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Joan Cusack

Joan Cusack

Actor, also writer · Born October 11, 1962 (64) · New York City, New York, USA

Primetime Emmy winner · Oscar nominee · Golden Globe nominee · 1 other major award body

Joanna "Joan" Mary Cusack is an American actress. An acclaimed character actress known for her distinctive voice and offbeat comedic timing, her portrayals of neurotic, endearing characters have earned her numerous accolades, including nominations for two Academy Awards and five Primetime Emmy Awards, winning once in 2015. Cusack 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), School of Rock (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). Cusack was a cast member on the comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1986. She starred on the Showtime hit drama comedy series Shameless (2011–2015) as Sheila Jackson, a role for which she received five consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning for the first time in 2015. She is the sister of actress Ann Cusack and actor John Cusack.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 11, 1962 (64)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor, also writer
Titles
77 on MovieCove · 84 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 20% in 30 days

What are Joan Cusack's films like?

Across their 54 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy30 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Animation10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 80th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
34%
Self
34%
Society
12%
Morality
9%
Survival
5%
Power
3%
Ideas
2%
Identity15 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth12 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds13 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship14 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love12 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity13 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose9 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 53 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 39 · Serious 9 · Dark 5

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 28 · Stylized 16 · Heightened 9

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 23 · Charged 27 · Intense 3

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 30 · Shifting 15 · Whiplash 8

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 20 · Funny 27

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 26 · Even-paced 22 · Relentless 5

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 39 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 46 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

34 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 14 of 34 analyzed roles.

Ally
14 of 34
Threshold guardian
6 of 34
Mentor
5 of 34
Trickster
3 of 34
Shadow
2 of 34
Shapeshifter
2 of 34
Herald
1 of 34
Hero
1 of 34
Show the 34 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
24
Joyful
23
Tense
17
Absurd
14
Hopeful
18
Other
56

How their films linger

Feel-good38 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful25 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy36
  • Bittersweet14
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Joan Cusack's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 61 of their 77 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (25).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Joan Cusack's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

84 credits, 77 with a MovieCove page; 10 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Toy Story 5(2026)

    as Jessie (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Klaus(2019)

    as Mrs. Krum (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Let It Snow(2019)

    as Tin Foil Woman

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Toy Story 4(2019)

    as Jessie (voice)

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Instant Family(2018)

    as Mrs. Howard

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Homecoming(2018)

    Show 3 episodes · as Francine Bunda

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • The Christmas Train(2017)

    as Agnes

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Unicorn Store(2017)

    as Gladys

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Snatched(2017)

    as Barb

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • A Series of Unfortunate Events(2017)

    Show 4 episodes · as Justice Strauss

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • The Stinky & Dirty Show(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · as Red (voice)

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping(2016)

    as Tilly

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Freaks of Nature(2015)

    as Peg Parker

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The End of the Tour(2015)

    as Patty

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Welcome to Me(2014)

    as Dawn Hurley

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Toy Story That Time Forgot(2014)

    as Jessie (voice)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Toy Story of Terror(2013)

    as Jessie (Voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower(2012)

    as Dr. Burton

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Toy Story Toons: Partysaurus Rex(2012)

    as Jessie (voice)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Toy Story Toons: Small Fry(2011)

    as Jessie (voice)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Arthur Christmas(2011)

    as Lead Elf (voice)

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation(2011)

    as Jessie (voice)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil(2011)

    as Verushka the Witch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Mars Needs Moms(2011)

    as Mom (voice)

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Shameless(2011)

    Show 44 episodes · as Sheila Jackson

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Toy Story 3(2010)

    as Jessie (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Acceptance(2009)

    as Nina

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • My Sister's Keeper(2009)

    as Judge De Salvo

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Starz Inside: The Face Is Familiar(2009)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Confessions of a Shopaholic(2009)

    as Jane Bloomwood

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Kit Kittredge: An American Girl(2008)

    as Miss Lucinda Bond

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • War, Inc.(2008)

    as Marsha Dillon

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Martian Child(2007)

    as Liz

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Pixar Story(2007)

    as Jessie (voice) (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Phineas and Ferb(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Glenda

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Friends with Money(2006)

    as Franny

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Chicken Little(2005)

    as Abby Mallard (voice)

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Office(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Erin's Biological Mother

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Ice Princess(2005)

    as Joan Carlyle

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • American Dad!(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Widow Support Group Leader (voice)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • The Last Shot(2004)

    as Fanny Nash (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Raising Helen(2004)

    as Jenny Portman

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Peep and the Big Wide World(2004)

    Show 120 episodes · as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Looney Tunes: Back in Action(2003)

    as Mother

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • School of Rock(2003)

    as Rosalie Mullins

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie(2002)

    as Rachel Bitterman

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Max & Ruby(2002)

    Show 246 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows

  • What About Joan? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 21 episodes · as Joan Gallagher

  • Where the Heart Is(2000)

    as Ruth Meyers

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • High Fidelity(2000)

    as Liz

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Cradle Will Rock(1999)

    as Hazel Huffman

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Toy Story 2(1999)

    as Jessie (voice)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Hidden Vulnerability: A Look Into the Making of 'Arlington Road' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Actor

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Pam Burton

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Runaway Bride(1999)

    as Peggy Flemming

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Arlington Road(1999)

    as Cheryl Lang

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • In & Out(1997)

    as Emily Montgomery

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • A Smile Like Yours(1997)

    as Nancy Tellen

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Grosse Pointe Blank(1997)

    as Marcella

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Wrong(1996)

    as Inga Gunther

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Two Much(1995)

    as Gloria

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Nine Months(1995)

    as Gail Dwyer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Mother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Annie

  • Corrina, Corrina(1994)

    as Jonesy

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Addams Family Values(1993)

    as Debbie Jellinsky

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Toys(1992)

    as Alsatia Zevo

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Hero(1992)

    as Evelyn Laplante

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez(1991)

    Story · as Cathy

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Performance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · as Annie

  • My Blue Heaven(1990)

    as Hannah Stubbs

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Men Don't Leave(1990)

    as Jody

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Say Anything(1989)

    as Constance Dobler

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Working Girl(1988)

    as Cyn

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Married to the Mob(1988)

    as Rose

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Stars and Bars(1988)

    as Irene Stein

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Broadcast News(1987)

    as Blair Litton

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Allnighter(1987)

    as Gina

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Grandview, U.S.A.(1984)

    as Mary Maine

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Sixteen Candles(1984)

    as Geek Girl #1

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Class(1983)

    as Julia

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • My Bodyguard(1980)

    as Shelley

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Great Performances (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Anne

  • The Oscars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Jessie (voice) · as Self

  • Toy Story 6 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Jessie (voice)

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 84 titles, 83 of them dated from 1953 to 2026; peak year 2012.

Biggest box office

Toy Story 3 (2010)

$1.1B worldwide

Highest rated

Klaus (2019)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Toy Story 2 (1999)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19532026

Peak 2012 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 31 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 1 more milestone

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting84 of 84: 83 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score66thWriting1 of 84: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1950s1 · acting1970s1 · acting1980s10 · acting1990s21 · 21 acting · 1 crew2000s24 · acting2010s25 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 3% of 60 roles
80909500051015

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a Primetime Emmy and 1 other major award from 9 major nominations, 1989–2015.

WinNomination
  1. 2015
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
  2. 2014
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
  3. 2013
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
  4. 2012
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
  5. 2011
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
  6. 1998
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Supporting Actress
  7. 1989
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Joan Cusack's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 63rd percentile, the median of all 67; across their 53 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 53

Approval · how many liked their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 53

Reach · how many have seen their films

93rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 53

Midcredits score across 77 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up32
  • 50th to 74th17
  • 25th to 49th17
  • Below 25th11

Shape of the crowd

35 of their 77 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved12
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser35
  • Broadly Agreed10
  • Mixed19

Most divisive · actor, writer

The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez (1991)

82nd percentile spread · 32% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Klaus (2019)

Midcredits 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 52 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 47. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Joan Cusack's work okay for kids?

Across up to 36 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore29 titles11–56 · median 33 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity36 titles13–49 · median 28 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity34 titles16–79 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs28 titles9–54 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense29 titles6–63 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Joan Cusack work with?

People who share at least 2 of Joan Cusack's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Wallace Shawn shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles