John Cusack stands out in Hollywood as an actor who, much like the characters he often portrays, embodies the spirit of an unconventional hero. Shunning the typical trappings of fame and consistently choosing roles that defy formulaic expectations, Cusack has cultivated a remarkable career playing underdogs and outsiders. All the while, he has managed to maintain a relatively low profile, deliberately avoiding the intense glare of the media spotlight.
Born in Evanston, Illinois, John Cusack hails from a thoroughly Irish-American family with deep roots in the entertainment industry. With the exception of his mother, Nancy (née Carolan), a former mathematics teacher, the Cusack family is largely immersed in show business. His father, Dick Cusack, was an actor and documentary filmmaker, and his siblings – Joan Cusack, Ann Cusack, Bill Cusack, and Susie Cusack – have all established themselves as actors. Growing up in this environment, it’s perhaps unsurprising that John, like his siblings, became involved with Chicago’s Piven Theatre Workshop at a young age, joining while still in elementary school. By the age of twelve, he had already accumulated experience in numerous stage productions, commercial voice-overs, and industrial films, laying a solid foundation for his future acting career.
Cusack made his debut in feature films at the age of seventeen, appearing alongside Rob Lowe and Andrew McCarthy in the 1983 romantic comedy Class. This early role provided him with initial exposure in Hollywood. Following this, he gained further recognition as part of Anthony Michael Hall’s group of friends in Sixteen Candles (1984), a role that seemed to position him for a career within the teen movie genre. However, Cusack navigated his career path somewhat differently from the so-called “Brat Pack.” While he remained on the periphery of this group, he consciously avoided the rapid ascent and subsequent decline experienced by many of his contemporaries. Instead, he maintained a steady stream of work, taking on leading roles in films such as The Sure Thing (1985) and Better Off Dead (1985), showcasing his versatility and range even in his early career.
For many, the quintessential image of young John Cusack remains his portrayal of Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything… (1989). This role, often considered his last adolescent part, cemented his status as a teen idol, particularly famous for the iconic scene of Lloyd holding a boombox aloft. A year later, Cusack transitioned to more mature roles, demonstrating his acting range by playing a small-time con artist caught between his manipulative mother and a strong-willed girlfriend in The Grifters (1990). This marked a significant shift from teen comedies to more complex and adult characters.
The subsequent years saw a relative lull in Cusack’s on-screen appearances, but he remained actively engaged in creative projects behind the camera. In 1988, he founded The New Criminals, a Chicago-based theater group modeled after Tim Robbins’ Actors’ Gang in Los Angeles. This initiative aimed to promote politically charged and avant-garde theatrical works, reflecting Cusack’s own artistic inclinations beyond mainstream Hollywood. Four years later, Cusack, along with his high school friends Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis, established a sister film production company, New Crime Productions. This move further solidified his commitment to independent and meaningful film projects.
New Crime Productions’ first feature film was the critically acclaimed dark comedy Grosse Pointe Blank (1997). Cusack not only co-wrote the screenplay but also starred as a disillusioned hitman who returns to his hometown for his ten-year high school reunion and seeks to reconnect with the girl he stood up at prom, played by Minnie Driver. Interestingly, life mirrored art when Cusack attended his own ten-year reunion (as a result of a bet related to the film’s financing) and subsequently entered into a real-life relationship with Driver. This period marked a career resurgence for John Cusack, reminding audiences of his talent and appeal in more mature roles.
Following Grosse Pointe Blank, Cusack took on the role of a federal agent in Con Air (1997), a decision he described as a conscious effort to make “smart business decisions.” He followed this with a role in Clint Eastwood’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997), portraying a journalist from the North who becomes entangled in a murder case in Savannah. These choices demonstrated Cusack’s ability to balance independent film sensibilities with more mainstream projects.
Image alt text: Iconic image of John Cusack as Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything…, holding a boombox over his head, symbolizing youthful romance and 80s cinema.
True to his preference for unconventional material, Cusack’s career took another interesting turn with Being John Malkovich (1999). Almost unrecognizable with long hair, a beard, and glasses, he delivered a compelling performance as a frustrated puppeteer who discovers a portal into the mind of actor John Malkovich. This unique and quirky role earned him a Best Actor nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards, further solidifying his reputation for taking on challenging and offbeat characters.
In 2000, Cusack returned to a more familiar, clean-shaven look in High Fidelity (2000), another production from New Crime. He collaborated with Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis to adapt Nick Hornby’s popular novel, relocating the story to their native Chicago. Cusack starred as the sarcastic record store owner who revisits his “Top 5” breakups in an attempt to understand his romantic misfortunes. High Fidelity became another critical and commercial success for Cusack, showcasing his ability to connect with audiences through relatable and nuanced characters.
In his personal life, John Cusack has been romantically linked to several well-known personalities, including Minnie Driver, Alison Eastwood, Claire Forlani, and Neve Campbell. He also maintains strong family ties, frequently acting alongside his sister Joan Cusack and often including other Cusack family members in his film projects. This emphasis on family and long-term collaborations reflects his grounded approach to his career and life.
While consistently working on diverse projects, John Cusack has expressed that he is still striving towards his ultimate artistic aspiration: to be involved in a truly “great piece of art.” This ongoing pursuit of artistic excellence, combined with his dedication to unconventional roles and his avoidance of the typical Hollywood hype machine, defines John Cusack’s enduring and respected presence in the film industry.
Image alt text: John Cusack and Joan Cusack acting together in Grosse Pointe Blank, highlighting their sibling collaboration in film and their Chicago roots.
