Joan Cusack

Despite living in the shadow of her superstar brother, John Cusack, actress Joan Cusack carved out a substantial career with memorable supporting roles. But unlike her better known sibling, she earned an Academy Award nomination for her performance in "Working Girl" (1988), which came hot on the heels of her breakout role in "Broadcast News" (1987). From there, she accumulated a long list of credits where she played the best friend, sidekick or scourge, most notably in "Say Anything" (1989), "My Blue Heaven" (1990) and "Addams Family Values" (1993). While she did land the occasional dramatic role, as happened with "Arlington Road" (1999) and "The Cradle Will Rock" (1999), Cusack seemed content with her position as a character actress. Though her career was not without its setbacks - a failed sitcom run in early 2001 paid testament to that - Cusack nonetheless remained secure in herself and career, becoming by the late 1990s and early 2000s, one of the most dependable supporting players working in Hollywood.