John Cusack biography
John Paul Cusack (born June 28, 1966) is an United States film actor and screenwriter. He won the 1990 Most Promising Actor CFCA Award for
Say Anything., the 1998 Favorite Supporting Actor Blockbuster Entertainment Award for
Con Air, and the 2000 Commitment to Chicago Award.
Biography
Early life
Cusack was born in Evanston, Illinois, to an Irish American Catholic family. His father, Dick Cusack (1925—2003), and siblings Ann Cusack, Joan Cusack, Bill Cusack, and Susie Cusack have also been actors; his father was also a Documentary film filmmaker, owned a film production company and was a friend of activist Philip Berrigan. Cusack's mother, Nancy, is a former mathematics teacher and political activist. Cusack spent a year at New York University before dropping out, saying that he had "too much fire in his belly".
Career
Cusack gained fame in the mid-1980s after appearing in teen movies such as
Better Off Dead (film),
The Sure Thing,
One Crazy Summer, and
Sixteen Candles. Cusack made a cameo in the 1988 music video for "Trip At The Brain" by Suicidal Tendencies. His biggest success in that genre is arguably his starring role as Lloyd Dobler in Cameron Crowe's
Say Anything (film). His roles broadened in the late 1980s and early 1990s with more serious-minded fare such as the political satire
True Colors (1991 film) and the film noir thriller
The Grifters (film).
Cusack became a proven box office success with his roles in the dark comedy
Grosse Pointe Blank and the Jerry Bruckheimer blockbuster
Con Air. In the years hence, his range of films has diversified, appearing in roles such as an obsessive puppeteer in
Being John Malkovich, a lovelorn record store owner in
High Fidelity (film), and a Jewish art dealer mentoring a young Adolf Hitler in
Max (film). He starred in the horror film
1408 (film), based on Stephen King's 1408 (short story) of the same name. He next appeared as a widowed father in the Iraq War-themed drama
Grace Is Gone (film) and as assassin Brand Hauser in the dark political satire,
War, Inc, along with Hilary Duff and sister Joan Cusack.
Joan Cusack and his close friend Jeremy Piven have appeared in many of his films. The siblings appeared as two geeks in
Sixteen Candles: John as one of Farmer Ted's posse, and Joan as the geek with the neck brace. They also appeared together in
High Fidelity (film),
Grosse Pointe Blank,
Cradle Will Rock,
Martian Child and
Say Anything. Piven and Cusack played opposite one another in
One Crazy Summer,
Serendipity (film), and
Grosse Pointe Blank. Cusack also had a brief cameo, seen from behind but speaking a line of dialogue, in
Broadcast News, in which Joan also appeared. Piven also had roles in
Say Anything,
The Grifters and
Runaway Jury.
Personal and political life
Cusack is fiercely protective of his private life; he has said that "celebrity is the worst thing that can happen to an actor." Since May 2005, he has been an occasional contributing wikt:Blogger at
The Huffington Post, including an interview with Naomi Klein. He has written extensively on his opposition to the Iraq war and his disdain for the George W. Bush administration, calling their worldview "depressing, corrupt, unlawful, and tragically absurd". He also appeared in a June 2008 Moveon.org ad, where he makes the claim that George W. Bush and John McCain have the same governing priorities.
Cusack has an allegiance to both the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox, for which, he says, he's "in trouble there for that." He has led the crowd in a performance of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" at Wrigley Field.
John Cusack in the news
New 2012 trailer, see video here, John Cusack, Amanda Peet - Examin...
MTV.comNew 2012 trailer, see video here, John Cusack, Amanda PeetExaminer.comThe film stars John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Danny Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Oliver Platt and Thandie Newton. From the trailer below the film looks to utilize ...The end is nigh: John Cusack in fight for survival in apocalyptic ...Daily MailThe new '2012' trailer will make you cry tears of fire and carnageEntertainment Weekly2012 Trailer With John Cusack And Chiwetel EjioforThe Cinema Posthecklerspray -Examiner.com -Examiner.comall 44 news articles »
read moreComing-of-age film soundtracks: The '80s - Entertainment We...
Coming-of-age film soundtracks: The '80sEntertainment WeeklyExtra Credit viewing: Some Kind of Wonderful, St. Elmo's Fire, Say Anything (John Cusack + Peter Gabriel + boom box = teen swoons 4ever) For discussion: ...and more »
read moreWe can't predict the future (and I'm just fine with...
Dallas Morning NewsWe can't predict the future (and I'm just fine with that)Dallas Morning NewsBut then I found out he'd seen a trailer for a new John Cusack movie called 2012, which comes from the director of Independence Day. ...and more »
read moreMovie trailer roundup: New clips feature Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey .....
Movie trailer roundup: New clips feature Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey ...MLive.com... and Ricky Gervais; Amelia Earhart biopic "Amelia," starring Hilary Swank; and the latest clip for "2012," which proves John Cusack needs a new agent. ...and more »
read moreDad Is Distracted by Life, Work and a Motherless 10-Year-Old Daught...
New York TimesDad Is Distracted by Life, Work and a Motherless 10-Year-Old DaughterNew York Times... and the consequent struggles of grieving single dads has been an epidemic in Hollywood for a long time, and not only in movies starring John Cusack. ..."Quiet Chaos"IFCall 4 news articles »
read moreHollywood Notes: Adam Sandler, John Cusack, Russell Crowe - So Hood
Hollywood Notes: Adam Sandler, John Cusack, Russell CroweSo HoodAdam Sandler, John Cusack, Russell Crowe and Mark Wahlberg are among the celebrities who will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010. ...and more »
read moreToday in History - June 28 - The Associated Press
Today in History - June 28The Associated PressActor John Cusack is 43. Actor Gil Bellows is 42. Actress-singer Danielle Brisebois is 40. Jazz musician Jimmy Sommers is 40. Actress Tichina Arnold is 38. ...and more »
read moreThe top 5 Indie Comedies of all time (part one) - Examiner.com
Examiner.comThe top 5 Indie Comedies of all time (part one)Examiner.comTo borrow a phrase from John Cusack's Rob Gordon (High Fidelity), here are the top five Indie Comedies of All Time, in no particular order. ...and more »
read moreThe Campaign For the End of the World - mediabistro.com
The Campaign For the End of the Worldmediabistro.com... lottery (and lucky enough to win a spot) will end up on giant Noah's-ark(s)-of-the-future with giraffes and John Cusack, who finally isn't in a romcom. ...and more »
read moreReel Talk with Stephen Farber - LA Weekly
Reel Talk with Stephen FarberLA Weekly... Reporter movie critic, who's sat across everyone from Michael Caine to John Cusack, screening Max Mayer's Sundance prize-winning Adam (Fox Searchlight). ...and more »
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