Ann Cusack

Last updated
Ann Cusack
Born (1961-05-22) May 22, 1961 (age 62)
Occupation(s)Actress, singer [1]
Years active1992–present
Spouse Jim Piddock [ citation needed ]
Parent
Relatives
External image
Searchtool.svg Cusack at an event for Gothika in 2003

Ann Cusack (born May 22, 1961) [2] is an American actress and singer. She had roles in Multiplicity (1996), A League of Their Own (1992), and The Informant! (2009). Additionally, she has made guest appearances in a number of television series, including Grey's Anatomy , Scandal , One Tree Hill , Charmed , Ghost Whisperer , The Unit , Boston Legal , Bones , Frasier , Ally McBeal , Criminal Minds , Private Practice , Fargo , Better Call Saul , The Boys , and The Good Doctor.

Contents

Early life

Cusack was born in New York City and was raised in Evanston, Illinois. [2] [3] She has four siblings, including Joan and John. Her mother, Ann Paula "Nancy" (née Carolan; 1929–2022), [4] was a mathematics teacher and political activist. [5] [6] [7] Her father, Dick Cusack (1925–2003), was an actor, producer, and writer. With her sister Joan and brother John, she trained at the Piven Theatre Workshop [8] in Evanston and the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.

Career

Acting

Cusack starred in her first film role in 1992, when she was cast in A League of Their Own , as Shirley Baker. She was in the 1996 comedy Multiplicity , which starred Michael Keaton and Andie MacDowell. Also in 1996, she replaced Anita Barone on The Jeff Foxworthy Show until the series ended. In 1998, Cusack starred in Maggie on Lifetime Television.

Cusack has made guest appearances in Grey's Anatomy , Scandal , One Tree Hill , Charmed , Ghost Whisperer , The Unit , Boston Legal , Bones , Frasier , Ally McBeal , Criminal Minds , Private Practice , and Castle among others. In 2002, she guest-starred in the episode of Star Trek: Enterprise entitled "Carbon Creek". She had a small role in Grosse Pointe Blank , which starred her siblings John and Joan; appeared in the movie Accepted, in which she plays Diane Gaines, mother to the lead character played by Justin Long; and appeared in the film What Planet Are You From? . She also co-starred in Ace Ventura Jr: Pet Detective as Melissa Robinson Ventura, the titular character's mother (replacing Courteney Cox from the original film).

She also appeared in the SciFi series Lost Room as Helen Ruber (two episodes, 2006). In 2015, she appeared in the first episode of Fargo's second season. In 2016, she played Donna Dent in the Clint Eastwood-directed Warner Bros. film Sully, about Chesley Sullenberger and the events of Flight 1549, starring Tom Hanks. She also made her first appearance as Rebecca Bois, Chuck's ex wife, in season two of Better Call Saul , later returning in season three. [9] [10]

Musical career

In August 2021, Cusack formed the musical group entitled, "Ann Cusack and the Generation Jones Band" which she is the lead singer. [11] [12] [13]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1992 A League of Their Own Shirley Baker
1993 Malice Waitress
1994 Renaissance Man Bill's Secretary
1995 Tank Girl Sub Girl
1995 The Point of Betrayal
1996 The Birdcage TV Woman in Van
1996 Multiplicity Noreen
1996 My Fellow Americans White House Tour Guide
1997 Grosse Pointe Blank Amy
1997 Cannes Man Kitty Monaco
1997 Peoria Babylon Candy Dineen
1997 Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil Delivery Woman
1999 Stigmata Dr. Reston
2000 What Planet Are You From? Liz
2001 America's Sweethearts Assistant to Lee Phillips
2006 Accepted Diane Gaines
2006 The Sensation of Sight Deanna
2006ArcAngela Blake
2007 Cake: A Wedding Story Celeste
2007The NeighborJenny
2009 The Informant! Robin Mann
2009 The First Time Beatrice
2010Crooked LaneAva
2014 Nightcrawler Linda [14]
2016 Sully Donna Dent [15] [16]
2017Heart, BabyNurse Claire

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1992OverexposedMarcy LevinTV film
1992 The Jackie Thomas Show StephanieTV series
1993 Love & War KatherineEpisodes: "Valentine's Day" & "Croton on Hudson"
1993Victim of Love: The Shannon Mohr StoryTelevision film
1995 Murder, She Wrote Margaret BarkleyEpisode: "The Scent of Murder"
1996–1997 The Jeff Foxworthy Show Karen FoxworthyMain role
1998 From the Earth to the Moon Jan ArmstrongTV miniseries
1998–1999 Maggie Maggie DayLead role
1999 Ladies Man DelilahEpisode: "Thanks for Nothing"
2000 The Huntress Melissa SchifferEpisode: "Kidnapped"
2001 Ally McBeal Rebecca MooreEpisode: "The Obstacle Course"
2001 What About Joan? Ann GallagherEpisode: "Joan's Sister Visits"
2001 Black River Mandy PruellTV film
2002My Sister's KeeperGraceTV film
2002 Family Law Nancy EmersonEpisode: "Alienation of Affection"
2002 Star Trek: Enterprise MaggieEpisode: "Carbon Creek"
2003 Miracles Karen LongviewEpisode: "The Friendly Skies"
2003 Frasier AntoniaEpisode: "Daphne Does Dinner"
2003 The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire Julie ShawMain role [17] [18]
2004 One Tree Hill Dr. Nora ThorpeEpisodes: "The Living Years" & "Hanging by a Moment"
2004, 2005 Charmed Miss DonovanEpisodes: "Charmed Noir" & "Carpe Demon"
2005 Six Feet Under Linda HoviakEpisode: "Dancing for Me"
2006 Ghost Whisperer Grace DowlingEpisode: "Melinda's First Ghost"
2006 Grey's Anatomy AmyEpisode: "What Have I Done to Deserve This?"
2006 Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America Denise ConnellyTelevision film
2006 Bones Brianna's LawyerEpisode: "The Titan on the Track"
2006 Close to Home Martha HarrisEpisode: "There's Something About Martha"
2006 The Lost Room Helen RuberTV miniseries
2007 Boston Legal Dr. Donna FolletteEpisode: "Angel of Death"
2007 Army Wives Hannah WhiteEpisode: "Dirty Laundry"
2008 Brothers & Sisters JamieEpisode: "Double Negative"
2008 Greek Karen CartwrightEpisode: "47 Hours and 11 Minutes"
2008–2009 The Unit Susan GilliumRecurring role
2009 Ace Ventura Jr.: Pet Detective Melissa VenturaTelevision film
2009–2011 Private Practice Susan GrantRecurring role
2010 Criminal Minds Sarah HillridgeEpisode: "Mosley Lane"
2010 Trauma Episode: "Scope of Practice"
2010 In Plain Sight Melissa DonaldsonEpisode: "Whistle Stop"
2010The Genesis FilesJane3 episodes
2011 Harry's Law Lynette ZalesEpisode: "The Fragile Beast"
2012 Body of Proof Gail WhirleyEpisode: "Identity"
2012 Hart of Dixie Annie HattenbargerEpisodes: "The Race & the Relationship" & "Disaster Drills & Departures"
2012 Scandal Corinne StarkEpisode: "Hunting Season"
2013 Masters of Sex HarrietEpisode: "Brave New World"
2014 Sullivan & Son EllenEpisode: "Everybody Loved Frank"
2015 Backstrom Sandy Hale-CooperEpisode: "Love is a Rose and You Better Not Pick It"
2015 Fargo Judge MundtEpisode: "Waiting for Dutch"
2015, 2016 Castle RitaEpisodes: "XX" & "Dead Red"
2016 Grimm Mrs. BaskeEpisode: "Lycanthropia"
2016–2018 Better Call Saul Rebecca Bois 5 episodes [19]
2017TycoonCatherine BlakeTV series
2017 Mr. Mercedes Olivia Trelawney3 episodes [20]
2018 Castle Rock Warden Theresa Porter5 episodes [21]
2019–present The Boys Donna JanuaryRecurring role [22]
2020 Station 19 JoanEpisode: "I Know This Bar"
2021 The Good Doctor Ilana ReevesEpisode: "Expired"
2024 Ripley Emily GreenleafEpisode: "A Hard Man to Find"

Related Research Articles

<i>High Fidelity</i> (film) 2000 film by Stephen Frears

High Fidelity is a 2000 romantic comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Frears, starring John Cusack, Jack Black, and Iben Hjejle. The film is based on the 1995 British novel of the same name by Nick Hornby, with the setting moved from London to Chicago and the protagonist's name changed. Hornby expressed surprise at how faithful the adaptation was, saying "at times, it appears to be a film in which John Cusack reads my book."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joan Cusack</span> American actress (born 1962)

Joanna Mary Cusack is an American actress and comedian. She received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her roles in the comedy-drama Working Girl (1988) and the romantic comedy In & Out (1997). Her other starring roles include those in Toys (1992), Addams Family Values (1993), Nine Months (1995), Cradle Will Rock (1999), Where the Heart Is (2000), Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003) and Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008). She has also provided the voice of Jessie in the Toy Story franchise (1999–present), for which she won an Annie Award, and Abby Mallard in Chicken Little (2005).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Cusack</span> American actor, producer, and screenwriter

John Paul Cusack is an American actor. Cusack began acting in films during the 1980s, starring in coming-of-age dramedies such as Sixteen Candles (1984), Better Off Dead (1985), The Sure Thing (1985), Stand by Me (1986), and Say Anything... (1989). He then started appearing in independent films such as Eight Men Out (1988), The Grifters (1990), True Colors (1991), and Money for Nothing (1993). Cusack began appearing as a leading man in such films as Bullets Over Broadway (1994), Con Air (1997), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), The Thin Red Line (1998), Being John Malkovich (1999), High Fidelity (2000), America's Sweethearts (2001), Max (2002), and Runaway Jury (2003). He also starred in films such as The Ice Harvest (2005), The Contract (2006), 1408 (2007), War, Inc. (2008), Hot Tub Time Machine (2010), The Raven (2012), The Frozen Ground (2013), and Dragon Blade (2015).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Linney</span> American actress (born 1964)

Laura Leggett Linney is an American actress. She is the recipient of several awards, including two Golden Globe Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards, and has been nominated for three Academy Awards and five Tony Awards.

<i>Against All Odds</i> (1984 film) 1984 film directed by Taylor Hackford

Against All Odds is a 1984 American neo-noir romantic thriller film directed by Taylor Hackford and starring Rachel Ward, Jeff Bridges and James Woods alongside Jane Greer, Alex Karras, Richard Widmark and Dorian Harewood. A remake of Out of the Past (1947), a film in which Greer played the femme fatale, this film's plot is about an aging American football star who is hired by a mobster to find his girlfriend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JoBeth Williams</span> American actress (born 1948)

Margaret JoBeth Williams is an American actress. She rose to prominence appearing in such films as Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Stir Crazy (1980), Poltergeist (1982), The Big Chill (1983), The Day After (1983), Teachers (1984), and Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986). A three-time Emmy Award nominee, she was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her work in the TV movie Adam (1983) and the TV miniseries Baby M (1988). Her third nomination was for her guest role in the sitcom Frasier (1994). She also starred in the TV series The Client (1995–96) and had recurring roles in the TV series Dexter (2007) and Private Practice (2009–11).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Smart</span> American actress (born 1951)

Jean Elizabeth Smart is an American actress. After beginning her career in regional theater in the Pacific Northwest, she appeared on Broadway in 1981 as Marlene Dietrich in the biographical play Piaf. Smart was later cast in a leading role as Charlene Frazier Stillfield on the CBS sitcom Designing Women, in which she starred from 1986 to 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Arkin</span> American actor and director

Adam Arkin is an American actor and director. He is known for playing the role of Aaron Shutt on Chicago Hope. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including a Tony as well as three primetime Emmys, four SAG Awards, and a DGA Award. In 2002, Arkin won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Directing in a Children's Special for My Louisiana Sky. He is also one of the three actors to portray Dale "The Whale" Biederbeck on Monk. Between 2007 and 2009, he starred in Life. Beginning in 1990, he had a recurring guest role on Northern Exposure playing the angry, paranoid Adam, for which he received an Emmy nomination. In 2009, he portrayed villain Ethan Zobelle, a white separatist gang leader, in Sons of Anarchy and as Principal Ed Gibb in 8 Simple Rules (2003–2005). His father Alan Arkin and brother Matthew are also actors.

<i>Grosse Pointe Blank</i> 1997 American film

Grosse Pointe Blank is a 1997 American black comedy film directed by George Armitage from a screenplay by Tom Jankiewicz, D. V. DeVincentis, Steve Pink and John Cusack. It stars Cusack, Minnie Driver, Alan Arkin and Dan Aykroyd and follows the story of assassin Martin Q. Blank (Cusack), who returns to his hometown of Grosse Pointe, Michigan to attend a high school reunion. The film's score was composed by Joe Strummer, former member of the punk rock band the Clash; the film's soundtrack contains a number of popular and alternative punk rock, ska and new wave songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeremy Piven</span> American actor (born 1965)

Jeremy Samuel Piven is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Ari Gold in the comedy series Entourage, for which he won a Golden Globe Award and three consecutive Emmy Awards. He also starred in the British period drama Mr Selfridge, which tells the story of the man who created the English department store Selfridges, and portrayed Spence Kovak on Ellen DeGeneres's sitcom Ellen.

<i>Ice Princess</i> 2005 film by Tim Fywell

Ice Princess is a 2005 American teen sports comedy-drama film directed by Tim Fywell, written by Hadley Davis from a story by Princess Diaries creator Meg Cabot and Davis. It stars Joan Cusack, Michelle Trachtenberg, Kim Cattrall and Hayden Panettiere. The film focuses on Casey Carlyle, a normal teenager who gives up a promising future academic life in order to pursue her new-found dream of being a professional figure skater. The film was released on March 18, 2005. It flopped at the box office, grossing $25.7 million during its theatrical run against a production budget of $25 million.

Richard John Cusack was an American actor, filmmaker and documentary maker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julie Ann Emery</span> American actress

Julie Ann Emery is an American television and film actress. She is best known for her roles in the television series Better Call Saul, Preacher, and Five Days at Memorial. She has appeared in films such as Hitch and Gifted.

Joyce Hiller Piven is an American director, teacher, and actress. She and her late husband, Byrne Piven, were actors in the Compass Players. Later, they founded the Piven Theatre Workshop in Evanston, Illinois and became teachers to a generation of stars such as John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Aidan Quinn, Adam McKay, as well as their son Jeremy Piven and daughter Shira Piven.

Rafer Weigel is an American broadcast journalist who most recently was an early morning weekday news anchor and general assignment reporter at WFLD-Channel 32 in Chicago. Formerly, he was the weekend sports anchor and reporter at WLS-TV in Chicago, the sports anchor for CNN HLN’s Morning Express with Robin Meade and also an actor.

Leslie Stefanson is an American actress and sculptor. She is most known for playing the title role as Capt. Elisabeth Campbell in the film The General's Daughter, and Joan Bennett Kennedy in the television miniseries Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot. Her sculpture, La Bestia, won the top prize from The National Sculpture Society in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shira Piven</span> American director, actress and producer (born 1961)

Shira Piven is an American director, actress, and producer. She directed the 2014 film Welcome to Me.

<i>Sully</i> (film) 2016 film

Sully is a 2016 American biographical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Todd Komarnicki, based on the 2009 autobiography Highest Duty by Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and Jeffrey Skiles. Tom Hanks stars as Sullenberger, with Aaron Eckhart as Skiles, and co-stars Laura Linney, Anna Gunn, Autumn Reeser, Holt McCallany, and Jamey Sheridan. The film follows Sullenberger's 2009 emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River, in which all 155 passengers and crew survived and the subsequent publicity and investigation.

References

  1. "10 Things You Didn't Know about Ann Cusack". tvovermind.com. November 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Ann Cusack - Biography". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  3. "Ann Cusack - About Ann, Biography, Photo Gallery - Official Website". Archived from the original on May 5, 2022.
  4. "ANN CUSACK OBITUARY". Legacy.com.
  5. "Cusack, Richard J." Chicago Tribune. 2003-06-03. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  6. "Miss Carolan, Newton Centre, Is Bride of Richard Cusack". Daily Boston Globe. 1960-02-14. Archived from the original on 2012-07-25. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
  7. "Newton Girl Plans February Wedding". Daily Boston Globe. 1959-12-06. Archived from the original on 2012-07-25. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
  8. Piven Theatre Workshop - Home
  9. Grubbs, Jefferson. "Who Is Rebecca On 'Better Call Saul'? The Show Introduces Us To A Mysterious Piece Of Jimmy's Past" . Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  10. Nemetz, Dave (2017-05-09). "Better Call Saul Recap: Assault, Battery". TVLine. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  11. "Launching out new band.....ANN CUSACK & THE GENERATION JONES BAND Our first gig. We're excited and want to share with you. Fienstein's @Vitellos September 17th. Details coming your way... Original R & B and classic blues..." facebook.com.
  12. "Ann Cusack and the Generation Jones Band". www.vibratogrilljazz.com. 18 April 2023.
  13. "Ann Cusack & The Generation Jones Band Ann Cusack". thegenerationjonesband.com.
  14. "Ann Cusack". www.laphil.com.
  15. "Sully Movie #Sully #DavidLetterman Scene. Tom Hanks #TomHanks". facebook.com.
  16. "Ann Cusack talks about her movie Sully outside Sully Premiere at DGA Theatre in West Hollywood". youtube.com.
  17. "THE BROTHERHOOD OF POLAND, NH". www.popmatters.com. 6 October 2003.
  18. "The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire (2003)". good.film.
  19. "'Better Call Saul' Writer-EP Alison Tatlock Discusses Going Back to the Post-'Breaking Bad' Future". hollywoodreporter.com. 26 July 2022.
  20. "Olivia Trelawney". www.tvmaze.com.
  21. "Warden Porter is played by Ann Cusack". www.popbuzz.com.
  22. "Ann Cusack (A League of Their Own, The Boys)". relivingmyyouth.podbean.com.