Željko Ivanek (; ; born August 15, 1957) is a Slovenian-American actor. His accolades include an Actor Award, a Drama Desk Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award, as well as nominations for three Tony Awards.
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). He has appeared in several films by Lars von Trier, including Dancer in the Dark (2000), Dogville (2003), and Manderlay (2005). In 2017, he appeared in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, receiving a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance.
Ivanek portrayed Ray Fiske on the FX television 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), 12 Monkeys (2015–2017), and The Walking Dead: Dead City (2023–2026).
Early life and education Ivanek was born in Ljubljana, PR Slovenia, FPR Yugoslavia. His father was Ferdo Ivanek, who grew up in Zajezda, in the Croatian region of Hrvatsko Zagorje, and spent his later childhood in Varaždin. In 1960, Željko, his younger brother Ivan, and his mother immigrated to Palo Alto, California, where his father was working as a research assistant at the Department of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University.Voislava Simic-Ivanek, Ivan Simic-Ivanek, and Željko Šimic-Ivanek; arrived New York, New York, US, aboard Queen Elizabeth, destination Palo Alto, California; New York State, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1917-1966 His mother also worked at Stanford University as a project manager.
In 1962, Ivanek and his family moved back to Slovenia for five years; they returned to Palo Alto in 1967. Having performed in numerous community theater plays in the San Francisco Bay Area, Ivanek graduated from Ellwood P. Cubberley High School in Palo Alto in 1975. In 1978, Ivanek graduated from Yale University, majoring in theater. He later attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Acting career Ivanek has worked extensively on the stage. In 1982, he originated the role of Hally in Athol Fugard's play "Master Harold"...and the Boys. He appeared in the U.S. premieres of Cloud Nine (for which he earned the 1981 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play), and The Pillowman. He performs frequently on Broadway and has been nominated for three Tony Awards for his performances in the original production of Brighton Beach Memoirs, in Two Shakespearean Actors, and in a revival of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, alongside David Schwimmer and Tim Daly.
However, Ivanek is perhaps best known for his supporting roles in a number of well-known television series. His first television role was as Sammie Wheaton on the soap opera The Edge of Night. Other roles include Emile Danko in Heroes; Roland in The X-Files; prosecuting attorney Ed Danvers in Homicide: Life on the Street; Ray Fiske in Damages (for which received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesLevin, Gary (January 5, 2009). Damages' returns in all its complexity." USA Today. p. 01D. Retrieved via Biography In Context database, November 25, 2018.); J.J. in Big Love; the Magister in True Blood; Governor James Devlin in Oz; Serbian terrorist Andre Drazen in 24; and Blake Sterling, the Director of National Intelligence in the NBC drama series The Event.
Ivanek played Russell Jackson in the TV series Madam Secretary. He portrayed John Dickinson, the Pennsylvania representative to the Second Continental Congress, in the miniseries John Adams. He has guest-starred on such shows as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and House. He has appeared several times on Law & Order, both as one-off characters and as Ed Danvers in crossover episodes with Homicide: Life on the Street.
In addition to his stage and television work, Ivanek has appeared in more than 20 feature films, including The Sender, in which he made his feature film debut as the unnamed title character; School Ties; Black Hawk Down; In Bruges; Dogville; The Bourne Legacy; Donnie Brasco; Argo; Seven Psychopaths; and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
In 2012, he portrayed Dr. Stafford White in the drama The Mob Doctor. As of 2014, he had supporting roles in several shows on broadcast and cable television, including the series Revolution, where he plays the recurring roles of Dr. Calvin Horn and an illusory nanotech avatar of Horn; Suits; Banshee; and The Americans.
In the documentary That Guy... Who Was in That Thing, Ivanek states that his contract includes a rider to ensure that the first letter in his name, Ž, has its caron properly rendered in any credits sequence where his name appears.
Personal life As of 2018, Ivanek resided in New York City with his partner, Greg Pierce. Pierce is the nephew of actor David Hyde Pierce.
Acting credits Film Year Title Role Notes 1982 Bombmaker/Cleaning lady Tex Mark Jennings Credited as "Hitchhiker" John Doe #83 / The Sender 1984 Mass Appeal Mark Dolson The Sun Also Rises Bill Gorton 1987 Rachel River Momo 1990 Artificial Paradise Willy 1991 Our Sons Donald Barnes 1992 School Ties Mr. Cleary 1996 White Squall Coast Guard Captain Sanders Courage Under Fire Ben Banacek Infinity Bill Price SEC Agent Thompkins 1997 Donnie Brasco Tim Curley Julian Po Tom Potter 1998 Nowhere to Go Principal Jack Walker Bill Crowley 1999 Snow Falling on Cedars Dr. Whitman 2000 Dancer in the Dark District Attorney 2001 Hannibal Dr. Cordell Doemling Black Hawk Down Lieutenant Colonel Gary Harrell 2002 Unfaithful Detective Dean 2003 Dogville Ben 2004 Vaughn Utly 2005 Manderlay Dr. Hector 2006 Ralph Graves 2007 Ascension Day Master Travis Live Free or Die Hard Molina 2008 In Bruges Canadian Guy 2011 Tower Heist FBI Director Mazin 2012 Dr. Donald Foite Argo Robert Pender Nominated—Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best CastNominated—San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Performance by an Ensemble Seven Psychopaths Paulo Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best CastNominated—San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Performance by an Ensemble The Words Cutler 2016 X-Men: Apocalypse Pentagon Scientist 2017 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Desk Sergeant Cedric Connoly Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting EnsembleScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture 2020 The Courier John A. McCone 2021 The Last Duel Le Coq
Television Year Title Role Notes 1983 Great Performances March Hare Episode: "Alice in Wonderland" 1986 American Playhouse George Deever Episode: "All My Sons" 1987 St. Elsewhere Mark Dolson Episode: "You Again?" Echoes in the Darkness Vince Valaitis Television movie 1990 L.A. Law Joel Lassen Episode: "Bound for Glory" 1993 Law & Order Phillip Swann Episode: "American Dreams" 1993–1999 Homicide: Life on the Street Ed Danvers 37 episodes 1994 Roland Fuller / Dr. Arthur Grable Episode: "Roland" 1995 Murder, She Wrote Eddie Saunders Episode: "Home Care" Truman Eddie Jacobsen Television movie 1997–1999 Law & Order AUSA Ed Danvers 2 episodes 1997 Frasier Dr. Arnold Shaw Episode: "Death and the Dog" The Practice DA Mark McGovern Episode: "The Civil Right" Millennium Dr. Daniel "Danny" Miller Episode: "Walkabout" Ally McBeal Judge Marshal Pink Episode: "One Hundred Tears Away" 1997–2003 Oz Governor James Devlin 27 episodes1998 From the Earth to the Moon Ken Mattingly Episode: "The Original Wives Club" Robert F. Kennedy Television movie2000 ER Bruce Resnick Episode: "The Dance We Do" Homicide: The Movie Ed Danvers TV film 2001 The Practice AUSA Steven Sanders Episode: "The Confession" 2002 The Practice Matthew Davies Episode: "Neighboring Species" 24 Andre Drazen 15 episodes The Twilight Zone ER chief Episode: "The Lineman" 2003 The West Wing Steve Atwood 2 episodes The Reagans Michael Deaver TV movie 2004 Law & Order Richard Kaplin Episode: "Gov Love" Touching Evil Ronald Hinks Episode: "Pilot" 2005 NYPD Blue Justin Deroos Episode: "Stoli With a Twist" CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Andrew Melton Episode: "Nesting Dolls" 2006 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Everett Drake Episode: "Taboo" Bones Carl Decker Episode: "The Woman in the Car" Shark Eliot Dasher 2 episodes Cold Case John Doe (John Harding) Episode: "One Night" 2007–2010 Damages Raymond "Ray" Fiske 16 episodesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesNominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film 2007 Lost Edmund Burke Episode: "Not in Portland"2008 Numbers William Fraley Episode: "When Worlds Collide" John Adams John Dickinson 2 episodes House Jason Episode: "Last Resort"2008–2014 Dr. Linus Wagner 2 episodes True Blood Magister 5 episodes 2009 Heroes Emile "The Hunter" Danko 13 episodes 2009–2010 Big Love J.J. 12 episodes 2010–2011 Blake Sterling 22 episodes 2013 White Collar Brett Forsythe Episode: "Digging Deeper" 2012–2013 Dr. Stafford White 13 episodes 2013–2014 Revolution Dr. Calvin Horn 5 episodes 2014 Banshee FBI Special Agent Jim Racine 3 episodes The Americans John Skeevers Episode: "Stealth" 2014–2015 Suits Eric Woodall 4 episodes 2014–2019 Madam Secretary Russell Jackson Main role; 102 episodes 2015–2017 12 Monkeys Leland Goines 3 episodes 2022 Now and Then Detective Sullivan 8 episodes Let the Right One In Arthur Recurring role; 4 episodes 2023–2026 The Walking Dead: Dead City Mile Jurkovic / "The Croat" Main role; 14 episodes 2024–2026 Law & Order Defense Attorney Charles Banks 3 episodes 2025 Death by Lightning Doctor Willard Bliss 4 episodes
Theater +YearTitleRole(s)Notes1978Idiot's DelightPalotaDesign for LivingPhotographerThe School for WivesNotaryA Month in the CountryMatvey1979Hay FeverSandy TyrellCharley's AuntCharley WykehamChildren of the SunRioter1980The Front PageEarl Williams1981The SurvivorYankele, understudy RudyBroadway debutCloud 9Betty/GerryWinner: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play1982"Master Harold"...and the BoysHally1983Brighton Beach MemoirsStanley JeromeNomination: Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play1985A Map of the WorldStephen1986LootHal1988The Cherry OrchardTrofimovHamletHamlet1990IvanovLvov1991Two Shakespearean ActorsJohn RyderNomination: Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a PlayNomination: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play1992It's Only a PlayPeter Austin1994The Glass MenagerieTom Wingfield2001The Dumb WaiterBenThe Zoo StoryPeter2002Blue/OrangeRobert Smith2005The PillowmanAriel2006The Caine Mutiny Court-MartialLt. Com. Philip Francis QueegNomination: Tony Award for Best Actor in a PlayNomination: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play2012SlowgirlSterling
References
External links
Željko Ivanek at Internet Off-Broadway Database