Person Biography:
John Cusack is an unconventional hero who has built a successful career playing underdogs and odd men out. Born in Evanston, Illinois, to an Irish-American family, he comes from a show business family with his father, Dick Cusack, being an actor and filmmaker, and his siblings, Joan, Ann, Bill, and Susie, all being thespians.
John started his acting career at a young age, becoming a member of Chicago's Piven Theatre Workshop while still in elementary school. He made his feature film debut at 17 in the romantic comedy Class (1983) and went on to star in films like Sixteen Candles (1984),The Sure Thing (1985),Better Off Dead (1985),and Say Anything (1989).
In the 1990s, John's career slowed down, but he filled the gaps by directing and producing several shows for the Chicago-based theater group The New Criminals, which he founded in 1988. He also co-founded New Crime Productions with his friends Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis, which produced the comedy Grosse Pointe Blank (1997).
John's career renaissance began with Grosse Pointe Blank, which he co-scripted and starred in as a world-weary hit man. He went on to star in films like Con Air (1997),Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997),Being John Malkovich (1999),and High Fidelity (2000).
John has always favored offbeat material and has been romantically linked with several celebrities, including Minnie Driver, Alison Eastwood, Claire Forlani, and Neve Campbell. He has also acted frequently opposite his sister Joan Cusack and has pulled other Cusacks into his films on a regular basis. Despite his success, John admits that he still hasn't reached his ultimate goal of being involved in a "great piece of art."
