The John Cusack Movie You Are Based On Your Zodiac Sign
John Cusack began his movie career in his teens and very quickly developed an impressive resume. By the time he was 25, he had already made films directed and/or produced by iconic filmmakers like John Hughes, Cameron Crowe, Rob Reiner, and Martin Scorsese. He transitioned from teen to adult actor in a way that few are able to do, shedding his teen idol image with ease, as he showcased his ability to pull off a variety of roles within different genres. Cusack would also explore other talents as well, co-writing (and also starring in) cult classics like "Grosse Point Blank" and "High Fidelity."
In recent years, Cusack has expressed his disdain for the Hollywood machine, and he is no longer willing to play the game just to remain an A-list star. Although much of his output in the 2010s came via direct-to-video movies, he has always remain steadily working. He still shows up in a more mainstream film if the right project comes his way: More recently, he was in Spike Lee's 2015 film "Chi-Raq" and as the older Brian Wilson in the 2014 biopic "Love & Mercy." Either way, Cusack has nearly 90 acting credits to his name that include almost every type of character imaginable, which means that it's easy to find a role of his that matches up perfectly with each of the 12 astrological signs of the Zodiac.
Aries: Grosse Pointe Blank
As the first sign of the zodiac, Aries are adventurous and fearless — two traits that would be required of a hitman. That is why Martin Q. Blank, John Cusack's character from the 1997 dark comedy "Grosse Pointe Blank," represents Aries so well. Aries are also known for their ability to put any situation behind them to move on very easily, which — other than being okay with murder — might be the most important trait in an assassin-for-hire.
Aries are always up for something new and are willing to travel, as well as permanently relocate for better opportunities in both their personal and professional lives. A professional hitman isn't going to make much money if he keeps his radius of potential targets too small. Martin's Aries-like willingness to go wherever life takes him extends beyond his career, however, as it also allows him to find his happily ever after with his high school sweetheart. And only a fire sign like Aries would feel enough passion to take the considerable risk required for Martin to go against his dangerous boss (played by Dan Aykroyd, in one of his most underrated performances) and leave his life of crime behind.
Taurus: Bullets Over Broadway
Some have explored the connection between writers and the Taurus zodiac sign. After all, some of the most famous writers in history fall under the sign of the bull: Charlotte Brontë, Vladimir Nabokov, Harper Lee, August Wilson, L. Frank Baum, and William Shakespeare, to name a few. There are a number of reasons why Taurus traits align so well with the writer lifestyle, including their ability to turn hobbies and passions into careers, as well as their desire to find the beauty in life. David Shayne, John Cusack's playwright character in the Woody Allen showbiz comedy "Bullets Over Broadway," definitely lives up to the tradition of the Taurus writer for those reasons and more.
While Taurus is a sign that is often associated with being good with money, that aspect of the sign can also manifest in a drive to earn money, and a desire for all the luxuries that money brings. David is a mostly struggling playwright, but he still tries to live the life of a successful and famous writer, and he is eager to soak up all of the perks that come with that, even if it means working with the mob to do so. David is a bit bumbling and kind of a phony at times, but he's faking it until he makes it, as the saying goes — which is something that is common in a Taurus, as they try to live up to the financial success and stability that the sign promises the people born under it.
Gemini: Identity
While the list of traits that are indicative of Geminis is as long as that of any of the others, there is one thing that people tend to focus on most when discussing Geminis: the Twins, which symbolize this zodiac sign. Gemini is the sign of the dual personality: People with this sign often have two different sides of themselves in one way or another. Sometimes these sides work together, sometimes they are in direct opposition — but either way, the way they communicate and interact with each other are what ultimately forms the whole of a single Gemini.
In the psychological thriller "Identity," John Cusack plays Edward Dakota, a former police officer, who finds himself stuck in a motel with a group of strangers. One of the people ends up dead, and with no way for anyone else to have gotten in or out, it is determined that the killer must be one of them. Without giving away too much, it's revealed that Edward shares some traits with a serial killer named Malcolm Rivers. Edward and Malcolm are like two sides of the same coin (or two twins of the same Gemini sign). These opposing forces have to work together, much in the way a Gemini's two sides need to work in tandem in order for things to go as well as possible for someone under this sign.
Cancer: High Fidelity
While very few people take heartbreak well, perhaps no other sign of the zodiac is more torn apart over a love turned-cold than a Cancer. For that reason alone, John Cusack's "High Fidelity" character, Rob Gordon, is a textbook Cancer. After all, the entire crux of the movie is built upon him taking his breakup with girlfriend Laura so badly, that he then decides to rehash what went wrong in his past relationships and why he was so devastated by the ending of each one. Honestly, to have a "top 5 worst break-ups" list in the first place is a very Cancer-esque thing to do.
Rob has a lot more in common with the Cancer sign than just how much he licks his wounds after being dumped, however. He also has the Cancer trait of being great at reading people, which comes in handy when one runs a record store and needs to know what type of music to recommend a total stranger they've only known for a few minutes. Cancers are also intense and passionate about the things that they love, which for Rob is both music and Laura. Finally, Cancers are notorious for being sentimental about their pasts, which tracks with Rob's nostalgia about both his relationship history and the songs that have served as the soundtrack to his life.
Leo: Say Anything...
Another zodiac sign with a fire element, Leos are often passionate, caring, and generous. But a Leo isn't low-key or subtle about the fire they feel for someone they care about — they don't just make sure that the target of their affections knows how they feel, but that the whole world knows it too. And if there is one scene in the history of romantic films that is the perfect representation of this, it's the iconic moment from "Say Anything..." of John Cusack's Lloyd Dobler holding a boombox over his head. As the Peter Gabriel love ballad "In Your Eyes" plays, Lloyd tells Diane Court (and everyone in her neighborhood) just how he feels about her in a way that only a Leo could.
Leos can put a little too much focus on relationships, to the point of being unable to be happy or feel complete unless they are on the receiving end of romantic love. Lloyd is most definitely guilty of this, as he's totally fixated on Diane before ever even asking her out. However, the other side of that coin is when Lloyd does find himself in a relationship, he gives his whole self to it. The result is being loved and worshipped in a way that would definitely appeal to a Leo.
Virgo: The Thin Red Line
Hardworking and analytical, Virgos will do whatever it takes to accomplish a task that is set before them and won't give up until the job is done. This makes John Cusack's character from "The Thin Red Line," Captain John Gaff, a five-star representation of this earth sign. There is a certain amount of perfectionism required to reach a leadership role within the armed forces, and Virgos are also known perfectionists — perhaps more so than any other zodiac sign.
Captain Gaff leads his battalion in the successful capture of a Japanese bunker, despite the odds being slightly stacked against them, which proves that Gaff has that Virgo sense of responsibility in finishing any job that he is assigned. In addition, Virgos are noted for creating order from chaos, and it's hard to find a more fitting example of taking chaos and turning it into order than someone leading a group of soldiers on a battlefield. Finally, there is little tolerance for people not taking their task seriously in the armed forces, and the Virgo tendency to have little patience for that is very clearly demonstrated by Captain Gaff.
Libra: Eight Men Out
With the scales of justice as its symbol, the zodiac sign Libra is synonymous with balance and fairness. Many Libras rely on a strong sense of knowing and acting upon the right thing, even when presented with a tantalizing opportunity to do otherwise. John Cusack's portrayal of real-life Chicago White Sox baseball player George Daniel "Buck" Weaver in "Eight Men Out" is a wonderful example of a Libra standing by his convictions and not allowing himself to be tempted into wrongdoing.
The movie is about the infamous scandal involving White Sox players taking money to intentionally lose the 1919 World Series. Their justification was that the team's owner wasn't paying them what they deserved. Only some players participated in the fix, while others declined — including Buck Weaver. Like a Libra, Weaver wanted to play the game and either win or lose based on his own merits, rather than cheating to make more money. To him, the spoils of an honest victory meant more than a big payday from something dishonest. Libras are also known to be incredibly loyal, and Weaver is that as well — to the point that he doesn't rat out his teammates for what they're planning. As a result, he unfortunately gets punished right along with the rest of them. which has long been considered a great injustice by fans and commentators.
Scorpio: Anastasia
Sometimes, the difference between whether zodiac traits are positive or negative comes down to the way an individual uses those traits. That is definitely the case for Scorpios and the way they are able to effortlessly charm people. Being able to enchant someone and have them under your spell can easily be used for ill, and that is how con man Dimitri initially uses his Scorpio-like powers of persuasion in "Anastasia." Voiced by John Cusack — one of only two animated characters the actor has played in his entire career — Dimitri is so used to being in control that he expresses a disinterest in independent, strong-willed women. Scorpios see every relationship as a game to be won, and Dimitri likes winning.
However, when Dimitri meets Anya, he can't help but succumb to her charms, and she eventually starts to break down his walls. Scorpios might play hard to get, but that doesn't mean that they don't like to eventually be gotten. In fact, once a Scorpio does finally give themselves to someone, there are few zodiac signs that make a better romantic partner. Anya sticks with Dimitri and has the patience to let him get over his Scorpio-inspired issues with powerful women. Finally, he reveals his true, sensitive nature, which leads to a happily ever after for both characters.
Sagittarius: Being John Malkovich
While there are multiple zodiac signs that have adventurousness as a trait, Sagittarius is the one that can grow the most restless if those under this sign aren't constantly on the path to the latest exciting new development. There is always something (or someone) more interesting out there for many Sagittarians, which is the way Craig Schwartz of "Being John Malkovich" seems to perpetually be living his life. John Cusack plays the manic and twitchy Schwartz, a puppeteer, who is forced to get a mundane office job to make ends meet. He becomes bored by it almost immediately. That is, until he meets co-worker Maxine (Catherine Keener), who is mysterious and exciting and sexy in all the ways that his wife isn't. So, in typical Sagittarius fashion, he sees her as his next adventure.
Not long after, Schwartz discovers a portal into the brain of actor John Malkovich, which should be enough of a new adventure to scratch that itch for him. But he's a Sagittarius to the extreme, which means that he tries to figure out ways to make the whole portal-into-Malkovich thing even more exciting. Sagittarians are also prone to letting their intellect and ego get the better of them, and in the end, it all comes crashing down on Schwartz to the point where he probably wishes he could've just learned to be content with his old by-the-numbers life.
Capricorn: Con Air
A major cornerstone of many people under the zodiac sign of Capricorn is patience and a desire to make sure everything they do has a strong foundation. Few Capricorns will go rushing into a situation without planning first. Instead of figuring things out on the fly, they will take their time and be as certain as possible that whatever they do has the best chance at success before they even attempt to do it. All of that and more is true of John Cusack's "Con Air" character, U.S. Marshall Vince Larkin.
Larkin finds himself up against a group of almost impossibly cunning criminals, who hijack a plane. A more impulsive or reckless law enforcement officer would have probably succumbed to their demands. But like a good Capricorn, Larkin really thinks hard about each step he takes against them before he takes it — and in this way, he proves himself a more-than-capable foil for their plans. There are times along the way where Larkin's personal feelings might have interfered with his ability to do his duty as an officer. But like a true Capricorn, he is able to do what is "right," even if it means not always doing what he personally agrees with.
Aquarius: The Grifters
Like Scorpios, the traits of an Aquarius can be used for both good and "evil" purposes. Aquarians are intellectual and have a strong hunger for learning, particularly about people. While that isn't a bad thing in and of itself, when someone learns about people for the purpose of conning them, that is a major example of using an Aquarius trait for a not-so-nice reason. John Cusack's con man character in "The Grifters," Roy Dillon, has that Aquarius-esque desire to learn about people, which he uses against them in his various swindles.
Another aspect of Aquariuses is how easily or willfully they can close themselves off to others. By having the ability to turn off feeling sympathy for his targets, Dillon can more easily con them without letting guilt get in the way. Aquarians can also be stubborn: Once they've made up their minds about something, it can be very difficult for them to see any other angles or possibilities. This is useful for Dillon, since he can shut off any parts of himself that second guess what he's doing or that might tell him that grifting people is wrong. Ultimately, it's his Aquarius nature that makes him a successful con man.
Pisces: Brian Wilson, Love & Mercy
John Cusack has played a few real-life people over the course of his career, but perhaps none have been more famous than musician and former Beach Boy Brian Wilson. In the biopic "Love & Mercy," John Cusack plays Wilson in the later parts of his life, while Paul Dano handles the duties of Wilson's younger years. Brian Wilson is known for being the more mystical and spiritual member of the Beach Boys, and he was the songwriter responsible for their most ethereal tunes. This puts him in line with Pisces, as people under this zodiac sign are less interested in the mundanities of regular life, and instead seek to find the soul and the spirit behind everything.
Sadly, Pisces are also prone to being manipulated. They are open to receiving the energies of the people around them, which isn't always a bad thing, but it opens up the possibility of them welcoming in negative energy as well. And if people are aware of that fact, they can use it against a Pisces and more or less control them. This is characteristic of Wilson's later life (the era that Cusack portrays in the film), as Wilson gets manipulated and is kept heavily medicated by his therapist-turned-legal guardian Eugene Landy. For Wilson, having Pisces traits made him a brilliant musician, but also led to a very dark period later on.