Željko Ivanek (born August 15, 1957) is a Slovenian-American actor who portrays Russell Jackson on Madam Secretary. Known for his work in film, television, and theatre, Ivanek 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). On television, Ivanek is known for playing Ray Fiske on the 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 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 (2023-2025).
Ivanek was born in Ljubljana, PR Slovenia, FPR Yugoslavia, to the family of Ferdo Ivanek and Vojka (née Šimić). In 1960, Željko, his younger brother Ivan, and his mother immigrated to Palo Alto, California, United States, where his father was working as a research assistant at Stanford University's Department of Electrical Engineering. 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. After performing in numerous community theater plays in the San Francisco Bay Area, Ivanek graduated from Yale University in 1978, having majored in theater. He later attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Other roles[]
- Ed Danvers in Donnie Brasco
- Eugene Ramsey in Chicago Hope
- Arnold Shaw in Frasier
- Tim Curley in Donnie Brasco
- Bruce Resnick in ER
- Cordell Doemling in Hannibal
- Gary Harrell in Black Hawk Down
- Elliot McCafferty in Crossing Jordan
- Andre Drazen in 24
- Steve Atwood in The West Wing
- Vaughn Utly in The Manchurian Candidate
- Mason Garvey in The Jury
- Justin Deroos in NYPD Blue
- Andrew Melton in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
- Teddy Bunch in The Inside
- Everett Drake in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- John Doe in Cold Case
- Carl Decker in Cold Case
- Ralph Graves in The Hoax
- Elliott Dasher in Shark
- Edmund Burke in Lost
- Ray Fiske in Damages
- John Dickinson in John Adams
- Linus Wagner in The Mentalist
- William Fraley in Numb3rs
- Emile Danko in Heroes
- Blake Sterling in The Event
- Joseph Cutler in The Words
- Donald Foite in The Bourne Legacy
- Robert Pender in Argo
- Stafford White in The Mob Doctor
- Brett Forsythe in White Collar
- Calvin Horn in Revolution
- John Skeevers in The Americans
- Jim Racine in Banshee
- Eric Woodall in Suits
- Leland Goines in 12 Monkeys
- Cedric Connoly in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri