Joan Cusack

Actress Joan Cusack is a star of the silver screen who has never been afraid to take on a challenge. Born in New York City, New York, Cusack is the daughter of advertising executive, writer, and actor Dick Cusack and math teacher Nancy (née Carolan). She is the eldest of five siblings - Susie Cusack, John Cusack, Ann Cusack, and Bill Cusack - who are all actors as well. All five Cusack's can trace their roots back to Ireland. The daughter of two hardworking and creative parents, Joan was encouraged to explore her own creativity from a young age. She found her niche in the performing arts, joining the Piven Theater Workshop in her hometown of Evanston, Illinois. It was here that she honed her improvisational skills - a skill that would later prove invaluable when she joined the cast of the legendary "Saturday Night Live." After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor's degree in English, Cusack set out to make her mark on Hollywood. She landed her first major role in the acclaimed Broadcast News (1987) and was met with critical acclaim. This success was followed by an Oscar nomination for her performance in Working Girl (1988). She continued to appear in iconic films such as Addams Family Values (1993), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), and In & Out (1997), for which she earned a second Oscar nomination. Cusack also provided the voice of the lovable Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl in Toy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story 3 (2010). On television, Cusack landed a role on the Showtime series "Shameless" which earned her an Emmy nomination. She has also made guest appearances on numerous other shows and starred in the musical comedy "School of Rock." Cusack is married to an attorney, Dick Burke, and they have two sons - Dylan and Miles. Although she has achieved great success in her career, Cusack likes to joke that she is still looking for her big break!