Carmen Cusack is a talented musical theater actress and singer who has starred in several Broadway shows, such as Wicked, Bright Star, and Flying Over Sunset. She has also appeared in TV shows like The Good Fight, Sorry for Your Loss, and Homecoming. But is she related to another famous actor with the same last name, John Cusack? Here’s what we found out.
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The Cusack Family of Hollywood
John Cusack is a well-known actor who has been in the industry since the early 1980s. He has starred in movies like Say Anything, High Fidelity, Being John Malkovich, and 2012. He is also a producer and screenwriter.
John is not the only actor in his family. He has three sisters who are also actresses: Joan, Ann, and Susie Cusack. Joan is the most famous of the three, having been nominated for two Oscars for her roles in Working Girl and In & Out. She has also voiced Jessie in the Toy Story franchise and appeared in shows like Shameless and SNL.
Ann and Susie have had smaller roles in movies and TV shows, such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, A League of Their Own, Grey’s Anatomy, and Chicago P.D. They have also collaborated with their siblings in some projects.
The Cusack family of Hollywood inherited their talent from their father, Dick Cusack, who was an actor and director. He appeared in movies like The Fugitive, Eight Men Out, and High Fidelity. He also wrote and directed several films, such as The Committee and Return to Me.
The Cusack Family of Broadway
Carmen Cusack is not related to the Cusack family of Hollywood. She was born in Denver, Colorado, and attended the University of North Texas. She trained in opera, ballet, jazz, and tap.
Carmen started her career on cruise ships and then moved to England, where she landed her breakthrough role as Christine Daae in The Phantom of the Opera. She then made her West End debut as Fantine in Les Miserables. She also appeared in other West End shows, such as The Secret Garden and Personals.
Carmen returned to America in 2006 and joined the Chicago production of Wicked as the standby for Elphaba. She then starred as Elphaba on the first national tour and the Melbourne production of Wicked. She also played Nellie Forbush in the first national tour of South Pacific.
Carmen made her Broadway debut in 2016 as Alice Murphy in Bright Star, a musical written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell. Her performance earned her a Tony Award nomination and a Theatre World Award. She received another Tony Award nomination for her role as Clare Boothe Luce in Flying Over Sunset in 2021.
The Confusion Between the Two Cusacks
Because of their shared last name and profession, many people have wondered if Carmen Cusack is related to John Cusack or his sisters. However, Carmen has clarified that she is not part of their family.
In 2016, she tweeted: “I am not related to John or Joan or any other famous Cusacks out there.” She also joked that she would love to be their cousin if they ever needed one.
According to TVovermind, Carmen said that she had met John once at a party and that he was very nice to her. She also said that she admired his work and that of his sisters.
Conclusion
Carmen Cusack and John Cusack are both successful actors, but they are not related by blood or marriage. They just happen to have the same uncommon last name. They have different backgrounds, careers, and families. However, they share a passion for performing arts and a respect for each other’s talent.
