Actor John Cusack, known for his roles in "Being John Malkovich," "High Fidelity," and "Grosse Pointe Blank," has largely stepped back from Hollywood to tell stories without studio executive input. Cusack, 60, revealed that he turned to writing graphic novels, specifically his upcoming work "Momo," as a means to maintain creative control.
"I always thought [graphic novels] were the closest things to film, really," Cusack told Variety at San Diego Comic-Con. "You’re picking out shots, they’re so cinematic."
He explained that the pressure of securing significant funding for films often leads to compromises. "When you ask somebody to put $20 million or $30 million into a bank account [for a film], they want to have an opinion and they’re afraid and all that stuff," he said. This desire to avoid negotiation prompted his turn to writing.
Cusack collaborated with illustrator Ignacio Noé on "Momo," emphasizing that neither his writing nor Noé's drawings underwent editorial changes. "This was just like, I wrote it, and I said, ‘I like the story,’ and then I got this beautiful, wonderful artist, Ignacio Noé, to do the illustrations and so nobody edited anything I wrote or that he drew," Cusack stated. "So it’s really a piece of work that was just done by two people. It was just me and Ignacio’s story, and that doesn’t happen today."
He contrasted this approach with the current Hollywood system, noting, "There’s no bull, and there’s no committee. There’s no computer up in Seattle that’s poll testing it."
"Momo," his first graphic novel, is scheduled for release on September 29. The narrative centers on two fugitives in 1972 who embark on a quest to retrieve an ancient artifact for television personality Jackie Gleason.
Cusack's acting career has become more selective in recent years. His most recent screen credits include appearances in the 2025 films "Fog of War" and "Detective Chinatown 1900," as well as the 2024 Chinese espionage thriller "Decoded." Prior to that, his roles since 2020 were limited to the action thriller "Pursuit" and Amazon's dystopian series "Utopia."
Cusack has previously voiced concerns about the direction of the film industry. He recalled a past era, referencing his friend Joe Roth who ran Disney until 2000. "He made things like ‘The Rock’ and ‘Con Air’ to make shareholders happy, but then he also gave six or seven slots to people he liked," Cusack told The Guardian in 2014. "I got to make ‘High Fidelity’ and ‘Grosse Pointe Blank.’ Spike Lee got to make ‘Summer of Sam.’ Wes Anderson got to make ‘Rushmore.’ I had that memory of film and that’s gone."
He added, "Now it’s six for them — with a committee cutting the film who weren’t part of making it – and maybe one for you."
Cusack is not the only member of his family to have taken a less public approach to their careers. His older sister, actress Joan Cusack, 63, recently made her first red-carpet appearance since 2015 in May for the London premiere of "Toy Story 5," marking an 11-year absence from public events. "I feel so honored to have worked in this industry for a long time," Joan Cusack told Variety in June. "But it’s also great to live your life and raise your kids and be in Chicago and be a normal person."