Joan Cusack has shared why she chose to spend time away from Hollywood while returning to the spotlight for her newest project.
Across her career, Cusack has built a long list of memorable screen credits, with roles in films such as Addams Family Values and School of Rock, along with the television version of A Series of Unfortunate Events. A two-time Oscar nominee for Working Girl and In & Out, she has long been regarded as one of Hollywood’s most distinctive comic performers.
In recent years, however, she has kept a lower profile. Her most recent film appearances came in 2019 with Klaus, Let it Snow, and Toy Story 4, while her last TV role was in Homecoming in 2020.
Now, Cusack is heading back to the big screen by once again voicing Jessie in Pixar’s fifth Toy Story installment. Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on June 19, 2026, with the story billed by Pixar as “Toy meets Tech.” This time, the familiar toys will face a new challenge in the form of a frog-shaped tablet named Lilypad.
During a rare red carpet appearance for the film, Cusack spoke to E! News about why she had stepped back from the industry, revealing that the choice had been a deliberate one. The event marked her first major red carpet in 11 years.
She explained that family played a major role in that decision, as she wanted to focus on life at home in Chicago.
“I’ve got to say, I did at a certain point say wait a second, I really want to make a priority of being in Chicago where I live and raising my kids,” she told the outlet. “This is what I’ve been doing for 10 years.”
Cusack shares two sons with her husband Richard Burke: Dylan, 28, and Miles, 25. Her comments underline that the break was less about leaving acting entirely and more about stepping back from the constant pace and visibility that can come with major studio work.
She also reflected on how unusual it felt to be back on a major red carpet after such a long stretch away from that side of the business.
“Being on the carpet is just kind of one part of Hollywood.”
She added: “They don’t always have carpets for TV shows and all kinds of other things, so I just haven’t been in a movie this big in a long time.”
Jessie remains one of the defining roles of Cusack’s career. She first took on the character in 1999’s Toy Story 2 and has returned for every film in the series since, meaning she has been part of the franchise for more than two decades.
She will be joined again by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, who are coming back as Woody and Buzz Lightyear, while Greta Lee is set to voice Lilypad. Disney’s cast listing for the new film also includes returning franchise regulars such as Annie Potts, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger and Bonnie Hunt, alongside several newcomers.
The new movie will also feature Jeff Bergman as Mr Potatohead, taking over the role after Don Rickles’ death in 2017. In Toy Story 4, the character’s lines were created using archive recordings of Rickles.
Taylor Swift has also contributed to the franchise’s fifth chapter, writing the song I Knew It, I Knew You for the film’s release. The track was released ahead of the movie and has added an extra burst of attention around Pixar’s latest sequel.