Željko Ivanek
Known for
Born in Ljubljana, in what was then Yugoslavia, and raised in California, Zeljko Ivanek is the kind of character actor casting directors call when a scene needs quiet authority or coiled menace. A Yale and LAMDA graduate, he became a television fixture through 'Homicide: Life on the Street' (1993-1999), '24', 'Damages' (2007-2010), which won him an Emmy as the haunted lawyer Ray Fiske, and 'Madam Secretary' (2014-2019). On film he has slipped memorably into 'Hannibal' (2001), 'Black Hawk Down' (2001), 'Argo' (2012) and 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' (2017). Precision, stillness and faint unease are his tools.
Željko Ivanek
35 Movies
49 Series
Born in Ljubljana, in what was then Yugoslavia, and raised in California, Zeljko Ivanek is the kind of character actor casting directors call when a scene needs quiet authority or coiled menace. A Yale and LAMDA graduate, he became a television fixture through 'Homicide: Life on the Street' (1993-1999), '24', 'Damages' (2007-2010), which won him an Emmy as the haunted lawyer Ray Fiske, and 'Madam Secretary' (2014-2019). On film he has slipped memorably into 'Hannibal' (2001), 'Black Hawk Down' (2001), 'Argo' (2012) and 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' (2017). Precision, stillness and faint unease are his tools.
Movies
Plays Pentagon Scientist
X-Men: Apocalypse
2016
Plays Detective Dean
Unfaithful
2002
Plays LTC Gary Harrell
Black Hawk Down
2001
Plays Canadian Guy
In Bruges
2008
Plays Robert Pender
Argo
2012
Plays Desk Sergeant
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
2017
Plays Asst. Deputy Director Molina
Live Free or Die Hard
2007
Plays Le Coq
The Last Duel
2021
Plays Dr. Donald Foite
The Bourne Legacy
2012
Plays Tim Curley
Donnie Brasco
1997
Plays Director Mazin
Tower Heist
2011
Plays CIA Boss
The Courier
2020
Plays Ben
Dogville
2003
Plays Paolo
Seven Psychopaths
2012
Plays Joseph Cutler
The Words
2012
Plays Banacek
Courage Under Fire
1996
Plays Vaughn Utly
The Manchurian Candidate
2004
Plays District Attorney
Dancer in the Dark
2000
Plays Mr. Cleary
School Ties
1992
Plays Bill Crowley
A Civil Action
1998
Plays Sanders
White Squall
1996
Plays Dr. Hector
Manderlay
2005
Plays Ralph Graves
The Hoax
2006
Plays Dr. Whitman
Snow Falling on Cedars
1999
Plays Dr. Cordell Doemling
Hannibal
2001
Plays Bill Price
Infinity
1996
Plays SEC Agent Thompkins
The Associate
1996
Plays Thomas Mann Randolph
Sally Hemings: An American Scandal
2000
Plays Bombmaker / Faux-Cleaning Lady
The Soldier
1982
Plays John Doe #83
The Sender
1982
Plays Hitchhiker
Tex
1982
Plays Mark Dolson
Mass Appeal
1984
Plays March Hare
Alice in Wonderland
1983
Plays Momo
Rachel River
1989
Plays Willy
Artificial Paradise
1990
TV Shows
Plays Russell Jackson
Madam Secretary
2014
Plays Ed Danvers
Homicide: Life on the Street
1993
Plays Governor James Devlin
Oz
1997
Plays Blake Sterling
The Event
2010
Plays The Croat
The Walking Dead: Dead City
2023
Plays JJ
Big Love
2006
Plays Ray Fiske
Damages
2007
Plays Andre Drazen
24
2001
Plays Emile Danko
Heroes
2006
Plays Dr. Stafford White
The Mob Doctor
2012
Plays Sullivan
Now and Then
2022
Plays Calvin Horn
Revolution
2012
Plays Arthur Logan
Let the Right One In
2022
Plays Magister
True Blood
2008
Plays Eric Woodall
Suits
2011
Plays Charles Banks
Law & Order
1990
Plays Jim Racine
Banshee
2013
Plays Leland Goines
12 Monkeys
2015
Plays Dr. Linus Wagner
The Mentalist
2008
Plays Steve Atwood
The West Wing
1999
Plays Bill Gorton
The Sun Also Rises
1984
Plays Vince Valaitis
Echoes in the Darkness
1987
Plays Michael Deaver
The Reagans
2003
Plays Thomas Mann Randolph
Sally Hemings: An American Scandal
2000
Plays Elliott Dasher
Shark
2006
Plays Jason
House
2004
Plays Carl Decker
Bones
2005
Plays Andrew Melton
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
Plays Arnold Shaw
Frasier
1993
Plays Roland Fuller / Dr. Arthur Grable
The X-Files
1993
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
The Last Duel
Full Filmography
The Walking Dead: Dead City
The Croat · 22 episodes
2023–
TV
Let the Right One In
Arthur Logan · 5 episodes
2022–
TV
Now and Then
Sullivan · 8 episodes
2022–
TV
The Last Duel
Le Coq
2021
Film
The Courier
CIA Boss
2020
Film
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Desk Sergeant
2017
Film
X-Men: Apocalypse
Pentagon Scientist
2016
Film
12 Monkeys
Leland Goines · 3 episodes
2015–
TV
Legends
Founding Father · 1 episode
2014
TV
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Željko Ivanek and where are they from?
Željko Ivanek is 68 years old, born on August 15, 1957 in Ljubljana, Yugoslavia [now Slovenia].
What are the most famous roles of Željko Ivanek?
Željko Ivanek is best known for roles in X-Men: Apocalypse, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Argo.
How many movies has Željko Ivanek been in?
Over a 44-year career (since 1982), Željko Ivanek has appeared in 35 movies and 48 TV shows.
What was Željko Ivanek's first movie?
The career of Željko Ivanek began with The Soldier (1982).
What is Željko Ivanek's most recent movie or series?
Željko Ivanek's most recent release is The Walking Dead: Dead City, which premiered on June 18, 2023.
What TV shows has Željko Ivanek appeared in?
On television, Željko Ivanek has appeared in House, Suits, Lost, The Mentalist.
Željko Ivanek
1957-08-15 · Ljubljana, Yugoslavia [now Slovenia]
Željko Ivanek is a Slovenian-American actor. Known for his work in film, television, and theatre, he is the recipient of a Primetime Emmy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Drama Desk Award, as well as three Tony Award nominations.
Ivanek's film credits include Courage Under Fire (1996), Donnie Brasco (1997), Hannibal, Black Hawk Down (both 2001), Unfaithful (2002), The Manchurian Candidate (2004), Live Free or Die Hard (2007), The Bourne Legacy, Argo, Seven Psychopaths (all 2012), and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017). He has appeared in several films by Lars von Trier: Dancer in the Dark (2000), Dogville (2003), and Manderlay (2005).
On television, Ivanek is known for playing Ray Fiske on the FX series Damages (2007–2010), for which he won the 2008 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor. He also appeared as Ed Danvers on Homicide: Life on the Street (1993–1999) and Russell Jackson on the CBS drama Madam Secretary (2014–2019), and has had recurring roles on series such as Oz (1997–2003), 24 (2002), True Blood (2008), Heroes (2009), Big Love (2009–2010), Banshee (2014), and 12 Monkeys (2015–2017). Since 2023, he has starred as "The Croat" on AMC's The Walking Dead: Dead City.