Courteney Cox bio, age, hieght, Friends, daughter, husband, career path 2025

Courtney Cox Biography

Courtney Cox is a Hollywood actress, producer, director, and writer. She shot to fame playing Monica Geller in the hit TV series "Friends," which ran for ten years. She also starred as journalist Gale Weathers throughout the "Scream" horror franchise.

Childhood

Born in summer 1964 to businessman Richard L. Cox and housewife Courteney Bass, Courtney was the fourth child in the family. Growing up with older siblings Dottie, Virginia, and Richard, she was surrounded by love and care. Though the family was well-off, Courtney was devastated when her parents divorced and her father moved to Florida.

Later, her mother remarried Hunter Copeland, a widower and businessman from New York. Courtney struggled for years to accept his nine children from a previous marriage as her siblings. As she matured, she came to understand her parents' differences and stopped blaming her mother for the divorce. Hunter, who was both wealthy and caring, worked hard to build strong relationships with all the children.

At school, Courtney was an excellent student and athlete, playing tennis and swimming competitively. She was also a cheerleader. While studying, she took up a part-time job as a salesperson and bought her first car at 16. Back then, she had no acting ambitions and was more interested in interior design. In the early '80s, she enrolled at Vernon College in Washington to study architecture.

Around this time, the tall and slender Courtney caught the attention of her stepfather's nephew, Miles, who had connections in the modeling world. She took their advice and decided to give modeling a shot. Within six months, the Ford modeling agency signed her.

Courtney dropped out of college to become the face of Maybelline, appearing regularly in magazines. She took acting classes to polish her speaking skills for commercial work. In 1985, Courtney made TV history as the first person to say "period" in a Tampax commercial on American television, breaking taboos around women's health topics.

Courtney Cox in a Tampax commercial

Early Roles

In the mid-80s, the vibrant and daring Courteney caught Bruce Springsteen's attention, landing her a starring role in his iconic music video "Dancing in the Dark". The shoot showcased her captivating presence and undeniable charm to the world. This project marked the beginning of her acting career. Though Courteney earned just $350 for her first acting gig, it opened doors to hosting a music show and landing minor TV roles.

Courteney Cox in Bruce Springsteen's music video

In 1986, Courteney Cox appeared as Gloria Dinallo in "Misfits of Science", Carol in "The Love Boat", Carol Bannister in "Murder, She Wrote", and Lauren Miller in "Family Ties". The following year, she appeared in sci-fi films "Masters of the Universe" and "Cocoon: The Return", sharing the screen with stars like Dolph Lundgren, Don Ameche, and Wilford Brimley.

Courteney Cox in the series 'Family Ties'

In the early 90s, Cox took on a role in Colin Bucksey's psychological thriller "Blue Desert" (1990), followed by portraying Jewel Jagger in "Mr. Destiny" (1990) and Katherine in the drama "Battling for Baby" (1992).

Courteney Cox before the series 'Friends'

In 1992, she starred alongside Ari Gross in the comedic film "The Opposite Sex and How to Live with Them" by Matthew Meshekoff, and later played the role of Meryl in the TV series "Seinfeld". Her role as press secretary Melissa Robinson in "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" - helping search for a missing dolphin named Snowflake - also made a lasting impression on audiences. On set, Courteney enjoyed interacting with the famous Hollywood comedian, Jim Carrey.

Friends

The role that shot the actress to stardom was NBC's hit series "Friends." Initially, the producers considered offering her the role of Rachel Green. Instead, Courteney brilliantly brought Monica Geller to life – a driven yet completely charming perfectionist whose apartment became the heart of the show's storylines.

On set, Courteney portrayed a take-charge, disciplined woman who lived for order. The show often explored Monica's past weight struggles from her teenage years. Monica also had an intense need to always come out on top, never backing down from arguments or competitions with her friends. Despite her distinctive personality, Monica was beloved both by her on-screen friends and the audience.

Years later, Courteney revealed in an interview that despite the show's massive success, she barely remembers filming "Friends":

Of course, I remember how much I loved everyone and how much fun we had. I remember that time in my life when we were making the show, but I don't remember the actual episodes. I would fail any quiz... I decided to binge-watch 'Friends' because everyone loves it so much! I'm currently on the first season. It's truly great!

During the fifth and sixth seasons of "Friends," Courteney's personal life underwent major changes. In the early 2000s, she married actor David Arquette and took the hyphenated name Cox-Arquette. The show's crew found a unique way to congratulate her: they added "Arquette" to every cast member's name in the credits of one episode.

FRIENDS Interview with Matt LeBlanc and Courteney Cox

While filming, the actors were falling in love, getting married, and starting families. For example, when Lisa Kudrow got pregnant, they wrote Phoebe's pregnancy into the storyline. But when Courteney got pregnant, she had to hide her bump with loose clothing because Monica and Chandler's storyline was all about their struggle to have kids, ultimately leading them to adopt twins.

Courteney Cox filmed in Friends while pregnant

In 2005, Courteney, along with her co-stars Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow, made it into the Guinness World Records. The trio was recognized as the highest-paid TV actresses, earning nearly $1.5 million per episode in the show's final two seasons.

Monica Best Moments

The most surprising thing about Courteney Cox's time on the show is that she never won an award for her performance. While the show won a Golden Globe and six Emmys, Courteney was the only main cast member who didn't take home a trophy. Despite this, she looks back fondly on the ten years filming the series, which gave her not just fame and serious money, but lifelong friendships.

Other Works in Cinema

Courteney Cox earned major recognition for her role as news reporter Gale Weathers in the hit horror franchise "Scream." She filmed these movies while simultaneously working on "Friends." Four films hit theaters (1996, 1997, 2000, 2011), with Courteney's character writing novels about Woodsboro that get turned into horror movies.

Several countries almost banned "Scream" internationally because of its graphic content. But the slasher flick drew huge worldwide audiences and became a major moneymaker.

Courteney Cox Shares Scream Most Difficult Scene To Film (1996)

In 2001, Courteney Cox starred as Cybil Waingrow in Damien Lichtenstein's crime tragicomedy "3000 Miles to Graceland." She shared the screen with Kurt Russell and Kevin Costner. Courteney's husband, David Arquette, also participated in the film. Though the movie flopped and earned a Razzie nomination, Courteney wasn't bothered since she was already diving into her next role as Samantha in Richard Benjamin's drama "The Shrink Is In."

Cox delivered another standout performance as Sophie Jacobs in Greg Harrison's 2004 thriller "November." She played a photographer devastated by her boyfriend's death. Struggling with depression, Sophie blurs the lines between fantasy and reality.

In 2005, Courteney appeared in "The Longest Yard" starring Adam Sandler. A year later, she was in the horror comedy "The Tripper," directed by her husband.

In 2009, Courteney scored the starring role of Jules Cobb in "Cougar Town" and played the character for six years. Her stellar performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.

Courteney Cox's First & Last Interviews on The Ellen Show

In 2008, Courteney played sweet Wendy in Adam Shankman's family comedy "Bedtime Stories." Three years later, she worked on "Go On" and "Drunk History." She also voiced animated characters like Daisy in "Barnyard."

Courteney gave a moving performance as Beth in Paul Duddridge's 2016 drama "Mothers and Daughters," which explores mother-daughter relationships. That same year, she appeared in the TV film "Charity Case" and several episodes of "Scrubs."

In 2018, Courteney appeared in the British comedy-drama "Shameless," which follows residents of the fictional Chatsworth estate. Later, in 2020, she made a cameo in the comedy series "Modern Family."

Shameless Courtney Cox Scene

Courteney Cox's Personal Life

Early in her career, Courteney dated musician Adam Duritz (who also had a relationship with Jennifer Aniston), Paul Brown, and actor Michael Keaton, though she'd previously had a crush on her stepfather's nephew, Ian Copeland. Over the years, rumors linked her with Jason Statham and Kevin Costner.

Courteney found love on the set of the hit horror film "Scream," where she met David Arquette, who played the charming, down-to-earth sheriff. They married in 1999.

Courteney Cox and David Arquette met on the set of "Scream"

David and Courteney's journey to parenthood was heartbreaking. They struggled to conceive, and Cox suffered a miscarriage in 2001. After years of trying, the couple finally welcomed daughter Coco Riley in 2004. Jennifer Aniston, Courteney's friend and co-star from the series, became Coco's godmother.

Courteney Cox with her husband and daughter

Cox and Arquette's marriage had its challenges. Working together on films helped them avoid the separation issues that plague many Hollywood couples. But David's dream of a large family created tension. Courteney, according to various sources, suffered eight miscarriages.

After Courteney's final miscarriage in 2010, the couple separated, though they didn't officially file for divorce until 2013. Courteney expressed that the breakup was tough for both:

When you love someone, you want them to be happy, even if it's not with you. Of course, after a long marriage, it's hard to separate without regrets. But over fourteen years, we tried so many times to save our family. No one can blame us for that.

Courteney moved on and in 2013 began dating Irish musician Johnny McDaid. Following her official split from David, Courteney announced her engagement to Johnny in 2014. But by year's end, reports surfaced that Johnny couldn't handle Courteney's strong personality, and they broke up.

Paparazzi spotted Courteney with "Friends" co-star Matthew Perry multiple times in 2015. Fans desperately hoped for romance between their favorites, but both actors insisted they were just friends.

Three years later, Cox and McDaid reconciled, and she even relocated to London with her daughter.

A brown belt holder in karate-do, Courteney is in excellent shape. Apart from that, she revealed that she has added yoga and music to her list of hobbies. She frequently plays the piano and practices on drum sets.

Courteney Cox has been practicing karate for many years

In her quest to stay young, Cox admitted to getting four plastic surgeries that she says didn't work out. Later, the actress said she was done with cosmetic procedures and wanted to have a child with McDaid. For this ambitious plan, she'd need a donor egg, but her desire to have a baby with her partner at fifty-six was stronger. Soon after, reports surfaced that the couple was planning to tie the knot.

Courteney Cox before and after plastic surgery

Meanwhile, her ex-husband David Arquette pushed for changes to their custody arrangement after their daughter reportedly complained about her mother's strict parenting. Arquette then filed a lawsuit to limit some of Cox's parental rights.

Courteney is proud of her daughter's achievements. Coco Arquette has a beautiful singing voice, which Courteney showcased in a video on her Instagram.

Courteney Cox Now

In 2020, Courteney excitedly announced the long-awaited reunion of the six friends in a 60-minute special. "Friends" was coming back to screens, and the main cast got together twice for dinner to prepare.

The first dinner took place at Courteney's house, while the second was at her friend Jennifer Aniston's. The actors hadn't been together in over fifteen years, but according to Cox, they had an amazing time:

The most exciting part is that we'll all be together in a room for the first time, discussing the show. It will be available on the streaming service HBO MAX. I'm so thrilled. I'm sure we'll have a fantastic time. It's going to be amazing. We met to discuss everything and reminisced about the incredible experience we had. The launch will be fantastic!

In January 2022, the movie "Scream 5" was released, with Courteney Cox returning to the role of Gale Weathers. On "The Drew Barrymore Show," the actress explained that the new "Scream" isn't a remake or reboot, but the start of a fresh franchise. In March 2023, "Scream 6" was released.

Photos: Courteney Cox