Joan Cusack walked the red carpet for “Toy Story 5” at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on June 9, stepping back into her voice role as Jessie after a six-year acting break. She came with husband Richard Burke and sons Dylan and Miles, and shared why she stepp
Joan Cusack didn’t just arrive at the “Toy Story 5” premiere—she arrived with the life she says she chose to prioritize for years.
On Tuesday. June 9. the 63-year-old Emmy-winning actress made a rare public appearance at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. joined by her husband. Richard Burke. and their two sons. Dylan and Miles. The moment stood out. in part. because Cusack hasn’t been this visible on the red carpet for a long stretch.
The premiere also marked her return to acting after six years. In “Toy Story 5,” Cusack is reprising her voice role as Jessie. She recently added another milestone to that comeback: just a few weeks earlier, she made her first red carpet appearance in 11 years at the movie’s London premiere.
While speaking on the red carpet to Variety, Cusack explained why she stepped away from acting for those six years. “I feel so honored to be able to work in this industry for a long time. but it’s also great to live your life and raise your kids and be in Chicago and be a normal person. ” she said. “It’s kind of priceless.”.
Cusack’s connection to Chicago runs deeper than nostalgia, too. She has owned and operated a gift shop called Judy Maxwell Home in her native Chicago since 2014.
Her return also comes with a quiet disbelief. In the same interview. Cusack admitted she never imagined she’d still be voicing Jessie when she first appeared as the character in 1999’s “Toy Story 2.” She recalled that she assumed the role would be brief: “I just thought they cast me because they thought it was gonna be funny to have a cowgirl with the Chicago accent. ” she said. “I’d have a couple of lines be in a couple of scenes, and that would be it.”.
“Toy Story 5” hits theaters on June 19. And for Cusack, the red carpet moment wasn’t just about returning to a franchise—it was about coming back on her own terms, with her family beside her.
Joan Cusack Toy Story 5 Jessie Disney Pixar red carpet premiere Richard Burke Dylan Cusack Miles Cusack Chicago Judy Maxwell Home Emmy-winning actress