Goran Visnjic was born in Sibenik, Croatia on September 9, 1972. Goran began acting as a ten-year old, and after the beginning of the Croatian War of Independence, he volunteered for the Croatian Army, but was accepted at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb. Goran’s skills include fencing, which helped earn him his first stage role as Hamlet in the Dubrovnik Summer Festival production, a role he would play seven years,. The role also brought him to the attention of director Michael Winterbottom, who cast him as the Bosnian driver Risto in Welcome to Sarajevo. That performance, in turn, led to a stand-out role in Practical Magic, and caught the eye of ER producer Jack Orman, who recommended he be cast as the new doctor replacing George Clooney in 1999. Since joining the cast of ER, Goran has starred in the independent film The Deep End, the thriller Close Your Eyes, the television adaptation of Spartacus, and the action film Elektra.