatian actor in 2004 according to the votes of the visitors of internet magazines. Named as the Best Croatian actor in 2004 (for role in the movie Duga mracna noc) according to the votes of the famous Croatian newspaper "Vecernji list".

Goran Visnjic Detailed Biography -

Goran Visnjic joined the cast of NBC’s “ER” in 1999, playing the role of Dr. Luka Kovac, a Croatian doctor who immigrated to the United States after the violent deaths of his wife and children. Goran Visnjic grew up in Sibenik, Croatia, a port town on the Adriatic Sea, where he decided at an early age that he wanted to be an actor. Goran Visnjic first performed in local theater groups and then entered the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb. Goran Visnjic gained popularity in Croatia when, at the age of 21, he was cast as Hamlet in the prestigious Dubrovnik Summer Festival’s staging of Shakespeare’s play. The production received rave reviews, with Goran Visnjic’s own performance earning him three national Best Actor awards, including an Orlando (the Croatian equivalent of a Tony). Goran Visnjic’s additional theater credits include “Les Fourberies de Scapin,” “L’Ecole des Femmes,” “Miss Julie,” “Ivanov,” “The Brothers Karamazov” and “Le Baruffe Chiozotte.” During his recent summer hiatus, Goran Visnjic completed the independent film “The Deep End” directed by Scott McGhee, in which he starred opposite Tilda Swinton. He appeared with Heather Graham in Miramax 2000 film “Committed,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and will star in the upcoming independent film “Doctor Sleep.” Among Goran Visnjic’s other film credits are “Practical Magic,” in which he starred alongside Nicole Kidman, and “The Peacemaker” also with Kidman and former “ER” star George Clooney. Goran Visnjic also starred in three Croatian features, and made his American motion-picture debut in the critically acclaimed drama, “Welcome to Sarajevo,” directed by Michael Winterbottom. In his leisure time, Goran Visnjic enjoys fencing, swimming and diving. Goran Visnjic lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Ivana, and his birthday is September 9.