John Cusack with his sisters. | Source: Getty Images
John Cusack isn’t the only talented thespian in his family. His sisters, Anne, Joan, and Susie Cusack, are actors too, and one of them has even been nominated for an Oscar.
John Cusack started acting in 1983, and he hasn’t stopped since. The actor has over seventy-five movies to his credit, ranging from rom-coms to thrillers and dramas.
But he isn’t the only star in his family. John Cusack’s sisters are actresses too. It seems as if acting talent is in the Cusack DNA, inherited from their dad, actor and director Dick Cusack.
John Cusack at the “Chi-Raq” press conference at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival in 2016. | Source: Getty Images
Born on June 28, 1966, in Evanston, Illinois, John Cusack took to the stage as a child, and by age 12, he was a theater veteran. At 17, he landed a role in the 1983 movie “Class” with Rob Lowe and Andrew McCarthy.
In the 2007 comedy “Martian Child,” Joan played John’s supportive sister, and their real-life relationship was transported onto the screen.
In 1985, John was cast in the lead of the hit rom-com “The Sure Thing,” and his career took off. His status as a teen heartthrob was consolidated, and throughout the 80s, John averaged two motion pictures a year.
One of his most iconic roles was in the 1989 cult film “Say Anything,” for which he won the Chicago Film Critics Association’s award for Most Promising Actor.
The 90s saw John break out of the mold with the powerful Stephen Frears drama “The Grifters,” opposite Anjelica Huston and Annette Bening.
While so many teen idols of the 80s and 90s fell by the wayside and vanished into obscurity, John has worked constantly, averaging two movies a year over the last four decades.
Joan Cusack at the “Friends With Money” Los Angeles premiere in 2016. | Source: Getty Images
John Cusack’s Three Sisters Are All Actors Too
John grew up with three actresses: Ann, Joan, and Susie Cusack. Ann and Joan are his big sisters, and Susie is the family’s baby, including brother Bill Cusack, an actor and producer.
The best-known of the Cusack sisters is Joan, who was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. One was in “Working Girl” in 1988, where she played Melanie Griffith’s best friend, and the other was for the comedy “In & Out” in 1997, as the fiancée of a man who “comes out” on the eve of his wedding.
Like John, Joan is a phenomenally busy actress, with over 50 films to her credit since 1980, among them the hugely successful “Toy Story” franchise in which she gives voice to Jessie.
In tandem with her busy work life, Joan is also a mother. She has two sons, Dylan, born in 1997, and Miles, born in 2000, whom she shares with her husband, Richard Burke.
Ann Cusack at the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund’s 17th Annual Les Girls Cabaret in 2017 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Ann Cusack
The oldest of the Cusack sisters, Ann, was born on May 22, 1961. Like her brother John, Ann started in the theater and moved to making movies later than her younger siblings.
Her first movie role was in 1991 in “A League of Their Own,” and she has made 26 movies since then. She worked with John in some of his films, namely “Grosse Pointe Blank” and “America’s Sweethearts.”
Ann has guested in some of the most successful TV series over the last four decades, among them “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Grimm,” “Mr. Mercedes,” “Fargo,” “Better Call Saul,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “The Boys,” “Ally McBeal,” and “Private Practice.”
John Cusack, Dustin Hoffman, Lisa Hoffman and Susie Cusack at the world premiere of “Hero” in Century City, California in 1992. | Source: Getty Images.
Susie Cusack
Susie Cusack is the family’s baby, and she was born on May 24, 1971. Like her sister Ann, Susie started working on films in the early 90s in Robert Altman’s 1993 film, “Short Cuts.”
Her second foray into cinema was in the 1996 comedy, “Not Again!” In 2000, she co-starred with her brother John in Stephen Frear’s romantic drama, “High Fidelity.”
Susie took a brief detour into music in the 90s and spent a week as a backup singer for Chloe Sweeney’s alternative rock band, Canned Travolta.
Movies Where John Starred Together with His Sister Joan
While John has worked with all three sisters, it is with Joan that he has the closest professional relationship. He co-starred with her in his first movie, “Class,” the Molly Ringwald movie “Sixteen Candles,” as well as in “High Fidelity,” “Grandview, U.S.A.” “War Inc.” and “Cradle Will Rock.”
The two co-starred in ten movies, including the Academy Award-nominated “Broadcast News” and “Say Anything.”
In the 2007 comedy “Martian Child,” Joan played John’s supportive sister, and their real-life relationship was transported onto the screen.
