Joan Cusack, the daughter of an actor and a math teacher, grew up in a family of thespians; all four of her siblings have pursued acting careers, most notably her youngest brother, John. She grew up in the Chicago suburbs where she attended the Piven Theater Workshop. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison with a degree in English in 1985.

Cusack began making films in her teens, and soon became known for her hilarious, and often touching, supporting characters in such films as "My Bodyguard" (1980) and "Sixteen Candles" (1984). The young actress gradually received more grown-up roles, making her film breakthrough in "Working Girl" (1988), earning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her role as Melanie Griffith's street-smart best friend. She also received strong reviews the following year for the drama "Men Don't Leave" with Jessica Lange.

In the early 1990s, Cusack left Hollywood for Chicago to spend more time with her family. When she finally made her comeback in 1997, it was to rave reviews as a bride who gets left at the altar when her fiancé (Kevin Kline) realizes he's gay in the film, "In & Out." Cusack earned her second Best Supporting Actress nomination for her performance. That same year, she gave a brief but memorable performance in her brother John's vehicle, "Grosse Point Blank." She finished the decade turning in a number of strong supporting performances in such films as "Arlington Road," "Runaway Bride" and "Cradle Will Rock," as well as providing the voice for Jessie the Cowgirl in "Toy Story 2" and "Toy Story 3." Most recently, Cusack has starred in the film, "The End of the Tour," alongside Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg.

Cusack is married to attorney Richard Burke. The couple has two sons, Dylan and Miles.

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