Joan Cusack got his fans talking after making it first red carpet appearance in over a decade at its London premiere Toy Story 5 on May 28.
The beloved actress, best known for voicing Jessie in the Pixar franchise, appeared alongside her castmates.
While many fans were happy to see the star back in the spotlight, others were shocked at how different he looked looks.
- Joan Cusack made her first red carpet appearance in 11 years at the London premiere of ‘Toy Story 5’.
- The 63-year-old Emmy winner, who reprises her beloved voice role as Jessie, opted for a natural look for her return.
- The actress’ picture sparked heated debate online, with many fans praising her decision to age naturally, while others claimed her facial structure looked completely different.
“Aging like a real person and not filled with Botox. I love it. She looks great,” wrote one fan.
Joan Cusack reunites with Toy Story castmates during her first red carpet appearance in 11 years
Image credit: Getty/Karwai Tang
The 63-year-old reprises her role as cowgirl doll Jessie in the future Toy Story 5, which hits theaters on June 19, 2026.
For the occasion, Cusack wore a crisp white button-down shirt tucked into a plunging black maxi skirt. She paired her look with thick black-rimmed glasses and styled her hair in a bob with eyebrow-length bangs.
He posed with cast mates Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, who returned as Woody and Buzz Lightyear.
She also appears alongside writer-director Andrew Stanton, producer Lindsey Collins, and co-stars Greta Lee and Tony Hale. Her husband, Richard Burke, also joined her on the carpet.
Cusack’s performance is particularly notable as she has avoided Hollywood events since winning an Emmy in 2015 for her role as Sheila Jackson in Shameless.
When photos of the premiere spread online, many fans praised Cusack’s performance
Image credit: Getty/Lia Toby
“Can we not judge women based on aging? She’s in her 60s and still recognisably herself,” one person wrote.
“I think it’s great that she’s aging naturally. Look here. If she had a facelift, everyone would criticize her for doing it. Take your pick, friends,” added another.
Others praised the actress for never changing her appearance to fit Hollywood expectations.
Image credit: Getty/Jason Merritt
“It’s incredible to see a woman like her, without plastic surgery and aging naturally on the red carpet,” wrote one commenter.
“She’s great. I love that she never changes her appearance to fit Hollywood standards. Cute and real speaks for itself,” another fan shared.
But not everyone agrees. Some viewers questioned whether the woman in the photo was really Cusack.
Image credit: Getty/Jon Kopaloff
“Is that really him? His face looks so different- and I don’t just mean aging. I mean the shape looks different,” one person commented.
“Honestly, this doesn’t look like him, just a little bit like him. The bone structure looks very different,” wrote another.
Others speculated about the authenticity of the image, with one person writing, “I’m pretty sure this is AI.”
Joan Cusack’s absence for many years was spent focusing on family life in Chicago
Image credit: Getty/Ron Galella
Although many headlines portrayed the premiere as a comeback, Cusack never completely left acting behind.
Instead, he spent most of the decade focusing on family life in Chicago with Burke and their two sons, Dylan John and Miles.
Talking about his decision to stay in Chicago rather than Los Angeles, Cusack said Huffington Post in 2019, “As my kids say, ‘Chicago is awesome!’ The city has a rich culture and history, as well as some of the best museums, architecture and restaurants in the world.”
Image credit: IMDb
She added, “Plus, it keeps our family life from relying solely on TV and movies. In LA, it’s very easy to get caught up in looks or how much money you have, and those are not values I want my kids to embody.”
During that period, Cusack also continued to operate his gift shop in Chicago, Judy Maxwell House, which he opened in 2011.
He explained that the business gave him a creative outlet in raising his children.
“My kids were small, and I didn’t really want to take acting jobs, because I always had to be away,” he said. New Yorker in 2019.
Toy Story 5 will bring Joan Cusack’s Jessie into the center of the story
Image credit: Pixar
Although Woody and Buzz remain an important part of the franchise, Toy Story 5 is expected to focus heavily on Jessie.
In 2025, Allen spoke with WIVB, adding, “I can tell you it’s a lot about Jessie.”
The film explores how modern technology is changing childhood and how toys compete for attention in an increasingly digital world.
Director Andrew Stanton explains that the toys face new challenges as children become increasingly attached to electronics.
Cusack also talked about returning to the role he played in 1999’s Toy Story 2.
#ToyStory5 star Joan Cusack discusses how her approach to voicing Jessie has changed over the past 30 years: “This time, I feel like I have a knack for it and I can do it better” pic.twitter.com/Gba80MVbBF
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) May 29, 2026
“I realized that there is a real skill in it. It means, you can’t use your face and your body, you just have to use your voice,” he said. Deadlinee during the premiere.
Reflecting on his experience shooting the new film, he added, “Over the years he’s pushed you to get it, and I feel like this time I feel like I have the chops for it and I can do it better. And that’s pretty cool.”
The actress also relates the film’s central theme to parenthood.
“I know every parent in the United States is worried about their children. When do you get them involved in technology? What effect does it have on their brains?” he said.
“It’s about humanity, play and loyalty – and it made me cry.”
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