Overview

Joan Mary Cusack, born on October 11, 1962, is an accomplished American actress known for her comedic roles and extensive work in film and television. The daughter of Nancy and Dick Cusack, and sister to actors John and Ann Cusack, Joan comes from a family deeply rooted in the entertainment industry. She began her acting career in the early 1980s and has since appeared in over 80 films and TV shows. Cusack gained early recognition for her roles in movies like ‘Working Girl’ (1988) and ‘Addams Family Values’ (1993). She received Academy Award nominations for her performances in ‘Working Girl’ and ‘In & Out’ (1997). A versatile actress, she is also known for voicing Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl in the ‘Toy Story’ franchise. Her television work includes a stint on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and her role as Sheila Jackson on ‘Shameless’, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2015. Joan Cusack is married to Richard Burke, an attorney, and they have two sons. Her contributions to comedy and acting have solidified her as a respected figure in Hollywood.

What Is Joan Cusack’s Net Worth?

Joan Cusack, a celebrated American actress, boasts a net worth of $20 million as of 2025. This wealth is a result of her extensive and successful career spanning over four decades in the entertainment industry. Her primary sources of income include earnings from her roles in numerous films and television shows, as well as her voice-acting work in animated movies.

Early Career and Film Roles

Joan Cusack embarked on her acting journey in 1980, securing roles in films such as “Cutting Loose” and “My Bodyguard.” These early appearances marked the beginning of a prolific career that would eventually encompass more than 80 acting credits. Throughout the 1980s, she gained recognition for her performances in films like “Class” (1983), “Sixteen Candles” (1984), and “Grandview, U.S.A.” (1984). Her stint on “Saturday Night Live” from 1985 to 1986, where she portrayed celebrities like Jane Fonda and Brooke Shields, further boosted her visibility. Cusack’s career gained momentum with roles in “The Allnighter” (1987), “Broadcast News” (1987), “Stars and Bars” (1988), and “Married to the Mob” (1988). In 1989, she starred in “Working Girl,” a role that earned her her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, marking a significant milestone in her career and contributing to her growing net worth.

The 1990s saw Joan Cusack’s continued presence on the big screen, with roles in 18 films, including “My Blue Heaven” (1990), “Toys” (1992), “Addams Family Values” (1993), and “Nine Months” (1995). Her performance in “In & Out” (1997) garnered her a second Academy Award nomination, solidifying her reputation as a versatile and talented actress. In 1999, she appeared in “Runaway Bride”. During the 90s her roles earned her multiple American Comedy Awards for Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for “Working Girl,” “In & Out,” and “Runaway Bride”.

Voice Acting and Box Office Success

A significant portion of Joan Cusack’s net worth can be attributed to her voice-acting work, particularly her role as Jessie in the “Toy Story” franchise. She first voiced Jessie in “Toy Story 2” (1999), which grossed $497.4 million at the box office. Her reprisal of the role in “Toy Story 3” (2010) and “Toy Story 4” (2019) further augmented her earnings, with these films grossing $1.067 billion and $1.073 billion, respectively. Her contribution to these blockbuster animated films has significantly boosted Joan Cusack’s net worth and solidified her status as a sought-after voice actress. Aside from Toy Story, she also lent her voice to “Chicken Little” (2005), “Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil” (2011), “Arthur Christmas” (2011), “Klaus” (2019), “Peep and the Big Wide World” (2004–2011), and “The Stinky & Dirty Show” (2016–2019). In 2000, she won an Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Female Performer in an Animated Feature Production for “Toy Story 2.”

21st Century Roles and Television Success

In the early 2000s, Joan Cusack starred in the films “High Fidelity” (2000) and “Where the Heart Is” (2000). From 2001 to 2002, she headlined her own sitcom, “What About Joan?,” on ABC. She continued to appear in a variety of films, including “It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie” (2002), “Looney Tunes: Back in Action” (2003), “Raising Helen” (2004), and “Ice Princess” (2005). In 2003, she co-starred with Jack Black in the commercially successful film “School of Rock,” which grossed $131.3 million at the box office. Throughout the 2000s, Cusack also appeared in “Martian Child” (2007), “War, Inc.” (2008), “Confessions of a Shopaholic” (2009), “My Sister’s Keeper” (2009), and “Acceptance” (2009). These roles, coupled with her earlier successes, contributed substantially to her financial stability and enhanced Joan Cusack’s net worth.

From 2011 to 2015, Joan Cusack played Sheila Jackson on 44 episodes of the Showtime series “Shameless,” for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2015. Joan was also nominated three times for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for the series, contributing to her reputation and earning potential in the television industry. In 2013, she appeared in the series finale of “The Office.” She has also appeared in the films “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (2012), “Welcome to Me” (2014), “The End of the Tour” (2015), “Freaks of Nature” (2015), and “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” (2016). In 2017, Cusack began a four-episode stint as Justice Strauss on the Netflix series “A Series of Unfortunate Events.” More recently, she has appeared in the films “Snatched” (2017), “Unicorn Store” (2017), “Instant Family” (2018), and “Let It Snow” (2019) and the Amazon Prime Video series “Homecoming” (2020).

Real Estate Investments

Joan Cusack’s real estate investments have also played a role in augmenting her net worth. In 2007, Cusack and her husband, Richard Burke, purchased an 8,000 square foot home in the Gold Coast area of Chicago for $5.3 million. This property, which features six bedrooms, 6.5 bathrooms, a library, seven fireplaces, and an indoor swimming pool, is a significant asset in her portfolio. Prior to this purchase, they sold their home in the Ravenswood area of Chicago for $4.66 million, realizing a substantial profit from the $905,000 they originally paid for the seven-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom home in 1998. These real estate transactions demonstrate Cusack’s acumen for property investment and its contribution to Joan Cusack’s net worth.

Business Ventures and Personal Life

Beyond acting and real estate, Joan Cusack has also ventured into the retail business. In 2011, she opened a gift shop in Old Town, Chicago, called Judy Maxwell Home. The name of the shop was inspired by Joan’s favorite movie, “What’s Up Doc?,” in which Barbra Streisand played a character named Judy Maxwell. This venture represents a diversification of her income streams and reflects her personal interests and creativity. Joan married attorney Richard Burke in 1993. Her husband, Richard Burke, has also contributed to the family’s financial success. At one point, Burke was the President of Apartments.com. Today he is the President & CEO of immigration technology and employment platform Envoy Global.

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