John Cusack

Engaging and accessible onscreen, protective and guarded in private, actor John Cusack built an exceptional career by making unusual film choices and steering clear of the Hollywood machine. Originally a member of the notorious Brat Pack from the early 1980s, starring in the likes of "Better Off Dead" (1985) and "One Crazy Summer" (1986), Cusack managed to accomplish the rare feat of flourishing as a dramatic actor, beyond the confines of teen comedies. Even during his height as a teen comedy star, Cusack had already been branching out, appearing in John Sayles' "Eight Men Out" (1988) and forming his own Chicago-based theater company. But it was his starring turn in Cameron Crowe's eternal "Say Anything" (1990) that propelled Cusack into the limelight. From then on the actor had his pick of the litter, typically choosing films that fell out of the mainstream, like "Grosse Point Blank" (1997), "Being John Malkovich" (1999) and "High Fidelity" (2000). While he did pepper in the occasional blockbuster, "Con Air" (1997) chief among them, Cusack retained his flare for the unconventional, solidifying his reputation as an actor of high quality and integrity.