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John Cusack
Celebrity is death. . . . celebrity–that’s the worst thing that can happen to an actor.
— John Cusack
THERE are scads of critics who endorse John Cusack as the finest actor of his generation — when you look at the field, you begin to see their point. While so many “Brat Pack” members soured into box-office poison before reaching 30 — and we needn’t name names — Cusack was one of the few of that ilk to successfully graduate from coming-of-age schlock to adult dramatic roles. He believes his continued success in Hollywood stems from his refusal to sell out: “I haven’t sold out so far, although I have made bad movies. By selling out, I mean crashing cars, pulling out guns, killing people — idiotic stories. If you see the words ‘there’s an eerie silence’ a few times in a script, that’s a clue.”
Born to an iconoclastic Irish Catholic clan stuffed to the gills with showbiz talent, Cusack wasn’t out of the second grade before he became a member of the Piven Theatre Workshop, a breeding ground for Chicago’s theatre stars (other alumni include Aidan Quinn and Cusack’s siblings, Joan, Susan, and Ann). By his 12th birthday, he had appeared in a string of industry films, acted in radio spots, and provided voice-overs for commercials. At 17, Cusack landed his first feature role, in the teen sex comedy Class (1983).
Following on the heels of Class, an ensuing spate of well-intentioned teen flicks — Sixteen Candles (1984), Better Off Dead (1985), The Sure Thing (1985), and Say Anything (1989) — made the boyish-looking, freckle- faced actor a thinking-girl’s heartthrob. Say Anything (1989) showcased Cusack as a high school loser-with-a-heart-of-gold who desperately courts the overachieving, Miss Perfect class valedictorian (played by Ione Skye) — it’s a tale as old as time and oft- rehashed, but rarely has it been told better. The film’s many now-classic scenes (like the one in which Cusack’s rain-soaked, lovesick character Lloyd blares Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” from his boom box to serenade Skye’s Diane) effectively confirmed that Cusack was more than capable of carrying a film. He won his first grown-up dramatic lead in the noirish film The Grifters (1990), deftly playing a small- time hustler caught between the rapacious attentions of two rival women — his professional grifter mother (Anjelica Huston) and his lover (Annette Bening). Cusack has continued to enjoy castings opposite box-office champs. From memorable bit cameos in Bob Roberts and The Player, to dramatic turns in True Colors, Shadows and Fog, and Map of the Human Heart, to comic roles in Money for Nothing, and Bullets Over Broadway, Cusack continues to perform with a virtuosity and sophistication belied by his innocent choirboy looks.
So far, despite many fine performances, Cusack hasn’t launched into the realms of superstardom. Not that he cares. With his taste for the offbeat, combined with his continued loathing (what he terms “chronic rebellion disorder”) for celebrity and for semi-literate, sensationalist filmmaking, it’s likely his feelings won’t be hurt if he doesn’t command leads in the type of conventional big-budget flicks that keep the Tom Cruises of Hollywood in the $20-million club. In fact, Cusack recoiled from a role in Indecent Proposal (”Indecent Proposal? Why would I want to watch Demi Moore f–k Donald Trump and make stupid faces?”) and from Bill Paxton’s part in Apollo 13. You have to admit, the guy’s got heart.
A confirmed Chicagoan, Cusack for the most part shuns the sunny climes of Hollywood in favor of life in the Windy City, where he lends his producer and director skills — not to mention financial support — to his Chicago-based theatre group, the New Criminals (he formed the group in 1988 as an outgrowth of Tim Robbins’ L.A.-based Actor’s Gang), and to its companion film production company, New Crime Productions, through which Cusack has pledged to develop “material that transcends the genre of blockbuster formula films, and to impress upon the medium the same kind of spirit, energy, and sincerity that we attempt in our theatre company.” Formed in conjunction with Paramount in 1992, New Crime signed a long-term, first-look deal with Castle Rock Entertainment that will allow Cusack and his partners, Steven Pink and D.V. DeVincentis, to write and produce films, some of which will be starring vehicles for Cusack.
Apart from scoring his plush production deal with Castle Rock, Cusack’s acting career heated up considerably in 1997: he helmed the sleeper hit Grosse Pointe Blank, a black comedy he also co-wrote and co-produced (a sequel is already in the works); he co-starred in Touchstone’s Con Air, a hijacking-themed flick in which he played a federal marshal to Nicolas Cage’s sympathetic convict; he provided the voice of a con man-turned-lovestruck suitor in Twentieth Century Fox’s animated romance Anastasia; and he starred in director Clint Eastwood’s adaptation of author John Berendt’s best-selling non-fiction study of a Savannah murder trial, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Though 1998 proved comparatively slow-paced, Cusack logged performances in Hell Cab, Terrence Malick’s heralded war drama The Thin Red Line, and Aidan Quinn’s producing debut film This Is My Father. He kicked off 1999 with a headlining role alongside Billy Bob Thornton in the Mike Newell-directed Pushing Tin, and finished out the year with a starring turn in the wildly inventive indie production Being John Malkovich, which positioned Cusack as a down-on-his-luck puppeteer whose life takes a turn for the surreal when he discovers a mysterious portal into the mind of actor John Malkovich. He was at his endearing best the following year in the lead role of Steven Frears’ winning adaptation of Nick Hornby’s cult-fave novel High Fidelity; Cusack also logged co-producing and writing credits for the film.
Occupation: Actor, Playwright, Producer, Stage director
Date of Birth: June 28, 1966
Place of Birth: Evanston, Ill., USA
Sign: Sun in Cancer, Moon in Scorpio
Relations: Father: Richard (actor, documentary filmmaker); mother: Nancy (teacher); sisters: Joan (actress), Susan (actress), Ann (singer); brother: Bill (actor); companion: Neve Campbell (actress)
Education: Piven Theatre Workshop, Evanston
Fan Mail: C/O William Morris Agency
151 El Camino Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
USA
John Cusack: Credits
MOVIES
Actor
High Fidelity — 2000
Cradle Will Rock — 1999
Being John Malkovich — 1999
This Is My Father — 1999
Pushing Tin — 1999
The Thin Red Line — 1998
Con Air — 1997
Grosse Pointe Blank — 1997
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil — 1997
City Hall — 1996
Road to Wellville — 1994
Floundering — 1994
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle — 1994
Bullets Over Broadway — 1994
Money for Nothing — 1993
Map of the Human Heart — 1993
Roadside Prophets — 1992
Shadows and Fog — 1992
Bob Roberts — 1992
The Player — 1992
True Colors — 1991
The Grifters — 1990
Say Anything … — 1989
Fat Man and Little Boy — 1989
Married to the Mob — 1988
Stars and Bars — 1988
Tapeheads — 1988
Eight Men Out — 1988
Broadcast News — 1987
Hot Pursuit — 1987
Stand by Me — 1986
One Crazy Summer — 1986
The Sure Thing — 1985
Heaven Help Us — 1985
Better Off Dead — 1985
The Journey of Natty Gann — 1985
Grandview, U.S.A. — 1984
Screenwriter
Grosse Pointe Blank — 1997
Other Movie Credits
High Fidelity — 2000 (Co-Screenwriter)
High Fidelity — 2000 (Co-Producer)
Grosse Pointe Blank — 1997 (Co-Producer)
Anastasia — 1997 (Voice only)
TV
Baseball — 1994 (Miniseries; voice only)
Frasier — 1993 (Episode; voice only)
Cusack, John Web sites
Being John Malkovich
Official site for the film includes news, trailer and pictures. The film stars John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener and John Malkovich.
http://www.beingjohnmalkovich.com/
Last reviewed by DottieHinkle
John Cusack Fan Club
Unofficial John Cusack Fan Club features daily news, over 500 pictures, chat room, filmography, 6 message boards, free wallpaper, trivia and more.
http://www.johncusackfanclub.com/
Last reviewed by DottieHinkle
Mr. Showbiz Celebrities: John Cusack Profile
Photo, bio, news, and credits.
http://mrshowbiz.go.com/people/johncusack/
Last reviewed by ccrowe21
Ultimate John Cusack Site
Archive of John Cusack information contains news, filmography, pictures, biography, links, downloads and articles.
http://wso.williams.edu/~sorme/
Last reviewed by astrother
Chloe’s John Cusack Area
Contains filmography, trailers, audio, chat room, greeting cards, pictures and links.
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Lot/1193/C…
Last reviewed by johncusack51
In Hot Pursuit of John Cusack
A comprehensive listing of John Cusack sites on the web, links, articles, pictures, trivia.
http://www.mindspring.com/~dholaday/cusack/
Last reviewed by johncusack51
Internet Movie Database: John Cusack
Complete filmography for John Cusack along with related links.
http://us.imdb.com/Name?Cusack,+John
Last reviewed by DottieHinkle
John Cusack Dares To Be Great
Contains news, forum, biography, filmography, photos, reviews and articles. Also quotes, audio,links, Webrings, contact info and mailing list.
http://www.john-cusack.com/
Last reviewed by astrother
John Cusack Online
Biography, filmography, articles & interviews, movie trailers, chat, photos and news.
http://members.tripod.com/liaf8/
Last reviewed by DottieHinkle
John Cusack’s Room
Site is in Japanese only, but contains pictures, links, and movie clips that can be viewed without knowledge of the language.
http://www.nasu-net.or.jp/~rico/
Last reviewed by DottieHinkle
The Many Faces of John Cusack
Comprehensive fan site from the UK, has most of the usual fan site information, but also includes information that those from the UK may find especially appealing
http://www.john-cusack.co.uk/
Last reviewed by chuck1229
The Society for the Future Ex-wives of John Cusack
A humorous site, here primarily for the amusement of John Cusack fans worldwide, but if John should ever come across it and decide to make honest ex-wives out of us, we wouldn’t say no!
http://www.geocities.com/exmrscusack/
Last reviewed by lwright78
Thin Red Line, The
Fox’s official site features move information and a Flash or Quicktime trailer.
http://www.foxmovies.com/thinredline/
Last reviewed by DottieHinkle
Wall of Sound: John Cusack High Fidelity Interview
An in-depth interview with the actor about his current film “High Fidelity.”
http://wallofsound.go.com/features/hifi/cusack_int…
Last reviewed by hvrijsse
A Johnny Cusack Page - Created for John
Devoted to actor John Cusack, with sound clips, mailing list, photos and links.
http://members.tripod.com/~ems82_66jc/
Last reviewed by DottieHinkle
Art of John Cusack
Filmography with commentary, photo galleries, and links.
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Theater/9916/
Last reviewed by Lady_Tasha
Casa De Cusack
This is a shrine to Cusack…to his “moneyness.” Enjoy your stay at Casa De Cusack…
http://members.aol.com/ScottSez/cusack.html
Last reviewed by Lady_Tasha
Cusack Scoops by Snoop!
Up-to-date news and gossip on John Cusack
http://www.geocities.com/cusackscoops/
Last reviewed by Dan_Koboldt
E! Online’s Q&A With John Cusack
Interview with sound and video clips.
http://www.eonline.com/Hot/Qa/Cusack/
Last reviewed by ccrowe21
Grosse Misconduct
Biography, photo galleries, filmography and miscellaneous.
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/LeftBank/6423/johnc…
Last reviewed by DottieHinkle
Photo Gallery
Topics: Celebrities, Producer
Tags: Actor, John Cusack, Movies, Screenwriter
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