Joan Cusack Reveals Why She Stepped Away to Raise Her Two Sons At the ‘Toy Story 5’ Premiere
The ‘Toy Story 5’ star shares why family mattered more than Hollywood fame
Key Takeaways
- Joan Cusack says raising her two sons was worth stepping away from Hollywood.
- The ‘Toy Story 5’ star and husband Richard Burke have been married since 1996.
- Cusack credits Chicago life with helping her family stay grounded and connected.
While walking the Toy Story 5 red carpet, actress Joan Cusack—who plays Jessie in the film—revealed that she decided to step away from Hollywood to focus on her two sons—Dylan and Miles Burke.
“I feel so honored to have worked in this industry for a long time,” the actress told Variety. “But it’s also great to live your life and raise your kids and be in Chicago and be a normal person. It’s kind of priceless, so there’s that.”
That revelation left fans with plenty of questions. Who exactly are Cusack’s sons? And what about the man she shares her life with? Read on as we take a closer look at her family, including her husband and children.
Get to know Joan Cusack’s husband
Cusack met her now-husband Richard Burke in 1993 on a blind date, the duo eventually marrying in a private ceremony in 1996. According to Hello! magazine, Richard went to Georgetown University Law Center and worked for Skadden Arps Slate Meagher and Flom law firm before becoming the president and CEO of Envoy Global from 2015 until 2025. He is now believed to be retired.
Cusack and Richard currently live in Chicago, which the actress said they—along with her kids—love.
“As my kids would say, ‘Chicago is awesome!’ It has rich culture and history, as well as some of the best museums, architecture and restaurants in the world,” the actress said, per HuffPost. “Plus, it prevents our family life from revolving around TV and the movies. In L.A. it’s easy to get caught up in what you look like or how much money you have, and those aren’t values I want my kids to adopt.”
The actress has also revealed how they feel about being Midwesterners, saying that their “very laid-back Midwestern attitude helps a lot! And recognizing when people are getting too stressed out and finding something relaxing and/or authentically fun to do.”
Get to know Joan Cusack’s two sons
Cusack and Richard have two kids: Dylan, who was born in 1997, and Miles, who was born in 2000. Obviously, they know their mom is a famous actress, and, according to her, they do have their favorite films of hers.
“Being in Toy Story 2 with Buzz Lightyear when Dylan was younger,” the actress said, according to Huffpost. “But now they’re more impressed that I was in School of Rock. Their friends thought it was awesome that I played the principal.”
Currently, both of Cusack’s sons have moved out of the house, which is fine by her. She believes it will allow them to discover the one thing she wants most for them: passion.
“I want my kids to experience passion. I want them to see that I have things I feel passionate about because it is such a great feeling to really love something,” the actress wrote in an essay for The Guardian. “As a parent, you have to figure out how to shape your kid’s character. You want to have human beings who learn about good character. You have to be able to see your child with clarity, see the good side and the bad side of them, and work on the bad side and make them better so they fulfill their potential.”
“You have to make them do stuff they don’t want to do, like take out the trash, while instilling in them all those difficult virtues that are not just about impulse gratification. Then there are those incredible moments when you see that they have learned or ‘got’ something,” she continued. “You see a quality in them that reminds you of your dad–there’s all the joy of being a parent. It’s absolutely true that you would sacrifice your life for them.”
Be sure to catch Joan Cusack in Toy Story 5, only in theaters on Friday, June 19.
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