Early life

Cusack was born in Manhattan, New York, to an Irish-American Catholic family. She was raised in Evanston, Illinois. She is the sister of actors Joan, John, Bill, and Susie. Her mother, Ann Paula "Nancy" (née Carolan), is a former mathematics teacher and political activist. Her father, Dick Cusack, was an actor, producer, and writer. With her sister Joan and brother John, she trained at the Piven Theatre Workshop in Evanston and the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.

Career

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 (2 episodes, 2006).

[ Source: Wikipedia ]