John Cusack

John Paul Cusack (; born June 28, 1966) is an American actor, producer, and screenwriter. He began acting in films during the 1980s and has since starred in a number of movies, including Better Off Dead (1985), Say Anything... (1989), Bullets over Broadway (1994), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Being John Malkovich (1999), High Fidelity (2000), 1408 (2007), Igor (2008), 2012 (2009), The Raven (2012) and Love and Mercy (2014).
==Early life==
Cusack was born in 1966 in Evanston, Illinois. He was born into an Irish Catholic family, the son of writer-actor-producer and documentary filmmaker Richard J. Cusack and Ann Paula "Nancy" (née Carolan) Cusack, a former mathematics teacher and political activist. His father, Richard Cusack (1925–2003), was an actor, along with John's siblings Ann, Joan; additional siblings are Bill and Susie. They had moved from Manhattan, New York, to Illinois. Richard was also a documentary filmmaker"Being John Cusack." guardian.co.uk. July 1, 2000. who owned a film production companyJohn Cusack Biography (1966-). FilmReference.com. and was a friend of activist Philip Berrigan."Actor John johan on Hitler, politics and his movie 'Max'." Beliefnet.com. Cusack graduated from Evanston Township High School in 1984, where he met Jeremy Piven, and spent a year at New York University before dropping out, saying that he had "too much fire in his belly".
==Career==
Cusack began acting in films in the early 1980s. He made his breakout role in Rob Reiner's The Sure Thing (1985). He also starred in Cameron Crowe's directorial debut film, Say Anything... (1989). Cusack played a con artist in Stephen Frears' 1990 neo-noir film The Grifters. After establishing New Crime Productions, Cusack co-wrote the screenplay for and starred in George Armitage's crime film Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), in which he played an assassin who goes to his 10-year high school reunion to win back his high school sweetheart."Actor John Cusack." NPR.org.
In Spike Jonze's fantasy film Being John Malkovich (1999), Cusack played a puppeteer who finds a portal leading into the mind of the eponymous actor, John Malkovich. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Director (Jonze), Best Original Screenplay (Charlie Kaufman) and Best Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener). Cusack was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his performance in High Fidelity (2000), based on Nick Hornby's novel. In Roland Emmerich's disaster film 2012 (2009), he played a struggling novelist who attempts to survive the apocalypse and save mankind. Cusack played Edgar Allan Poe in James McTeigue's biopic film The Raven (2012) and starred in David Cronenberg's Maps to the Stars (2014).
Later, he starred in video on demand films, including The Factory, The Numbers Station, The Frozen Ground, Drive Hard (2014), The Prince (2014), Reclaim (2014), Cell (2016), Arsenal (2017), Blood Money (2017) and Singularity (2017).
In 2014, Cusack criticized Hollywood saying the mega-corporations have stepped in with 50-producer movies, franchises being king, and stars being used as leverage. He called Hollywood, "a whorehouse and people go mad."
==Politics==
Between 2005 and 2009, Cusack wrote blogs for The Huffington Post, which included an interview with Naomi Klein. He voiced his opposition to the war in Iraq and the Bush administration, calling the Bush administration's worldview "depressing, corrupt, unlawful, and tragically absurd".John Cusack - Politics on The Huffington Post. He also appeared in a June 2008 MoveOn.org advertisement, where he made the claim that George W. Bush and John McCain have the same governing priorities.
Cusack criticized the Obama administration for its drone policy in the Middle East and its support of the National Defense Authorization Act, and became one of the initial supporters of the Freedom of the Press Foundation in 2012. In June 2015, he stated in an interview with The Daily Beast that "when you talk about drones, the American Empire, the NSA, civil liberties, attacks on journalism and whistleblowers, (Obama) is as bad or worse than Bush". However, he later scolded the publication for misquoting him in order to make an interesting headline.
In 2015, Cusack, Daniel Ellsberg and Arundhati Roy met Edward Snowden, a fugitive from the US because of his leaks of classified information, at a Moscow hotel room. This meeting was converted into a book co-authored with Roy titled Things That Can and Cannot Be Said. The book is mainly a transcript of the conversation between Snowden, Roy, and Cusack, with a selection of relevant photos and illustrations as well as a detailed list of references.
Cusack endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders in his 2016 and 2020 presidential bids. He is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.
He is anti-war, having tweeted, “Being anti-war — is pro-troops — pro-human”.
=== Israeli-Palestinian conflict ===
During the 2014 Israel Gaza conflict, Cusack supported the Palestinians on social media. He tweeted from the region a number of pro-Gaza articles. One tweet read, "Bombing people who can't escape not [sic] defense - does not mean one supports Hamas means to be against murder as solution to political problem".
In 2018, after Lorde cancelled performances in Israel due to pressure from the BDS movement, Cusack was among more than a hundred writers, actors, director, and musicians who signed a letter defending Lorde's "freedom of conscience".
In June 2019, Cusack was widely criticized for an antisemitic tweet featuring an image of a large fist with of a blue Star of David crushing a small crowd of people next to a quote misattributed to Voltaire: "To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize". The quote is actually that of white supremacist and neo-Nazi Kevin Alfred Strom. In the tweet, Cusack added the words "Follow the money". He later blamed it on a "bot", then defended it, then apologized and deleted the tweet."
==Personal life==
Cusack trained in kickboxing under former world kickboxing champion Benny Urquidez for over two decades. He began training under Urquidez in preparation for his role in Say Anything... and holds the rank of a level six black belt in Urquidez's Ukidokan Kickboxing system.Ukidokan Black Belts and Levels . URL accessed on March 19, 2010.
In March 2008, police arrested Emily Leatherman outside Cusack's Malibu, California home for stalking him. On October 10, 2008, Leatherman pleaded no contest and received five years' probation and mandatory psychiatric counseling, and was ordered to stay away from Cusack, his home, and business for the next ten years.Accused John Cusack stalker, Emily Leatherman, accepts plea deal. New York Daily News. October 10, 2008.
When asked in 2009 why he had never married, he answered, "society doesn't tell me what to do."Andrew Goldman, "Being John Cusack", Elle magazine, November 23, 2009. URL accessed on January 20, 2018.
==Filmography==
===Film===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
1983	Class 	Roscoe Maibaum 	
1984	Sixteen Candles 	Bryce 	
1984	Grandview, U.S.A. 	Johnny Maine 	
1985	The Sure Thing 	Walter "Gib" Gibson 	
1985	Better Off Dead 	Lane Meyer 	
1985	The Journey of Natty Gann 	Harry 	
1986	Stand by Me 	Dennis "Denny" Lachance 	
1986	One Crazy Summer 	Hoops McCann 	
1987	Hot Pursuit 	Dan Bartlett 	
1987	Broadcast News 	Angry Messenger 	
1988	Tapeheads 	Ivan Alexeev 	
1988	Eight Men Out 	Buck Weaver 	
1989	Say Anything... 	Lloyd Dobler 	
1989	Fat Man and Little Boy 	Michael Merriman 	
1990	The Grifters 	Roy Dillon 	
1991	True Colors 	Peter Burton 	
1991	Shadows and Fog 	Student Jack 	
1992	Roadside Prophets 	Caspar 	
1992	The Player 	Himself 	Cameo
1992	Map of the Human Heart 	The Mapmaker 	
1992	Bob Roberts 	Cutting Edge Host 	
1993	Money for Nothing 	Joey Coyle 	
1994	Floundering 	JC 	
1994	Bullets over Broadway 	David Shayne 	
1994	The Road to Wellville 	Charles Ossining 	
1996	City Hall 	Deputy Mayor Kevin Calhoun	
1997	Grosse Pointe Blank 	Martin Q. Blank 	Also co-writer and producer
1997	Con Air 	U.S. Marshal Vince Larkin 	
1997	Chicago Cab 	Scary Man 	
1997	Anastasia 	Dimitri 	Voice
1997	Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil	John Kelso 	
1998	This Is My Father 	Eddie Sharp 	
1998	The Thin Red Line 	Captain Gaff 	
1999	Pushing Tin 	Nick Falzone 	
1999	Cradle Will Rock 	Nelson Rockefeller 	
1999	Being John Malkovich 	Craig Schwartz 	
2000	High Fidelity 	Rob Gordon 	Also co-writer and producer
2001	America's Sweethearts 	Eddie Thomas 	
2001	Serendipity 	Jonathan Trager 	
2002	Max 	Max Rothman 	Also associate producer
2002	Adaptation 	Himself 	Uncredited cameo
2003	Identity 	Edward "Ed" Dakota 	
2003	Runaway Jury 	Nicholas Easter 	
2005	Must Love Dogs 	Jake Anderson 	
2005	The Ice Harvest 	Charlie Arglist 	
2006	The Contract 	Ray Keene 	
2007	Grace Is Gone 	Stanley Philipps 	Also producer
2007	1408 	Michael "Mike" Enslin 	
2007	Martian Child 	David Gordon 	
2008	War, Inc. 	Brand Hauser 	Also co-writer and producer
2008	Igor 	Igor 	Voice
2009	2012 	Jackson Curtis 	
2010	Hot Tub Time Machine 	Adam Yates 	Also producer
2010	Shanghai 	Paul Soames 	
2012	The Raven 	Edgar Allan Poe 	
2012	The Paperboy 	Hillary Van Wetter 	
2012	The Factory 	Mike Fletcher 	Direct-to-VOD
2013	The Numbers Station 	Emerson Kent 	Direct-to-VOD
2013	The Frozen Ground 	Robert Hansen 	Direct-to-VOD
2013	The Butler 	Richard Nixon 	
2013	Grand Piano 	Clem 	
2013	Adult World 	Rat Billings 	
2014	The Bag Man 	Jack 	
2014	Maps to the Stars 	Stafford Weiss 	
2014	Drive Hard 	Simon Keller 	Direct-to-VOD
2014	The Prince 	Sam 	Direct-to-VOD
2014	Love & Mercy 	Brian Wilson 	
2014	Reclaim 	Benjamin 	Direct-to-VOD
2015	Dragon Blade 	Lucius 	Released in China
2015	Hot Tub Time Machine 2 	Adam Yates 	Deleted cameo
2015	Chi-Raq 	Fr. Mike Corridan 	
2016	Cell 	Clayton Riddell 	Also executive producer, direct-to-VOD
2017	Arsenal 	Sal 	Direct-to-VOD
2017	Blood Money 	Miller 	Direct-to-VOD
2017	Singularity 	Elias van Dorne 	Direct-to-VOD
2018	River Runs Red 	Horace 	
2019	Never Grow Old 	Dutch Albert 	
2019	Distorted 	Vernon Sarsfield 	Post-production
===Television===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
1996	Frasier 	Greg 	Voice; Episode: "Our Father Whose Art Ain't Heaven"
1999	The Jack Bull	Myrl Redding 	Television film; also executive producer
2014	Wall Street 	Ted 	Pilot; also executive producer
2014	Doll & Em 	John 	Episode: "Three"
2019	Utopia 	Dr. Kevin Christie	Upcoming; series regular
==Awards and nominations==
Year	Association 	Category 	Nominated work 	Result
1989	Chicago Film Critics Association 	Most Promising Actor 	Say Anything... 	
1999	Independent Spirit Awards 	Best Male Lead 	Being John Malkovich	
1999	Online Film Critics Society 	Best Ensemble 	Being John Malkovich	
1999	Screen Actors Guild 	Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture	Being John Malkovich	
2000	American Comedy Awards 	Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) 	Being John Malkovich	
2000	BAFTA 	Best Adapted Screenplay 	High Fidelity 	
2000	Empire Awards 	Best Actor 	High Fidelity 	
2000	Golden Globe Awards 	Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy 	High Fidelity 	
2000	Teen Choice Awards 	Choice Hissy Fit 	High Fidelity 	
2000	University of Southern California	Scripter Award 	High Fidelity 	
2000	Writers Guild of America 	Best Adapted Screenplay 	High Fidelity 	
2001	American Comedy Awards 	Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) 	High Fidelity 	
2007	Saturn Awards 	Best Actor 	1408 	
2009	Teen Choice Awards 	Choice Movie Actor – Sci-Fi 	2012 	
2013	Screen Actors Guild 	Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture	The Butler 	
2014	Canadian Screen Awards 	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role 	Maps to the Stars 	
==References==
==Further reading==
* Barnes, Henry John Cusack: 'Hollywood is a whorehouse and people go mad' The Guardian, 26 September 2014. Accessed 27 February 2015
* Robinson, Tasha Onion A.V. Club interview, November 27, 2007
==External links==
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