'It's Kind Of Priceless': Why Beloved Actor Joan Cusack Decided To Ditch Hollywood

If you were thrilled to see Joan Cusack pop up at the "Toy Story 5" launch event in May, you are in good company. The "Shameless" star did it again last night, delighting fans with her first red carpet appearance in over a decade when she attended the film's premiere. While there, she got candid about why she hasn't walked a red carpet in 11 years.

The newest "Toy Story" installment just wouldn't be the same without Cusack reprising her cowgirl character, Jessie. Yet, her return to the character comes after six years away from acting. So, where has the "Sixteen Candles" cast member been? Well, she's been back in her hometown, living her life. As she told Variety, "I feel so honored to be able to work in this industry for a long time, but it's also great to live your life and raise your kids and be in Chicago and be a normal person, she explained, adding, "It's kind of priceless."

Fans certainly think it's "priceless" to see Cusack out and about on red carpets and hear her voice as Jessie again, which they have missed since "Toy Story 4" in 2019. However, it's also nice to know that she's been taking some well-deserved time off from the acting world to do what she loves.

It may have been 11 years since Joan Cusack walked a red carpet, but that's nothing compared to her career; as she told Variety at the "Toy Story 5" premiere, "I've worked for a long time ..." Cusack first graced our screens in "My Bodyguard" back in 1980. In the interim, she never really took much of a break, raking in an Emmy win, two Academy Award nominations, and many more accolades along the way. Cusack hasn't appeared in a film or TV series since her 2020 stint in "Homecoming," though, so she has been getting to spend more time with her family back at home in Chicago.

In fact, Cusack had her family with her at the premiere of "Toy Story 5." Her husband, Richard Burke (with whom she's celebrating her 30th wedding anniversary this year), joined Cusack along with their two children, 28-year-old Dylan John Burke and 25-year-old Miles Burke.

Considering how much she's worked in show business, we expected Cusack's break from acting to involve a lot of rest and relaxation. It seems, though, that the "Addams Family Values" star keeps busy no matter what. She has been running the gift shop that she owns in Chicago, Judy Maxwell Home, since 2014. She's played all of these roles over the years, and she runs her own store? Talk about a Joan of all trades.