A Live Conversation with John Cusack and special screening of "High Fidelity"

Thursday, October 12, 2023 @ 7:30pm

State Theatre New Jersey
15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

With four decades' worth of roles in over 70 films, Hollywood icon John Cusack has enjoyed a varied and diverse career. Now, join Cusack for a screening of his hit movie High Fidelity followed by a LIVE conversation regarding his career and the making of his films. Fans will get the opportunity to experience a moderated discussion, with Cusack answering audience questions as well.

Cusack first gained the attention of audiences by starring in a number of 1980’s film classics such as The Sure Thing, Say Anything, and Sixteen Candles. Following these roles, Cusack successfully shed his teen-heartthrob image by demonstrating his ability to expand his film repertoire by starring in a wide range of dramas, thrillers, and comedies including The Grifters, Eight Men Out, Being John Malkovich, High Fidelity, and Grosse Pointe Blank.

In 2001, Cusack was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture—Comedy or Musical for his role in the feature version of Nick Hornby's English novel, High Fidelity. In addition to starring in the film, Cusack also co-produced and co-wrote the script with Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis. The film also stars Jack Black, Lisa Bonet, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Joan Cusack.

In recent years, Cusack starred in Bill Pohland’s Love and Mercy, in which he played iconic Beach Boys songwriter and musician Brian Wilson. Cusack starred opposite Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks, and Paul Giamatti as Wilson in the later years of his life. Cusack also starred in David Cronenberg’s, Maps to the Stars alongside Julianne Moore, Robert Pattinson, and Mia Wasikowska, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The satirical drama is an analysis of the entertainment industry's relationship with Western civilization as a whole.

Cusack was most recently seen in the Amazon’s SciFi series, Utopia, in which he stars as Dr. Kevin Christie, a charismatic, media-savvy, and brilliant biotech mind who wants to change the world through science. Utopia is based on Dennis Kelly’s British series of the same name and highly acclaimed author Gillian Flynn served as executive producer and showrunner.

Some of his other feature film credits include: The Frozen Ground, Hot Tub Time Machine, War Inc., Grace Is Gone, The Ice Harvest, Runaway Jury, Identity, Max, Cradle Will Rock, The Thin Red Line, Con Air, City Hall, Bullets Over Broadway, The Road to Wellville, True Colors, Broadcast News, Serendipity, Better Off Dead, and Stand By Me.

In April 2012, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce presented Cusack with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star, honoring his long, ground-breaking career in film.

Co-presented with The Bowery Presents.