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Zeljko Ivanek

Zeljko Ivanek

Actor · Born August 15, 1957 (69) · 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.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 15, 1957 (69)
From
Ljubljana, Yugoslavia [now Slovenia]
Works as
Actor
Titles
78 on MovieCove · 101 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26

What are Zeljko Ivanek's films like?

Across their 28 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Biography6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 93rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
36%
Survival
17%
Bonds
15%
Self
13%
Power
11%
Ideas
5%
Society
4%
Justice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief5 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeGuilt4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 21 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 2 · Serious 6 · Dark 13

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 15 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · Charged 8 · Intense 12

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 8 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 4

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 16 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 15 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 13 · Full focus 6

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 2 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 13

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 10 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 4 of 7 analyzed roles.

Shadow
4 of 7
Herald
1 of 7
Mentor
1 of 7
Threshold guardian
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
21
Melancholic
17
Contemplative
11
Dread
7
Hopeful
5
Other
17

How their films linger

Thought-provoking14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 8 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet18
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous8

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Zeljko Ivanek's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 61 of their 78 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Hulu (17).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Zeljko Ivanek's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

101 credits, 78 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Walking Dead: Dead City(2023)

    Show 15 episodes · as The Croat

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Let the Right One In (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 5 episodes · as Arthur Logan

  • Now and Then(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · as Sullivan

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all shows

  • The Last Duel(2021)

    as Le Coq

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Courier(2020)

    as CIA Boss

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri(2017)

    as Desk Sergeant

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • X-Men: Apocalypse(2016)

    as Pentagon Scientist

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • 12 Monkeys(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · as Leland Goines

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Madam Secretary(2014)

    Show 120 episodes · as Russell Jackson

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Legends(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Founding Father

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • The Americans(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as John Skeevers

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Banshee(2013)

    Show 3 episodes · as Jim Racine

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Seven Psychopaths(2012)

    as Paolo

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Argo(2012)

    as Robert Pender

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Revolution(2012)

    Show 5 episodes · as Calvin Horn

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • The Mob Doctor(2012)

    Show 13 episodes · as Dr. Stafford White

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • The Words(2012)

    as Joseph Cutler

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Bourne Legacy(2012)

    as Dr. Donald Foite

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Tower Heist(2011)

    as Director Mazin

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Suits(2011)

    Show 4 episodes · as Eric Woodall

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Event(2010)

    Show 22 episodes · as Blake Sterling

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • White Collar(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Brett Forsythe

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Mentalist(2008)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Linus Wagner

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • True Blood(2008)

    Show 5 episodes · as Magister

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • John Adams(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as John Dickinson

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • In Bruges(2008)

    as Canadian Guy

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Damages(2007)

    Show 16 episodes · as Ray Fiske

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Live Free or Die Hard(2007)

    as Asst. Deputy Director Molina

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Hoax(2006)

    as Ralph Graves

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Heroes(2006)

    Show 13 episodes · as Emile Danko

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Shark(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · as Elliott Dasher

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Big Love(2006)

    Show 19 episodes · as JJ

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Bones(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Carl Decker

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • The Inside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Teddy Bunch

  • Manderlay(2005)

    as Dr. Hector

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Numb3rs(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as William Fraley

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • House(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Jason

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Lost(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Edmund Burke

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Manchurian Candidate(2004)

    as Vaughn Utly

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Reagans(2003)

    as Michael Deaver

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Reagans (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 2 episodes · as Michael Deaver

  • Cold Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as John Doe

  • Dogville(2003)

    as Ben

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Twilight Zone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as ER Chief

  • Unfaithful(2002)

    as Detective Dean

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Black Hawk Down(2001)

    as Harrell

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • 24(2001)

    Show 14 episodes · as Andre Drazen

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Crossing Jordan(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Elliot McCafferty

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Hannibal(2001)

    as Dr. Cordell Doemling

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Andrew Melton

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Dancer in the Dark(2000)

    as District Attorney

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Homicide: The Movie(2000)

    as Ed Danvers

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Sally Hemings: An American Scandal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Thomas Mann Randolph

  • Sally Hemings: An American Scandal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Thomas Mann Randolph

  • Snow Falling on Cedars(1999)

    as Dr. Whitman

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The West Wing(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Steve Atwood

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Everett Drake

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Dash and Lilly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Mel Berman

  • A Civil Action(1998)

    as Bill Crowley

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Rat Pack(1998)

    as Bobby Kennedy

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • From the Earth to the Moon(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Ken Mattingly

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Nowhere to Go (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Principal Jack Walker

  • Ellen Foster(1997)

    as Educational Psychologist

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Ally McBeal(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge Marshal Pink

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Julian Po (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Actor

  • Oz(1997)

    Show 32 episodes · as Governor James Devlin

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Practice(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Assistant D.A. General Mark McGovern · as Matthew Davies · as U.S. Atty. Sanders

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Donnie Brasco(1997)

    as Tim Curley

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Millennium (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Daniel 'Danny' Miller

  • The Associate(1996)

    as SEC Agent Thompkins

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Infinity(1996)

    as Bill Price

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • After Jimmy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Dr. Darren Walters

  • Courage Under Fire(1996)

    as Banacek

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • White Squall(1996)

    as Sanders

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Truman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Eddie Jacobsen

  • My Brother's Keeper(1995)

    as Dr. Hill

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • ER(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Bruce Resnick

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Chicago Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Eugene Ramsey

  • Frasier(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Arnold Shaw

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • The X-Files(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Roland Fuller / Dr. Arthur Grable

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Homicide: Life on the Street(1993)

    Show 37 episodes · as Ed Danvers

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • School Ties(1992)

    as Mr. Cleary

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Our Sons(1991)

    as Donald Barnes

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Aftermath: A Test of Love(1991)

    as Matt

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 3 episodes · as Charles Banks · as Ed Danvers · as Phillip Swann · as Richard Kaplan

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Artificial Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Willy

  • Rachel River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Momo

  • Echoes in the Darkness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Vince Valaitis

  • Echoes in the Darkness(1987)

    Show 2 episodes · as Vince Valaitis

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • All My Sons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as George Deever

  • L.A. Law(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Joel Lassen

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Mass Appeal(1984)

    as Mark Dolson

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Sun Also Rises (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · as Bill Gorton

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Eddie Saunders

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Alice in Wonderland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as March Hare

  • St. Elsewhere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Mark Dolson

  • The Sender(1982)

    as John Doe #83

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Tex(1982)

    as Hitchhiker

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Soldier(1982)

    as Bombmaker / Faux-Cleaning Lady

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as George Keller · as Momo

  • Great Performances (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as March Hare

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 101 titles from 1971 to 2023; peak year 1997.

Biggest box office

Hannibal (2001)

$352M worldwide

Highest rated

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Madam Secretary (2014)

Film career

19712023

Peak 1997 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting101 of 101: 101 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score76th

By decade

1970s1 · acting1980s14 · acting1990s32 · acting2000s33 · acting2010s16 · acting2020s5 · acting

Billing

usually 11th · top billed in 0% of 30 roles
82970207

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Zeljko Ivanek's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 69th percentile, the median of all 38; across their 21 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 65th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Approval · how many liked their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Reach · how many have seen their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Midcredits score across 78 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up41
  • 50th to 74th26
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

41 of their 78 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved24
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser41
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

The Reagans (2003)

91st percentile spread · 29% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Midcredits 99th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 80/100 in their films, across 20 reviewed titles; fans 85, detractors 54. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Zeljko Ivanek's work okay for kids?

Across up to 11 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore11 titles33–96 · median 82 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity11 titles18–74 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity10 titles44–93 · median 65 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs10 titles35–62 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense10 titles36–91 · median 66 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Zeljko Ivanek work with?

People who share at least 2 of Zeljko Ivanek's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Glenn Jordan shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers