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 John Cusack is, like most of his characters, an unconventional hero. Wary of fame and repelled by formulaic Hollywood fare, he has built a successful career playing underdogs and odd men out--all the while avoiding the media spotlight. John was born in Evanston, Illinois, to an Irish-American family. With the exception of mom Nancy (n��e Carolan), a former math teacher, the Cusack clan is all show business: father Dick Cusack was an actor and filmmaker, and John's siblings Joan Cusack, Ann Cusack, Bill Cusack and Susie Cusack are all thespians by trade. Like his brother and sisters, John became a member of Chicago's Piven Theatre Workshop while he was still in elementary school. By age 12, he already had several stage productions, commercial voice overs and industrial films under his belt. He made his feature film debut at 17, acting alongside Rob Lowe and Andrew McCarthy in the romantic comedy Class (1983). His next role, as a member of Anthony Michael Hall's geek brigade in Sixteen Candles (1984), put him on track to becoming a teen-flick fixture. Cusack remained on the periphery of the Brat Pack, sidestepping the meteoric rise and fall of most of his contemporaries, but he stayed busy with leads in films like The Sure Thing (1985) and Better Off Dead... (1985). Young Cusack is probably best remembered for what could be considered his last adolescent role: the stereo-blaring romantic Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything (1989). A year later, he hit theaters as a grown-up, playing a bush-league con man caught between his manipulative mother and headstrong girlfriend in The Grifters (1990).The next few years were relatively quiet for the actor, but he filled in the gaps with off-screen projects. He directed and produced several shows for the Chicago-based theater group The New Criminals, which he founded in 1988 (modeling it after Tim Robbins' Actors' Gang in Los Angeles) to promote political and avant-garde stage work. Four years later, Cusack's high school friends Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis joined him in starting a sister company for film, New Crime Productions. New Crime's first feature was the sharply written comedy Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), which touched off a career renaissance for Cusack. In addition to co-scripting, he starred as a world-weary hit man who goes home for his ten-year high school reunion and tries to rekindle a romance with the girl he stood up on prom night (Minnie Driver). In an instance of life imitating art, Cusack actually did go home for his ten-year reunion (to honor a bet about the film's financing) and ended up in a real-life romance with Driver. Cusack's next appearance was as a federal agent (or, as he described it, "the first post-Heston, non-biblical action star in sandals") in Con Air (1997), a movie he chose because he felt it was time to make smart business decisions. He followed that with Clint Eastwood's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997), in which he played a Yankee reporter entangled in a Savannah murder case.Cusack has always favored offbeat material, so it was no surprise when he turned up in the fiercely original Being John Malkovich (1999). Long-haired, bearded and bespectacled, he was almost unrecognizable in the role of a frustrated puppeteer who stumbles across a portal into the brain of actor John Malkovich. The convincing performance won him a Best Actor nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards. In 2000, Cusack was back to his clean-shaven self in High Fidelity (2000), another New Crime production. He worked with Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis to adapt Nick Hornby's popular novel (relocating the story to their native Chicago), then starred as the sarcastic record store owner who revisits his "Top 5" breakups to find out why he's so unlucky in love. The real Cusack has been romantically linked with several celebs, including Driver, Alison Eastwood, Claire Forlani and Neve Campbell. He's also something of a family man, acting frequently opposite sister Joan Cusack and pulling other Cusacks into his films on a regular basis. He seems pleased with the spate of projects on his horizon, but admits that he still hasn't reached his ultimate goal: to be involved in a "great piece of art".
Bio:
John Cusack is, like most of his characters, an unconventional hero. Wary of fame and repelled by formulaic Hollywood fare, he has built a successful career playing underdogs and odd men out--all the while avoiding the media spotlight. John was born in Evanston, Illinois, to an Irish-American family. With the exception of mom Nancy (n��e Carolan), a former math teacher, the Cusack clan is all show business: father Dick Cusack was an actor and filmmaker, and John's siblings Joan Cusack, Ann Cusack, Bill Cusack and Susie Cusack are all thespians by trade. Like his brother and sisters, John became a member of Chicago's Piven Theatre Workshop while he was still in elementary school. By age 12, he already had several stage productions, commercial voice overs and industrial films under his belt. He made his feature film debut at 17, acting alongside Rob Lowe and Andrew McCarthy in the romantic comedy Class (1983). His next role, as a member of Anthony Michael Hall's geek brigade in Sixteen Candles (1984), put him on track to becoming a teen-flick fixture. Cusack remained on the periphery of the Brat Pack, sidestepping the meteoric rise and fall of most of his contemporaries, but he stayed busy with leads in films like The Sure Thing (1985) and Better Off Dead... (1985). Young Cusack is probably best remembered for what could be considered his last adolescent role: the stereo-blaring romantic Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything (1989). A year later, he hit theaters as a grown-up, playing a bush-league con man caught between his manipulative mother and headstrong girlfriend in The Grifters (1990).The next few years were relatively quiet for the actor, but he filled in the gaps with off-screen projects. He directed and produced several shows for the Chicago-based theater group The New Criminals, which he founded in 1988 (modeling it after Tim Robbins' Actors' Gang in Los Angeles) to promote political and avant-garde stage work. Four years later, Cusack's high school friends Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis joined him in starting a sister company for film, New Crime Productions. New Crime's first feature was the sharply written comedy Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), which touched off a career renaissance for Cusack. In addition to co-scripting, he starred as a world-weary hit man who goes home for his ten-year high school reunion and tries to rekindle a romance with the girl he stood up on prom night (Minnie Driver). In an instance of life imitating art, Cusack actually did go home for his ten-year reunion (to honor a bet about the film's financing) and ended up in a real-life romance with Driver. Cusack's next appearance was as a federal agent (or, as he described it, "the first post-Heston, non-biblical action star in sandals") in Con Air (1997), a movie he chose because he felt it was time to make smart business decisions. He followed that with Clint Eastwood's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997), in which he played a Yankee reporter entangled in a Savannah murder case.Cusack has always favored offbeat material, so it was no surprise when he turned up in the fiercely original Being John Malkovich (1999). Long-haired, bearded and bespectacled, he was almost unrecognizable in the role of a frustrated puppeteer who stumbles across a portal into the brain of actor John Malkovich. The convincing performance won him a Best Actor nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards. In 2000, Cusack was back to his clean-shaven self in High Fidelity (2000), another New Crime production. He worked with Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis to adapt Nick Hornby's popular novel (relocating the story to their native Chicago), then starred as the sarcastic record store owner who revisits his "Top 5" breakups to find out why he's so unlucky in love. The real Cusack has been romantically linked with several celebs, including Driver, Alison Eastwood, Claire Forlani and Neve Campbell. He's also something of a family man, acting frequently opposite sister Joan Cusack and pulling other Cusacks into his films on a regular basis. He seems pleased with the spate of projects on his horizon, but admits that he still hasn't reached his ultimate goal: to be involved in a "great piece of art".
Tivia:
Sister Joan Cusack appeared in 10 of his movies:Class (1983), Sixteen Candles (1984), Grandview, U.S.A. (1984), Broadcast News (1987), Say Anything (1989), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Cradle Will Rock (1999), High Fidelity (2000), Martian Child (2007) and War, Inc. (2008).Some kind of reference to his favorite bands (usually The Clash, The Ramones or The Specials) makes at least one appearance in most of his films. Most of the time, he wears a T-shirt of one of the bands (Say Anything (1989), High Fidelity (2000), Must Love Dogs (2005), etc), but sometimes (Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)) he works in a poster of one of the bands. These bands are typically in the soundtracks to his New Criminal's productions, as well.During the famous "boom box serenade" scene in Say Anything (1989), he is actually playing his favorite Fishbone tape on the boom box, while Peter Gabriel's song "In Your Eyes" is played in the movie (source: Cameron Crowe commentary on the DVD).Big fan of punk rock music, his favorite band being the Clash.In 1994, he attended his 10th year high school reunion in Illinois. He and the producers of the film had made a bet that if they came up with financing for Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), they would all attend their high school reunions.Was originally the actor chosen to play John Bender in The Breakfast Club (1985). At the last minute, things changed and the role went to Judd Nelson.Is the subject of the song "Honorable Mention" by the rock band Fall Out Boy.Close friends with actor Jeremy Piven. They have done 10 movies together: One Crazy Summer (1986), Elvis Stories (1989), Say Anything (1989), The Player (1992), Floundering (1994), The Grifters (1990), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Serendipity (2001) and Runaway Jury (2003).He became interested and started training in kickboxing for his role in Say Anything (1989) as his character Lloyd was a fan of the sport. He trained under kickboxing champion Benny Urquidiez and kept training with him for years afterwards as a hobby, eventually gaining a level six black belt Ukidokan kickboxing.He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6644 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on April 24, 2012.Growing up John and his siblings often put on plays at their home. He has mentioned that his older sister Ann once staged a production of "Cinderella" in their living room in which she played Cinderella, sister Joan played the Ugly Stepsister, brother Bill played Prince Charming and John played the dog.Considers the scripts to Max (2002) and Being John Malkovich (1999) the best he has read.On free time, he likes to go "Helicopter Snowboarding" and kickboxing with stunt coordinator Benny Urquidez. Has a black belt in Ukidokan.Beat out Christian Slater for the role of Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything (1989).His performance as Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything (1989) is ranked #72 on Premiere magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.Has a production company called New Crime Productions (that produced Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), and The Jack Bull (1999) among various stage productions) which he founded with two of his high school buddies Steve Pink & D.V. DeVincentis.Was once roommates with Jeremy Piven.Was good friends with Hunter S. Thompson and nearly got to play him in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998).In 2006, when Total Film magazine asked him for a "Top 5" list of his movies, he answered with The Grifters (1990), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), The Thin Red Line (1998), High Fidelity (2000) and Max (2002).Attended a theatre school in Chicago with sisters Joan Cusack and Ann Cusack. The theatre school was managed by the parents of his best friend, Jeremy Piven.He and his good friend Tim Robbins made six movies together: Bob Roberts (1992), Cradle Will Rock (1999), High Fidelity (2000), The Player (1992), The Sure Thing (1985) and Tapeheads (1988).Was considered for the role of Billy Flynn in Chicago (2002). However, he ended up losing the role to Richard Gere.Is Irish-American. The name Cusack is not Slavic as many may believe. It is a Norman name, brought to Ireland when the Normans invaded in 1169. "Cussac" is a city in South Central France.Education: Piven Theatre Workshop (Evanston, Illinois), managed by the parents of actor Jeremy Piven. One semester at New York University.Was named "Stoner of the Year" by High Times magazine in 2010 (for his performance in Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)).Lobbied hard for the role of Thomas "Neo" Anderson in The Matrix (1999) but the role was given to Keanu Reeves.Turned down the role of Fred Haise in Apollo 13 (1995), which went to Bill Paxton.Turned down the role of David Murphy in Indecent Proposal (1993), which went to Woody Harrelson.Brother of Joan Cusack, Ann Cusack, Susie Cusack and Bill Cusack. Son of Dick Cusack (actor, documentary filmmaker) and Nancy Cusack (teacher).Is the product of a passionately liberal Irish Catholic family, visited the radical Berrigan brothers when he was growing up, and, like them, his mother still gets arrested for her anti-militarism and pro-human rights protests.Tested for the role of Madmartigan in Willow (1988) but lost to Val Kilmer.He was rumored to be considered for the role of Walter White on Breaking Bad (2008), which went to Bryan Cranston. Cusack has denied this in later interviews, saying he was never offered the role in any capacity.Has had 24 famous girlfriends: Uma Thurman; Lili Taylor; Claire Forlani; Alison Eastwood; Meg Ryan; Neve Campbell; Minnie Driver; Jennifer Love Hewitt; Jodi Lyn O'Keefe; Corina Katt Ayala; Janice Dickinson; Brooke Burns; Gina Gershon; Shoshanna Gruss; Jami Gertz; Huma Abedin; Rebecca Romijn; Gabriela Spanic; Pamela Anderson; Melissa Gilbert; Sheryl Crow; Susannah Melvoin; Britney Spears; and Alexandra Kerry (*not* all at the same time).Has worked six times with fellow actor/stuntman/fight coordinator Benny Urquidez in Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Con Air (1997), The Contract (2006), 1408 (2007), War, Inc. (2008) and Dragon Blade (2015).Apocalypse Now (1979) is one of his favorite films.Has homes in Malibu, California, and Chicago, Illinois.The novel, "Love in the Time of Cholera", by author Gabriel Garc��a M��rquez, is prominently referenced in two John Cusack movies (High Fidelity (2000) and Serendipity (2001)).Has appeared in two movies as a limo driver, Identity (2003) and 2012 (2009), both with co-star Amanda Peet.He was awarded the 1990 Joseph Jefferson Award Citation for Director of a Play for "Methusalem" at the New Crime Productions Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.Has worked twice with Nicolas Cage in the films Con Air (1997) and The Frozen Ground (2013). In the first film, Cusack played a law enforcement officer and Cage played a criminal; in the latter film, the roles were reversed.Attended and graduated from Evanston Township High School, Evanston, Illinois (1980).Was a supporter and follower of U2 frontman Bono's DATA campaign (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa).Choosen by Empire Magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Movie Stars in the World (#70) (2007).Was originally set to play Walter Eberhart in The Stepford Wives (2004). Due to conflicts, he had to drop out and the role went to Matthew Broderick.Was considered for the role of Paul Brenner in The General's Daughter (1999), but was deemed too young at the time, so the role went to John Travolta instead.Last name is pronounced Q-zack.For a long time, he was attached to play the role of Nite Owl in the doomed movie adaptation of Alan Moore's comic-book miniseries, Watchmen (2009).Ranked #15 on Tropopkin magazine's Top 25 Most Intriguing People [Issue #100].Good friends with professional volleyball player, Gabrielle Reece.Featured as #22 on VH1's 100 Greatest Teen Stars countdown. |
| Name: |
John Cusack |
Type: |
Actor,Producer,Writer (IMDB) |
| Area: |
All World |
Platform: |
IMDB |
| Category: |
|
Business scope: |
Actor,Producer,Writer |
| Products for sale: |
Actor,Producer,Writer |
| Model rank: |
181 |
| Last update: |
2024-07-01 03:08:37 |
| Height: |
6' 2' (1.88 m) |
| Biography: |
John Cusack is, like most of his characters, an unconventional hero. Wary of fame and repelled by formulaic Hollywood fare, he has built a successful career playing underdogs and odd men out--all the while avoiding the media spotlight. John was born |
| Trivia: |
Sister Joan Cusack appeared in 10 of his movies:Class (1983), Sixteen Candles (1984), Grandview, U.S.A. (1984), Broadcast News (1987), Say Anything (1989), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Cradle Will Rock (1999), High Fidelity (2000), Martian Child (2007) and War, Inc. (2008).Some kind of reference to his favorite bands (usually The Clash, The Ramones or The Specials) makes at least one appearance in most of his films. Most of the time, he wears a T-shirt of one of the bands (Say Anything (1989), High Fidelity (2000), Must Love Dogs (2005), etc), but sometimes (Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)) he works in a poster of one of the bands. These bands are typically in the soundtracks to his New Criminal's productions, as well.During the famous "boom box serenade" scene in Say Anything (1989), he is actually playing his favorite Fishbone tape on the boom box, while Peter Gabriel's song "In Your Eyes" is played in the movie (source: Cameron Crowe commentary on the DVD).Big fan of punk rock music, his favorite band being the Clash.In 1994, he attended his 10th year high school reunion in Illinois. He and the producers of the film had made a bet that if they came up with financing for Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), they would all attend their high school reunions.Was originally the actor chosen to play John Bender in The Breakfast Club (1985). At the last minute, things changed and the role went to Judd Nelson.Is the subject of the song "Honorable Mention" by the rock band Fall Out Boy.Close friends with actor Jeremy Piven. They have done 10 movies together: One Crazy Summer (1986), Elvis Stories (1989), Say Anything (1989), The Player (1992), Floundering (1994), The Grifters (1990), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Serendipity (2001) and Runaway Jury (2003).He became interested and started training in kickboxing for his role in Say Anything (1989) as his character Lloyd was a fan of the sport. He trained under kickboxing champion Benny Urquidiez and kept training with him for years afterwards as a hobby, eventually gaining a level six black belt Ukidokan kickboxing.He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6644 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on April 24, 2012.Growing up John and his siblings often put on plays at their home. He has mentioned that his older sister Ann once staged a production of "Cinderella" in their living room in which she played Cinderella, sister Joan played the Ugly Stepsister, brother Bill played Prince Charming and John played the dog.Considers the scripts to Max (2002) and Being John Malkovich (1999) the best he has read.On free time, he likes to go "Helicopter Snowboarding" and kickboxing with stunt coordinator Benny Urquidez. Has a black belt in Ukidokan.Beat out Christian Slater for the role of Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything (1989).His performance as Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything (1989) is ranked #72 on Premiere magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.Has a production company called New Crime Productions (that produced Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), and The Jack Bull (1999) among various stage productions) which he founded with two of his high school buddies Steve Pink & D.V. DeVincentis.Was once roommates with Jeremy Piven.Was good friends with Hunter S. Thompson and nearly got to play him in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998).In 2006, when Total Film magazine asked him for a "Top 5" list of his movies, he answered with The Grifters (1990), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), The Thin Red Line (1998), High Fidelity (2000) and Max (2002).Attended a theatre school in Chicago with sisters Joan Cusack and Ann Cusack. The theatre school was managed by the parents of his best friend, Jeremy Piven.He and his good friend Tim Robbins made six movies together: Bob Roberts (1992), Cradle Will Rock (1999), High Fidelity (2000), The Player (1992), The Sure Thing (1985) and Tapeheads (1988).Was considered for the role of Billy Flynn in Chicago (2002). However, he ended up losing the role to Richard Gere.Is Irish-American. The name Cusack is not Slavic as many may believe. It is a Norman name, brought to Ireland when the Normans invaded in 1169. "Cussac" is a city in South Central France.Education: Piven Theatre Workshop (Evanston, Illinois), managed by the parents of actor Jeremy Piven. One semester at New York University.Was named "Stoner of the Year" by High Times magazine in 2010 (for his performance in Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)).Lobbied hard for the role of Thomas "Neo" Anderson in The Matrix (1999) but the role was given to Keanu Reeves.Turned down the role of Fred Haise in Apollo 13 (1995), which went to Bill Paxton.Turned down the role of David Murphy in Indecent Proposal (1993), which went to Woody Harrelson.Brother of Joan Cusack, Ann Cusack, Susie Cusack and Bill Cusack. Son of Dick Cusack (actor, documentary filmmaker) and Nancy Cusack (teacher).Is the product of a passionately liberal Irish Catholic family, visited the radical Berrigan brothers when he was growing up, and, like them, his mother still gets arrested for her anti-militarism and pro-human rights protests.Tested for the role of Madmartigan in Willow (1988) but lost to Val Kilmer.He was rumored to be considered for the role of Walter White on Breaking Bad (2008), which went to Bryan Cranston. Cusack has denied this in later interviews, saying he was never offered the role in any capacity.Has had 24 famous girlfriends: Uma Thurman; Lili Taylor; Claire Forlani; Alison Eastwood; Meg Ryan; Neve Campbell; Minnie Driver; Jennifer Love Hewitt; Jodi Lyn O'Keefe; Corina Katt Ayala; Janice Dickinson; Brooke Burns; Gina Gershon; Shoshanna Gruss; Jami Gertz; Huma Abedin; Rebecca Romijn; Gabriela Spanic; Pamela Anderson; Melissa Gilbert; Sheryl Crow; Susannah Melvoin; Britney Spears; and Alexandra Kerry (*not* all at the same time).Has worked six times with fellow actor/stuntman/fight coordinator Benny Urquidez in Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Con Air (1997), The Contract (2006), 1408 (2007), War, Inc. (2008) and Dragon Blade (2015).Apocalypse Now (1979) is one of his favorite films.Has homes in Malibu, California, and Chicago, Illinois.The novel, "Love in the Time of Cholera", by author Gabriel Garc��a M��rquez, is prominently referenced in two John Cusack movies (High Fidelity (2000) and Serendipity (2001)).Has appeared in two movies as a limo driver, Identity (2003) and 2012 (2009), both with co-star Amanda Peet.He was awarded the 1990 Joseph Jefferson Award Citation for Director of a Play for "Methusalem" at the New Crime Productions Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.Has worked twice with Nicolas Cage in the films Con Air (1997) and The Frozen Ground (2013). In the first film, Cusack played a law enforcement officer and Cage played a criminal; in the latter film, the roles were reversed.Attended and graduated from Evanston Township High School, Evanston, Illinois (1980).Was a supporter and follower of U2 frontman Bono's DATA campaign (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa).Choosen by Empire Magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Movie Stars in the World (#70) (2007).Was originally set to play Walter Eberhart in The Stepford Wives (2004). Due to conflicts, he had to drop out and the role went to Matthew Broderick.Was considered for the role of Paul Brenner in The General's Daughter (1999), but was deemed too young at the time, so the role went to John Travolta instead.Last name is pronounced Q-zack.For a long time, he was attached to play the role of Nite Owl in the doomed movie adaptation of Alan Moore's comic-book miniseries, Watchmen (2009).Ranked #15 on Tropopkin magazine's Top 25 Most Intriguing People [Issue #100].Good friends with professional volleyball player, Gabrielle Reece.Featured as #22 on VH1's 100 Greatest Teen Stars countdown. |
| Trademarks: |
Dark, unruly hair
Distinctive, clipped way of speaking
Offbeat, quirky characters
Tall but often hunched frame |
| Quotes: |
I was a teen star. That's disgusting enough.
<br />
<hr>
[on celebrity] I have a healthy fear of it. I'm not into the celebrity culture aspect of being an artist. To me it represents extinction. The more people know about you, the less they want to try to figure out what you have to say in your movies, and the less credibility you have. To me it seems: Go do your thing, then get out. That's the best way to do it. (January 14, 2004)
<br />
<hr>
Nope, no sex scandals yet. But I am open to offers! (January 14, 2004)
<br />
<hr>
I won't call myself a child actor because that sounds psychotic.
<br />
<hr>
I'm aware of the affection those characters inspired. I feel close to Lloyd in Say Anything (1989). He was like a super-interesting version of me. Only I'm not as good as him. Whatever part of me is romantic and optimistic, I reached into that to play Lloyd. Of course, now it's all gone. Now I'm just bitter. |
| Job title: |
Actor,Producer,Writer |
| Others works: |
(April 1988) Release of the song and the music video for the new song, Suicidal Tendencies: Trip at the Brain (1988), by Suicidal Tendencies, with video appearances by John Cusack (portraying The General), Mike Clark, Rocky George, Bob Heathcote, R.J. Her |
| Children: |
No Children |
| Parents: |
Nancy Cusack (Carolan)
Dick Cusack
Nancy Cusack |
| Relatives: |
Bill Cusack (Sibling)
Susie Cusack (Sibling)
Ann Cusack (Sibling)
Joan Cusack (Sibling) |
|
