Biography
Who is Joan Cusack?
Early life and background
Joan Cusack was born on October 11, 1962, in New York City. She grew up in Evanston, Illinois, which is a suburb located near Chicago. Her mother, Ann Paula, worked as a mathematics teacher and political activist, while her father, Dick Cusack, pursued a career as an actor and filmmaker. Growing up in a large household, Joan was one of five children in her family. Her siblings include actors Ann, John, Susie, and Bill Cusack. She attended Evanston Township High School and later pursued higher education at the University of Wisconsin Madison. There, she completed her studies and earned a bachelor degree in English in 1984. She also trained at the Piven Theatre Workshop to hone her craft.
Television and film career
Joan Cusack began gaining widespread recognition during her time on the sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live. She spent the eleventh season of the show as a cast member from 1985 to 1986, where she performed various recurring characters and celebrity impersonations. Transitioning to feature films, she earned her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1988 comedy drama Working Girl. She received a second nomination in the same category nearly a decade later for her role in the 1997 romantic comedy In and Out. Over the years, she appeared in numerous successful films, including Toys, Addams Family Values, Nine Months, and School of Rock. She also collaborated frequently with her brother John, appearing alongside him in ten different movies such as Class, Sixteen Candles, and High Fidelity.
In addition to live action performances, Joan became well known for voice acting roles. She provided the voice of Jessie the cowgirl in the Pixar animated film franchise starting with Toy Story 2 in 1999, winning an Annie Award for her work. She also voiced Abby Mallard in the animated feature Chicken Little and narrated the children television series Peep and the Big Wide World. Later in her career, she joined the cast of the Showtime comedy drama series Shameless as Sheila Jackson. Her performance on the show brought critical acclaim and five consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations, ultimately winning the award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2015.
Family and personal life
Joan Cusack married attorney Richard Burke in the year 1996. The couple raised two sons together. Outside of her acting profession, she established a retail business in Chicago called Judy Maxwell Home, a gift shop that opened in 2011. The store name was inspired by the character played by Barbra Streisand in the film What is Up Doc, which remains one of her favorite movies. Joan divides her time between her home in Chicago, Illinois, and a property she owns in Three Oaks Township, Michigan.
Birthday and age
Joan Cusack was born on October 11, 1962, which makes Joan 64 years old today. That birthday falls under the Libra sign. Joan shares the date with 54 other famous people.
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