Actor John Cusack, a familiar face in Hollywood for over 40 years, has embarked on a significant career shift, moving away from his extensive acting work to focus on writing. Cusack, 60, recently made a rare public appearance at San Diego Comic-Con to introduce his debut graphic novel, titled "Momo."
Cusack, who has appeared in more than 80 films, including "High Fidelity" and "Say Anything...", has noticeably reduced his on-screen appearances in recent years. He explained his transition to writing, particularly graphic novels, by comparing them to filmmaking. "Well, I always thought they were the closest things to film, really," Cusack told Variety at the convention. "You know, you're picking out shots and they're so cinematic."
He expressed a desire to tell stories without the extensive negotiation and compromise often involved in film production. "I wanted to tell a story, but I didn't want to negotiate telling a story. This was just like I wrote it, and I said, 'I like this story,'" Cusack stated.
The graphic novel "Momo," which Cusack independently wrote and collaborated on with artist Ignacio Noé, is a sci-fi buddy heist and road trip story set in 1972. The project was distributed by Mad Cave Studios. Cusack highlighted the freedom he experienced, noting that neither he nor Noé had their work edited by external parties. "Nobody edited anything I wrote or that he drew, so it's really a piece of work that was just done by two people," he said. "It was just me and Ignacio's story, and that doesn't happen today."
Cusack also commented on the absence of a "committee" or "algorithm" influencing his creative process for "Momo," contrasting it with the commercial pressures often found in Hollywood. "When you ask somebody to put like $20 or $30 million into a bank account [for a movie-making budget], they want to have an opinion, and they're afraid and all that stuff," he explained.
He indicated that he has already begun working on a second graphic novel with Noé. Cusack recalled an earlier era of filmmaking where creators pursued unique visions rather than focusing solely on franchise installments or business strategies. "I wanted to do something like movies from a different era," he said, defining success as simply having the work read and appreciated.
Cusack's most recent film appearances include "Fog of War" and "Detective Chinatown 1900" in 2025, "Pursuit" in 2022, and the Amazon Prime series "Utopia" in 2020. In addition to his acting career, Cusack has also become known for his outspoken political views in recent years.