Joan Cusack Reveals Why She Left Hollywood, and the New Career She's Been Pursuing Since
Joan Cusack is a legendary actress known for projects like Working Girl and Say Anything. But after stepping away from Hollywood for several years, the star is opening up about what she's been doing in the meantime.
Cusack, 63, was an '80s staple who appeared in films like Sixteen Candles and Broadcast News. Her reign continued in the '90, with films like In & Out and Cradle Will Rock. But after starring in School of Rock in 2003, Cusack decided to step back from her acting career to raise her children.
"I wanted to be around and raise my kids, and if you're acting, you always have to go away to work. [It's] three months of your life here and there. When I was doing School of Rock, my son was around seven months old, and I remember him in the hotel room, crawling for the first time toward a banana," Cusack told the New York Times in a new feature.
Looking to find a creative pursuit but still be with her children, she opened a gift shop in Chicago named Judy Maxwell Home. The name was inspired by a character in the 1972 Barbra Streisand comedy, What's Up, Doc?
"I was trying to find something creative to do and still be at home. I wasn't a big shopper, but I'd been on lots of really interesting sets, and so I thought, if I could make it easy and around the corner, what would be fun things to sell?" Cusack shared. "It's been a low-pressure way to be creative, and to have people come into the shop and laugh. Most everything in the store is funny!"
If you need a quick refresher of Cusack's time in classic '80s films, check out one of her famous lines in Working Girl.
Her First Red Carpet Appearance in 11 Years
While Cusack isn't acting full-time, she still has an active role in the Toy Story films. She voices Jessie, the feisty cowgirl doll, and returns to the role in the new Toy Story 5. At the film's premiere earlier this month, Cusack walked the red carpet for the first time in 11 years alongside her family.
Related: 1995 'Toy Story' Cast Had to Start Over After '80 Percent' Was Done - Here's Why
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This story was originally published June 19, 2026 at 2:58 PM.