Courteney Cox

Courteney Cox

Cox in February 2009
Born Courteney Bass Cox
June 15, 1964 (1964-06-15) (age 46)
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Other names "Courteney Cox Arquette"
Occupation Actress
Years active 1984–present
Spouse David Arquette
(1999-present) 1 child

Courteney Cox-Arquette (born Courteney Bass Cox; June 15, 1964) is an American actress, best known for her role as Monica Geller on the sitcom Friends. Cox has also starred in Dirt and the Scream series, and has guest-starred in Scrubs and in Seinfeld. She is currently starring in Cougar Town, for which she earned her first Golden Globe nomination.

Contents

Early life

Cox was born and raised in the wealthy Birmingham, Alabama suburb of Mountain Brook,[1][2] the daughter of businessman Richard Lewis Cox and his wife Courteney (née Bass, later Copeland).[3][4] She has two older sisters, Virginia and Dottie and an older brother, Richard Jr. Her parents divorced in 1974 and her mother was remarried to businessman Hunter Copeland (uncle to Ian Copeland).[5] After graduating from Mountain Brook High School in Mountain Brook, Alabama, Cox left for Mount Vernon College in Washington DC but did not complete her architecture course, opting instead to pursue a career in modelling and acting.[6]

Career

Early career

Cox studied architecture at Mount Vernon College for Women in Washington, D.C., which is now part of The George Washington University, before she dropped out.[7] She first came to prominence in the 1984 music video for Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" (in which she was the girl pulled onstage to dance with Springsteen). Cox is also notable for being the first person to use the word "period" on U.S. television to refer to menstruation in a 1985 advertising campaign for Tampax brand tampons.[8] Her early film roles include Masters of the Universe (1987) and Cocoon: The Return (1988). Her early television work includes a starring role in the short-lived television series Misfits of Science (1985), and later a recurring role (1987–89) on the TV series Family Ties as Lauren Miller, the girlfriend of Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox). She had a supporting role as Jewel, the hard-as-nails assistant to James Belushi's character, in the 1990 fantasy film Mr. Destiny. In 1994, shortly before the debut of sitcom, Friends, Cox appeared with Jim Carrey in the film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and on Seinfeld in "The Wife" episode as Jerry's girlfriend named Meryl.

Friends

Cox in September 1995

Later in 1994, Cox was asked to audition for the part of Rachel Green on a new sitcom called Friends, but she was instead cast as the character Monica Geller. At first the most famous cast member of the new show, Cox joined fellow castmates Jennifer Aniston (Rachel Green), Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe Buffay), Matt LeBlanc (Joey Tribbiani), Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing) and David Schwimmer (Ross Geller) for what would become her most famous role, lasting for 10 seasons until 2004. According to the Guinness Book of World Records (2005), Cox (along with her female costars) became the highest paid TV actress of all time with her $1 million-per-episode paycheck for the final two seasons of Friends.

Between seasons five and six, Cox married David Arquette and changed her name to Courteney Cox Arquette. An in-joke reference to this is made in the opening credits of the episode The One After Vegas, where the rest of the cast and executive producers have "Arquette" added to their names. The dedication "For Courteney and David, who did get married"—a reference to Monica and Chandler's decision not to marry in the episode—appears during the fade out to the tag scene.[9]

Film career

During her time on Friends, Cox appeared in the high-profile Hollywood films Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997) and Scream 3 (2000) as the determined and driven reporter Gale Weathers. She met her husband, David Arquette who played her on-screen love interest Dwight "Dewey" Riley, while filming the first Scream film. Both Cox and her husband David will reprise their respective roles from the Scream trilogy in 2011's Scream 4. The movie will be released in theaters April 15, 2011. [10]

Although she starred in several other films during her time on Friends, none achieved the same level of success as the show. Such films include The Runner, 3000 Miles to Graceland and The Shrink Is In. In late 2003, Cox and Arquette produced one season of the reality television series Mix It Up. The lifestyle show, which aired on the We cable channel, struggled with low ratings and was not renewed for a second season. She also appeared as Wendy Bronson, alongside Adam Sandler in Bedtime Stories.

Later career

After her Friends role, Cox was producer Marc Cherry's first choice to be offered a starring role as Susan Mayer on Desperate Housewives. However, Cox was unavailable due to her pregnancy and the role went to Teri Hatcher. A couple of years later, Cox signed a deal with ABC Studios (formerly Touchstone Television) to star in her own series. Since Friends, Cox has primarily concentrated on her family but has starred in the independent film November (2005) which had a limited theatrical release, costarred with Tim Allen in the critically derided Zoom, and cameoed in the big budget remake of The Longest Yard as the girlfriend of Adam Sandler's character. She supplied her voice for the animated film Barnyard. A Friends reunion film was rumored to be in production; following the success of Sex and the City: The Movie [11] but this has been denied by Warner Bros. and others.

In 2007, Cox starred as Lucy Spiller, a cynical tabloid editor, in Dirt, a television drama for the FX network. Cox and her husband David Arquette were the executive producers of the series.[12] According to Cox, the series was canceled after the second season in 2008.[13] In July 2008, Entertainment Weekly announced that Cox had signed on to star in a three-episode arc for the television series Scrubs.[14] In her third episode, she told Dr. Cox that Cox was "a ridiculous name", in reference to her own. In August 2008, it was announced that there will be a fourth film in the Scream series, and that they want the original actors to reprise their roles.[15] On October 30, 2008, TV Guide reported that Cox will be starring in a pilot for a new single-camera comedy series on ABC called Cougar Town from Bill Lawrence. Cox plays a newly single 40-year-old mother on the hunt for new experiences.[16] Her co-stars include actresses Busy Philipps and Christa Miller.[17]. She reunites with Scott Foley, 10 years after they did Scream 3 together. Cox filmed the pilot on March 19, 2009.[18] In June 2009, Scream director Wes Craven confirmed that Cox and her husband would both be returning for Scream 4.

Personal life

Cox's significant previous boyfriends include her step-cousin, the rock promoter Ian Copeland[19] and a long-term relationship with actor Michael Keaton from 1989 to 1995. Cox also dated singer Adam Duritz of Counting Crows and appeared in their music video for the song "A Long December" in 1997. (Duritz has also dated Cox's Friends co-star Jennifer Aniston.)

Cox married David Arquette on June 12, 1999. On June 13, 2004, she gave birth to their first child, daughter Coco Riley Arquette. Jennifer Aniston is the baby's godmother.[20] Courteney Cox is a brown belt in karate.[21]

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
1987 Down Twisted Tarah
Masters of the Universe Julia "Julie" Winston
1988 Cocoon: The Return Sara
1990 Mr. Destiny Jewel Jagger
1991 Blue Desert Lisa Roberts
1992 Shaking the Tree Kathleen
1993 The Opposite Sex and How to Live with Them C "Carrie" Davenport
1994 Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Melissa Robinson
1996 Scream Gale Weathers
1997 Commandments Rachel Luce
Scream 2 Gale Weathers
1999 The Runner Karina
Alien Love Triangle Alice Connor short
2000 Scream 3 Gale Weathers
2001 3000 Miles to Graceland Cybil Waingrow
The Shrink Is In Samantha Crumb
Get Well Soon Lily "Lillian"
2004 November Sophie Jacobs
2005 The Longest Yard Lena Uncredited cast
2006 Barnyard: The Original Party Animals Daisy the Cow Voice role
Zoom Marsha Holloway
The Tripper Cynthia Also film producer
2008 The Monday Before Thanksgiving Cece Short film
Bedtime Stories Wendy
2011 Scream 4 Gale Weathers Riley
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1984 As the World Turns Bunny
1985 Code Name: Foxfire Flight Attendant Uncredited role
NBC TV movie
1985 Misfits of Science Gloria Dinallo 1985–1986 (16 episodes)
1986 The Love Boat Episode: Dare Devil/Picture Me As a Spy/Sleeper
Sylvan in Paradise Lucy Apple NBC TV pilot
Murder, She Wrote Carol Bannister Episode: Death Stalks the Big Top (1)
Episode: Death Stalks the Big Top (2)
1987 If It's Tuesday, It Still Must Be Belgium Hana Wyshocki NBC TV movie
1987 Family Ties Lauren Miller 1987–1989 (21 episodes)
1988 I'll Be Home for Christmas Nora Bundy NBC TV movie
1989 Roxanne: The Prize Pulitzer Jacquie Kimberly TV movie
Judith Krantz's Till We Meet Again Marie-Frederique "Freddy" de Lancel CBS miniseries
1990 Curiosity Kills Gwen NBC TV movie
1991 Morton & Hayes Princess Lucy "Lucille" Episode: Oafs Overboard
1992 Battling for Baby Katherine CBS TV movie
Dream On Alisha Episode: Come and Knock on Our Door
1993 The Trouble with Larry Gabriella Easden
1994 Seinfeld Meryl Episode: The Wife
Friends Monica Geller 1994–2004 (236 episodes)
1995 Sketch Artist II: Hands that See Emmy Showtime TV movie
Saturday Night Live Host Episode: "Courteney Cox/Dave Matthews Band"
1999 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Emerald Salt Pork Voice role
Episode: The Three Little Pigs
2007 Dirt Lucille "Lucy" Spiller 2007–2008 (20 episodes)
2009 Scrubs Taylor Maddox 3 episodes
Cougar Town Jules Cobb 2009–present
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series Comedy

Glamour Magazine Women of the Year 2010 Awards

  • Nominated - US TV Actress- Courteney Cox (2010)

Awards and nominations

Streamy Awards

American Comedy Awards

Blockbuster Entertainment Award

Glamour Magazine Women of the Year 2010 Awards

Golden Apple Award

Golden Globe Award

Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards

People's Choice Awards

Saturn Award

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Teen Choice Awards

TV Guide Awards

TV Land Award

References

  1. Courteney Cox Arquette
  2. "Courteney Cox Biography (1920-)". filmreference.com=. NetIndustries, LLC. http://www.filmreference.com/film/77/Courteney-Cox.html. Retrieved 29 August 2009. 
  3. "hollywood.com". Cox's parents are Richard and Courtney Cox. http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/191575/Courteney_Cox_Arquette_Biography. Retrieved 29 August 2009. 
  4. Mountain Brook one of 10 of the nation's wealthiest communities
  5. "hollywood.com". Cox's stepfather is Hunter Copeland, uncle of Ian Copeland. http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/191575/Courteney_Cox_Arquette_Biography. Retrieved 29 August 2009. 
  6. "movies.msn.com". Cox left college to pursue a career in modeling and acting. MSN. http://movies.msn.com/celebrities/celebrity-biography/courteney-cox-arquette.1/. Retrieved 29 August 2009. 
  7. MSN Movies
  8. "IMDB.com". Courteney Cox - Biography. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001073/bio. Retrieved March 2, 2007. 
  9. Amazon.co.uk: Friends - Series 6 - Episodes 1-4: Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matt Le Blanc, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox, Gary Halvorson: Video
  10. "Courteney Cox". Celeb Archive. http://nudecelebs4u.com/courteney-cox/. 
  11. "Friends: The Movie on the cards? The big screen remake of Friends is set to go ahead, according to reports.". The Daily Telegraph (London). July 2, 2008. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/2236700/Friends-The-Movie-on-the-cards.html. Retrieved April 30, 2010. 
  12. "IMDB.com". "Dirt" (2007) - Full cast and crew. http://imdb.com/title/tt0496275/fullcredits. Retrieved March 2, 2007. 
  13. "Courteney Cox's Show 'Dirt' Canceled""FoxNews.com" June 10, 2008 Retrieved June 10, 2008
  14. "Exclusive: Courteney Cox Checks into Scrubs""EW.com" July 9, 2008 Retrieved July 9, 2008
  15. Scream 4 Retrieved on 31-8-08
  16. Courteney Cox Bringing Sexy Back to Cougar Town" TV Guide. October 30, 2008. Retrieved on October 31, 2008;
  17. http://www.comedycentric.com/2009/03/02/cougar-town-cast-filling-up/ Retrieved on 2009-04-03
  18. http://omg.yahoo.com/photos/courteney-cox-on-the-prowl-in-cougartown/2757#id=1
  19. "starshub.com". Courtney dated her colleague and stepcousin Ian Copeland. http://www.starshub.com/courteney_cox.htm. Retrieved 29 August 2009. 
  20. "Moono.com". Jennifer Aniston is Coco Arquette's godmother. http://www.moono.com/news/news00752.html. Retrieved March 2, 2007. 
  21. "Did You Know This About Courteney Cox?". The Ellen Degeneres Show. http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2010/03/courteney-cox-know-0303.php. Retrieved 2010-06-10. 

External links

Preceded by
Will Smith
MTV Movie Awards host
1995 (with Jon Lovitz)
Succeeded by
Janeane Garofalo and Ben Stiller