John Cusack

Actor

After several appearances in teen-oriented movies in the 1980s, John Cusack proved himself to be a reliable, if unconventional, leading man in the '90s in such films as The Grifters (1990), Being John Malkovich (1999, also starring Cameron Diaz) and High Fidelity (2000, with Jack Black). On screen he's usually smart and ironic, able to play charming as well as callous, and off screen he's known for his wise career choices and dedication to the theater. Like his pal Tim Robbins, Cusack does both quirky, independent films and mainstream Hollywood features. His films include Say Anything (1989), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Con Air (1997, with John Malkovich), Max (2002), Identity (2003) and Runaway Jury (2003, with Rachel Weisz and Gene Hackman).

Extra credit: Cusack's sister Joan has appeared in some of his films, including High Fidelity and Cradle Will Rock (1999).