Joan Cusack Returns to Red Carpet for Toy Story 5 Premiere

Actress Joan Cusack has returned to the public eye for the premiere of "Toy Story 5," marking a significant departure from a years-long break from Hollywood that she described as a deliberate and "priceless" choice to focus on family life in Chicago. The 63-year-old actress, who reprises her role as the voice of Jessie the cowgirl, made her first red carpet appearance in over a decade at the film's London premiere in late May and attended the Los Angeles premiere on Tuesday, June 9.

At the Los Angeles event, Cusack explained her prolonged absence from the industry. She said she felt honored to have had a long career but that it was equally valuable to live a normal life, raise her children, and reside in her hometown. Cusack has been married to attorney Richard Burke since 1996, and the couple have two sons, Dylan and Miles. She has largely lived in Chicago since stepping back from acting, where she owns and operates a gift shop called Judy Maxwell Home.

Cusack's last film role was in "Toy Story 4" in 2019, and her last acting credit was a 2020 television appearance. Her return is specifically tied to the new Pixar installment, in which her character, Jessie, is said to have a...