Goran Višnjić facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Goran Višnjić
Višnjić at the Rome Film Festival in 2014
Born	(1972-09-09) 9 September 1972 (age 52) Šibenik, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Citizenship	Croatia United States (since 2013)
Education	Academy of Dramatic Art
Alma mater	University of Zagreb
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1988–present
Spouse(s)	Eva Višnjić ​ (m. 1999)​
Children	4
Relatives	Antun Vrdoljak (father-in-law)

Goran Višnjić (born September 9, 1972) is a Croatian-American actor. He is famous for playing Dr. Luka Kovač in the medical drama series ER. He also starred as Garcia Flynn in the science fiction series Timeless. For his work on ER, he and the other cast members were nominated for two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Early Life and Education

Višnjić was born in Šibenik, a city that was then part of a country called Yugoslavia. His father, Željko, was a bus driver, and his mother, Milka, worked at a market. He has an older brother named Joško.

From a young age, Goran loved acting and appeared in many local plays. He had his first movie role at age 16 in the Yugoslav film Braća po materi (1988).

When he was 18, he served for one year in the Yugoslav army as a paratrooper. Shortly after he finished his service in 1991, Yugoslavia began to break apart, and a war started. Višnjić joined the new Croatian Ground Army to help defend his home country. After leaving the army, he moved to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, to study acting at the Academy of Dramatic Art.

Acting Career

Stage and Early Roles

Višnjić became famous in Croatia for playing the main role in Shakespeare's play Hamlet at the Dubrovnik Summer Festival. He was the youngest actor ever chosen for the part. He played the role from 1994 to 2000 and won several awards for his performance.

Before becoming a star in the United States, he acted in Croatian TV shows and appeared in a European commercial for Tuborg beer. He also had small parts in American movies like The Peacemaker and Practical Magic. In 1998, he was in Madonna's music video for the song "The Power of Good-Bye".

Breakthrough with ER

His role as a driver in the movie Welcome to Sarajevo caught the attention of producer John Wells. In 1999, Wells offered him the part of Dr. Luka Kovač on the popular TV show ER. He joined the show in its sixth season to replace the departing star George Clooney. Višnjić became one of the show's main characters for many years.

Movie and Television Roles

While working on ER, Višnjić also acted in movies. He voiced the saber-toothed tiger Soto in the animated movie Ice Age. He also starred in films like The Deep End and Elektra with Jennifer Garner. In 2005, he was one of the final actors considered for the role of James Bond, which later went to Daniel Craig.

After ER, Višnjić continued to work in film and television. Some of his notable roles include:

• David Leonard in the movie Helen (2009), alongside Ashley Judd.
• Dragan Armansky in the American version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011).
• Garcia Flynn, a former government agent, in the NBC series Timeless (2016–2018).
• Nikola Tesla, the famous inventor, in an episode of Doctor Who called "Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror" (2020).
• Alastair Adana in the superhero series The Boys (2020).
• Erik the Red in the final season of Vikings: Valhalla (2024).

Personal Life

Višnjić is married to Eva Višnjić (born Ivana Vrdoljak), a sculptor. Her father is the film director Antun Vrdoljak. The couple has four children.

For many years, they lived in Los Angeles, California. In 2021, the family moved to Cornwall, England. Višnjić became a U.S. citizen in 2013 but also remains a citizen of Croatia.

Selected Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Goran Višnjić para niños