Cusack inspired by Hackman, Hoffman

NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- John Cusack said in New Orleans he wanted to co-star in the thriller "Runaway Jury" because it meant working with Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman.

"I don't know if there are better film actors in history than these two guys," Cusack said during a recent news conference before the Tuesday release of the movie's DVD and home video format.

The Chicago native said the screen icons inspired him and reinforced some lessons he had learned during his own two decades as an actor.

"I haven't really met people that I've really respected (and been) disappointed in them as a people," he said. "They are always very interesting people, very curious, very intelligent."

"Dustin is so tenacious and so passionate and so hungry to try to make it good. He never wants to rest on his laurels; so you're around that and you realize why he's great," he continued. "Gene's more of an enigma because he's so stoic and he kind of just comes in, knocks it out of the park and knows what he wants to do."