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
JOHN CUSACK - IGOR RAISES MALARIA FUNDS - Contactmusic.com
Contactmusic.comJOHN CUSACK - IGOR RAISES MALARIA FUNDSContactmusic.com, UK - 2 hours agoJOHN CUSACK and STEVE BUSCEMI's new animated movie IGOR is helping to combat the threat of malaria in Africa. Charity bosses at Malaria.com got in touch ...
read moreHe’s living in a world of evil. But he’s got a heart of gold. - Man...
He’s living in a world of evil. But he’s got a heart of gold.Manila Bulletin, Philippines - 20 hours agoA hilarious twist on the classic monster movie, Igor tells the story of one Igor (the voice of John Cusack) who’s sick of being a lowly lab assistant with a ...
read moreWar, Inc. - DVD Talk
DVD TalkWar, Inc.DVD Talk, OR - 15 hours agoDisgruntled hitman Hauser (John Cusack) is at the end of his rope, needing to down shots of hot sauce just to feel anything in his life. ...
read moreChicago Eats - Epicurious
Chicago EatsEpicurious - 12 hours agoI half expected to see John Cusack in one corner with a stack of LPs, addressing a camera. The 95th, John Hancock Building. My brother and I spent one night ...
read moreOBAMA MEANS TO MAKE YOU HIS BEEATCH, PALIN TELLS WHITE WOMEN - Dail...
OBAMA MEANS TO MAKE YOU HIS BEEATCH, PALIN TELLS WHITE WOMENDaily Mash (satire), UK - 19 hours ago"Instead of indulging in long slow French kisses with John Cusack's sister, we must do all we can to protect Jeff Bridges and make sure Tim Robbins faces ...
read moreJohn Cusack Says No to Bullying - Ecorazzi
EcorazziJohn Cusack Says No to BullyingEcorazzi, NY - Oct 2, 2008John Cusack, Ellen Degeneres, Sugarland and loads of other celebrities are lending their star power to STOMP Out Bullying. The campaign, sponsored by Love ...
read moreOn Blu-Ray: 1408 - CanMag
On Blu-Ray: 1408CanMag, CA - 9 hours agoMainly, it’s just so clear that you can focus on John Cusack freaking out. Every twitch of his performance conveys everything he intended with no ...
read moreJust a hunch: 'Igor' is ready for his close-up - Ch...
Los Angeles TimesJust a hunch: 'Igor' is ready for his close-upChicago Sun-Times, United States - Sep 18, 2008BY ANGELA DAWSON Entertainment News Wire HOLLYWOOD — No one does earnest and put-upon like Chicago’s John Cusack. No one plays bitter and sarcastic like ...Movie Review For a second-stringer, "Igor" fares pretty well Seattle TimesDoing the monster-movie mash Boston GlobeIgor: Recycled from movies past Toronto StarDeadbolt - Los Angeles Timesall 201 news articles
read moreStrong voice cast can't save "Igor" - Reu...
Washington PostStrong voice cast can't save "Igor"Reuters - Sep 16, 2008But one of these Igors (voiced by John Cusack) dreams of advancing beyond his rank. When his master dies, Igor decides to enter the annual Evil Science Fair ...Review: `Igor' gives hunchbacks a bad name The Associated Pressall 100 news articles
read moreWatching, hoping: A city roots for its favorite child - ESPN
MLB.comWatching, hoping: A city roots for its favorite childESPN - Oct 1, 2008This is about those who watch John Cusack movies, not John Cusack. This is about the North Side ... and the South Side and the West Side and people who know ...Wait of the world Yahoo! Sportsall 285 news articles
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