Cusack, John 1966– (John Cusak)

views updated

CUSACK, John 1966–
(John Cusak)

PERSONAL

Surname is pronounced "Kyu–zack"; full name, John Paul Cusack; born June 28, 1966, in Evanston, IL; son of Richard (an owner of a film production company and actor) and Nancy (a mathematics teacher and owner of a film production company) Cusack; brother of Joan Cusack (an actress), Ann Cusack (an actress), and Susan Cusack (actresses), and Bill (an actor). Education: Briefly attended New York University, 1986; trained for the stage with Byrne and Joyce Piven at Piven Theatre Workshop, Chicago, IL. Avocational Interests: Listening to rap music, reading.

Addresses: Agent— William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Publicist— Wolf/Kasteler PR, 335 N. Maple Dr., Suite 351, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

Career: Actor, producer, and writer. New Crime Productions (a production company) and New Criminals Theatre Company, Chicago, IL, founder, partner, and director, 1986—–; The Actors Gang, member of company; writer and director of musicals for Evanston Township High School; appeared in industrial films and commercials.

Awards, Honors: CFCA Award, most promising actor, Chicago Film Critics Association, 1990, for Say Anything; Joseph Jefferson Award, best direction, 1990, for Methusalem; Blockbuster Entertainment Award, favorite supporting actor in an action/adventure, 1997, for Con Air; Commitment to Chicago Award (with Dick, Nancy, Ann, Bill, Susie, and Joan Cusack), 2000; Screen Actors Guild Award nomination (with others), outstanding performance by a cast in a theatrical motion picture, Independent Spirit Award nomination, best male lead, 2000, ALFS Award nomination, actor of the year, 2001, all for Being John Malkovich; Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actor in a motion picture—comedy/musical, American Comedy Award nomination, funniest actor in a motion picture (leading role), WGA Screen Award nomination(with D. V. DeVincentis, Steve Pink, and Scott Rosenberg), best screenplay based on material previously produced or published, Writers Guild of America, USC Scripter Award nomination (with DeVincentis, Pink, and Rosenberg), Film Award nomination (with DeVincentis, Pink, and Rosenberg), best screenplay—adapted, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and Empire Award nomination, best actor, 2001, all for High Fidelity.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

(Film debut) Roscoe Maibaum, Class, Orion, 1983.

Johnny Maine, Grandview, U.S.A., Warner Bros., 1984.

Bryce, Sixteen Candles, Universal, 1984.

Lane Myer, Better Off Dead (also known as Better Off Dead ... ), Warner Bros., 1985.

Harry, The Journey of Natty Gann, Buena Vista, 1985.

Walter "Gib" Gibson, The Sure Thing, Embassy, 1985.

Hoops McCann, One Crazy Summer, Warner Bros., 1986.

Denny Lachance, Stand by Me, Columbia, 1986.

(As John Cusak) Angry messenger, Broadcast News, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1987.

Dan Bartlett, Hot Pursuit (also known as Persecucion intensa ), Paramount, 1987.

Ivan Alexeev, Tapeheads, De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, 1988.

George "Buck" Weaver, Eight Men Out, Orion, 1988.

Lloyd Dobler, Say Anything (also known as ... Say Anything ... ), Twentieth Century–Fox, 1989.

Michael Merriman, Fat Man and Little Boy (also known as Shadowmakers ), Paramount, 1989.

Corky, Elvis Stories, 1989.

Roy Dillon, The Grifters, Miramax, 1990.

Peter Burton, True Colors, Paramount, 1991.

Student Jack, Shadows and Fog, Orion, 1992.

(As John Cusak) Caspar, Roadside Prophets, Fine Line, 1992.

Himself, The Player, Fine Line, 1992.

Host of "Cutting Edge Live," Bob Roberts, Paramount, 1992.

Joey Coyle, Money for Nothing, Buena Vista, 1993.

Clark (the mapmaker), Map of the Human Heart (also known as Meridian and La carte du tendre ), Miramax, 1993.

Charles Ossining, The Road to Wellville, Columbia, 1994.

J. C., Floundering, Strand Releasing, 1994.

David Shayne, Bullets over Broadway, Miramax, 1994.

Kevin Calhoun, City Hall, Columbia, 1996.

Martin Q. Blank, Grosse Pointe Blank, Buena Vista, 1997.

U.S. Marshal Vince Larkin, Con Air, Buena Vista, 1997.

John Kelso, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Warner Bros., 1997.

Voice of Dimitri, Anastasia (animated), Twentieth Century–Fox, 1997.

Eddie Sharp, This Is My Father (also known as L'histoire de mon pere ), Sony Pictures Classics, 1998.

Captain John Gaff, The Thin Red Line, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1998.

Scary man, Chicago Cab (also known as Hellcab ), Castle Hill, 1998.

(Uncredited) Notting Hill, 1999.

Nelson Rockefeller, The Cradle Will Rock, Buena Vista, 1999.

Craig Schwartz, Being John Malkovich, Propaganda Films, 1999.

Arigo, True Crime Productions, 1999.

Nick Falzone, Pushing Tin (also known as Turbulenzen–und andere Katastrophen ), Twentieth Century–Fox, 1999.

Rob, High Fidelity, Buena Vista, 1999.

Eddie Thomas, America's Sweethearts, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2001.

Jonathan Trager, Serendipity, Miramax, 2001.

Max, Max Rothman, Lions Gate Films, 2002.

(Uncredited) Himself, Adaptation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2002.

Ed, Identity, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2003.

Nicholas Easter, Runaway Jury, Twentieth Century–Fox, 2003.

Himself, Breakfast with Hunter, 2003.

Himself, Road to "The Sure Thing, " MGM/UA Home Entertainment, Inc., 2003.

Film Work:

Coproducer, Grosse Pointe Blank, Buena Vista, 1997.

Executive producer, Chicago Cab (also known as Hellcab ), Castle Hill, 1998.

Producer, Arigo, True Crime Productions, 1999.

Coproducer and music supervisor, High Fidelity, 2000.

Executive producer, Never Get Outta the Boat, Lot 47 Films, 2002.

Associate producer, Max, 2002.

Producer, 2.2, 2002.

Director of the short film Ready or Not.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Voice, Baseball, PBS, 1994.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Myrl Redding, The Jack Bull, HBO, 1999.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Himself, The Making of "Class, " 1983.

An All–Star Celebration: The '88 Vote, ABC, 1988.

Living in America, syndicated, 1991.

The 48th Annual Golden Globe Awards, TBS, 1991.

Rock the Vote, Fox, 1992.

Chicago on Stage, PBS, 1995.

Narrator, Eastwood on Eastwood, TNT, 1997.

Himself, America: A Tribute to Heroes, 2001.

Himself, Concert for New York City, VH1, 2001.

Back in the U.S., ABC, 2002.

The 7th Annual Prism Awards, F/X, 2003.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Voice of Greg, "Our Father Whose Art Ain't Heaven," Frasier, NBC, 1996.

Late Show with David Letterman, CBS, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003.

The View, ABC, 2002.

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NBC, 2003.

On the Record with Bob Costas, HBO, 2003.

Himself, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, syndicated, 2003.

Himself, Extra, syndicated, 2003.

Television Work; Movies:

Executive producer, The Jack Bull, HBO, 1999.

Stage Work:

Producer and director, Alagazam ... After the Dog Year, New Crime Productions, Chicago, IL, 1988.

Director, Methusalem, New Crime Productions, 1989.

Director, The Accidental Death of an Anarchist, New Crime Productions, 1991.

Also directed Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, New Crime Productions.

Stage Appearances:

Violence: The Misadventures of Spike Spangle Farmer, 1986.

WRITINGS

Screenplays:

Grosse Pointe Blank, Buena Vista, 1997.

(With D. V. DeVincentis, Steve Pink, and Scott Rosenberg) High Fidelity (adapted from the novel of the same title by Nick Hornby), Working Title Films, 1999.