Michael Cusack (animator)
Michael Cusack | |
|---|---|
 Cusack in March 2024 | |
| Born | October 25, 1990 Dapto, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2012–present |
Michael R. Cusack (born on October 25, 1990[1]) is an Australian animator, writer, producer, director, musician, and voice actor. He is known as the co-creator, co-star, and co-leader of the Adult Swim animated series Smiling Friends (2022–present), in which he voices the characters Pim, Allan, and various others. He is also the creator of the Adult Swim animated series YOLO (2020–25) and the Hulu animated sitcom Koala Man (2023).
Early life
[edit]Cusack was born and raised in Dapto, New South Wales, and later moved to Melbourne.[2]
Career
[edit]Cusack became interested in animation in his 20s and taught himself Adobe Flash using online tutorials. He uploaded his content to his YouTube channel and Newgrounds account. He created and portrayed Lucas the Magnificent, a parody of New Atheist "neckbeards", in live-action YouTube videos and on Twitter, beginning in 2014; he later stated that the character led to him meeting and befriending American animator Zach Hadel, as Lucas the Magnificent stated that he wanted Hadel to animate the intro of Lucas' potential Let's Play show.[3] They began to collaborate online, then later in person when Cusack traveled to meet Hadel in Burbank, California.[4]
Cusack wrote, directed, animated, produced, and starred in the Rick and Morty special episode Bushworld Adventures, a parody of the series that aired on Adult Swim in 2018 as part of the network's April Fools' Day tradition.[5] The success of Bushworld Adventures led him to create YOLO and Smiling Friends for the network, the latter alongside Hadel.[6] He also voiced Knifey in the video game High on Life,[7] Nugget in the television film The Paloni Show Halloween Special, and Mammon in the online series Helluva Boss.
Personal life
[edit]Cusack continues to reside in Melbourne although he regularly divides his time between Melbourne and Los Angeles, California, U.S.[2][8]
Works
[edit]Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Bushworld Adventures | Various | Writer, director, producer, animator, compositor |
| 2018 | Fresh Blood: Koala Man | Koala Man, Damo, Darren, various | |
| 2020–2025 | YOLO | Lucas the Magnificent, various | Creator, director, writer, executive producer, animator, storyboard artist |
| 2022–present | Smiling Friends | Pim, Allan, various | Co-creator, director, writer, storyboard artist, storyboard revisionist, art director, character design supervisor, designer, animator |
| 2023 | Koala Man | Koala Man, Liam, Damo, Darren, various | Creator, co-developer, writer, executive producer |
| 2024 | Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy | Servo | Mini-series |
| 2025 | Big City Greens | Jim Owner | Episode: "Flexed" |
| Kiff | Old Crumb | Episode: "Ye Olde Candy Shoppe of Horrors" |
Video games
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | High on Life | Knifey | Voice |
| 2026 | High on Life 2 | Knifey | Voice |
Web
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Question for Ted | Various | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | YOLO | Sarah | Short |
| 2013–2015 | Weedheads | Various | 2 episodes |
| 2014–2016 | Damo and Darren | Damo, Darren, various | 5 episodes |
| 2014 | YOLO 2 | Sarah and Some Crazy Happy Woman | Short |
| 2018 | OneyPlays | Himself | 1 episode |
| 2018 | Shrek Retold | Donkey | Animator |
| 2019 | The Cyanide & Happiness Show | Aladdin | 1 episode |
| 2021 | Smiling Friends: Free Draw | Self | Adult Swim special |
| 2020-2022 | The Official Podcast | Self | Podcast, Guest |
| 2022 | The Create Unknown | Self | 2 episodes |
| 2023–2024 | Helluva Boss | Mammon | 2 episodes |
| 2025–present | Crocodile and Cube: In The Studio | Crocodile | Also creator, writer, director |
References
[edit]- ^ "Michael Cusack (Creator)". TV Tropes.
- ^ a b Mathiesen, Craig (9 January 2023). "'Why not Wollongong?' Disney backs irreverent Aussie superhero spoof". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 11 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
- ^ "The Smiling Friends Troll: How This Atheist Gamer Got an Adult Swim Cameo". YouTube. 19 January 2022. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
- ^ Zahed, Ramin (4 January 2022). "Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel Discuss Making 'Smiling Friends,' Their New Adult Swim Show". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ Whalen, Andrew (2 April 2018). "'Rick And Morty' April Fools' Day Episode, 'Bushworld Adventures,' Premieres Instead of Season 4". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 26 January 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ "Adult Swim's 'Smiling Friends' Turns Frowns Upside Down". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on 20 December 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ @MichaelRCusack (13 June 2022). "Yayy I voiced that knife :) @SquanchGames #HighOnLife" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Michael Cusack's animated series Koala Man is now streaming on Disney+". 8 January 2023. Archived from the original on 11 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2025.