Cusack takes on Ivan 'for research'

John Cusack has been keeping some dangerous company lately. The High Fidelity star has become pals with formidable surfing legend Laird Hamilton and the daredevils recently flew quite literally into the eye of a storm in the name of research for a new film.

They jumped in a Hercules jet that flew head on into Hurricane Ivan, which devastated the Caribbean and parts of Florida last month, to get some first-hand experience for his next role as a freak weather chaser.

“It was fantastic. It was scary, exciting and thrilling, all at the same time. At times it was like being in a clothes dryer with incredible wind gusts shaking the whole plane.

“The worst part was when the plane suddenly plunged like a brick. It felt like my stomach left my body,” he said.