The epitome of tall, dark and handsome, this intense Croatian actor tackled Shakespearean stage roles before segueing to film and TV parts in his homeland. After notable English-speaking roles in
Welcome to Sarajevo and
Practical Magic, the hunk with the hard-to-pronounce last name became an international sex symbol as a romantic but rebellious doctor on
ER. Married to a Croatian sculptor, Visnjic maintains strong ties to his native country and continues to act in Croatian — as well as Hollywood — projects.
Goran Visnjic Fast Facts:- Served in Croatian and Yugoslavian armies.
- At 21 was cast as Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Dubrovnik Summer Festival and won three national Best Actor Awards and an Orlando (which is comparable to a Tony Award).
- Appeared in commercials for Tuborg beer.
- Made his American TV debut in 1995's Night Watch.
- Had a breakthrough role as Risto Bavic in 1997's Welcome to Sarajevo.
- Named People magazine's Sexiest Import in 1999 and one of TV's Sexiest Men by TV GUIDE in 2005.
- Shared the 2000 Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for ER.
- Worked with PETA and Animal Friends Croatia on PETA's first anti-fur campaign in eastern Europe; Visnjic's ad was distributed in Croatia and the U.S.
- Goran Visnjic Relationships:
- Ivana Visnjic - Wife
- Josko Visnjic - Brother
- Lana Lourdes Rupic - Daughter
- Tin Visnjic - Son
- Zeljko Visnjic - Father
