Early life

Cox was born and raised in Mountain Brook, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham, the daughter of businessman Richard Lewis Cox (January 28, 1931 - September 3, 2001) and his wife Courteney (née Bass, later Copeland). She has two older sisters, Virginia and Dottie, and an older brother, Richard, Jr. Her parents divorced in 1974 and her mother then married businessman Hunter Copeland (uncle to music promoter and business manager Ian Copeland). After graduating from Mountain Brook High School, Cox left for Mount Vernon College in Washington, D.C., but did not complete her architecture course, opting instead to pursue a career in modeling and acting. She identifies as Irish-American.

Career

Early career

Cox appeared in the 1984 music video for Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" as the young woman pulled onstage at the St. Paul Civic Center to dance with Springsteen. Her early television work includes a starring role in the short-lived television series, Misfits of Science (1985), and later in a recurring role as Lauren Miller, the girlfriend of Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox) in the TV series, Family Ties (1987-89). Her early film roles include Masters of the Universe (1987), Cocoon: The Return (1988), and I'll Be Home for Christmas (1988). She played Jewel Jagger, the hard-as-nails assistant of Larry Burrows (James Belushi), in Mr. Destiny (1990). In 1994, shortly before the debut of the sitcom, Friends, Cox appeared with Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and as Jerry Seinfeld's girlfriend, Meryl, in the Seinfeld episode, "The Wife". In 1995, she was cast in Toad the Wet Sprocket's music video, "Good Intentions." The song is also on the Friends Soundtrack.

Friends

Later in 1994, Cox was asked to audition for the part of Rachel Green on a new sitcom, Friends; she was cast as Monica Geller instead.

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 US$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 beginning credits of the episode "The One After Vegas", where the rest of the cast 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.

Film career

Cox also appeared in the high-profile Hollywood films, Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997) and Scream 3 (2000), as 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 Arquette reprised their respective roles from the Scream trilogy in 2011's Scream 4. The film was released in theaters April 15, 2011.

Her other films include Ace Ventura: Pet Detective with Jim Carrey (1994),The Runner (1999), 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001) and The Shrink Is In (2001). 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.

Later work

After the conclusion of Friends, Cox was producer Marc Cherry's first choice to be offered a starring role as Susan Mayer on Desperate Housewives, but Cox was unavailable due to her pregnancy and the role later 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. After Friends, Cox starred in the independent film November (2005) which had a limited theatrical release; costarred with Tim Allen in the critically derided Zoom (2006), and cameoed in the big budget remake of The Longest Yard (2005) as Lena, the girlfriend of Paul Crewe (Adam Sandler). She voiced Daisy in the animated film Barnyard (2006). A Friends reunion film was rumored to be in production; following the success of Sex and the City (2008), but this has been denied by Warner Bros. and others.

Cox starred as Lucy Spiller, a cynical tabloid editor, in Dirt (2007), a television drama for FX. Cox and her husband David Arquette were the executive producers of the series. According to Cox, the series was canceled after the second season in 2008. In July 2008, Entertainment Weekly announced that Cox had signed on to star in a three-episode arc for the television series Scrubs.

In 2009, Cox began her roles as the star of the single-camera comedy series on ABC called Cougar Town, playing a newly single 40-year-old mother on the hunt for new experiences. It is notably Cox's most successful work since Friends. The show's third season was to premiere in November 2011 but was moved to February 14, 2012. In the third season, Cox directed two of the show's fifteen episodes of that season. The show's fourth season premiered on January 8, 2013. She also starred in a three episode arc on former Friends co-star Lisa Kudrow's online web series Web Therapy (2009).

In June 2012, Cox directed and made a cameo appearance in a Lifetime television movie called Talhotblond, which premiered on the network on June 23, 2012. The film follows a man who begins an online affair and a secret life, while his wife and family remains unaware.

Personal life

Cox's previous boyfriends include rock promoter Ian Copeland, Michael Keaton, and Adam Duritz of Counting Crows.

Cox married actor David Arquette on June 12, 1999. After their daughter, Coco Riley Arquette, was born on June 13, 2004, Cox suffered from postpartum depression. Her close friend Jennifer Aniston is Coco's godmother. On October 11, 2010, it was announced that Cox and Arquette had separated, though they still maintain a close friendship and ongoing business relationship in Coquette Productions. In June 2012, Arquette filed for divorce after nearly two years of separation from Cox. The divorce became final in May 2013.

Cox began dating Snow Patrol band member Johnny McDaid in late 2013. The couple announced their engagement on Twitter on June 26, 2014.

Filmography

Film

As actress

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1987	Down Twisted	Tarah
1987	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
1992	The Opposite Sex and How to Live with Them	C "Carrie" Davenport
1994	Sketch Artist II: Hands That See	Emmy O'Connor
1994	Ace Ventura: Pet Detective	Melissa Robinson
1996	Scream	Gale Weathers
1997	Commandments	Rachel Luce
1997	Scream 2	Gale Weathers
1999	Runner, TheThe Runner	Karina
1999	Alien Love Triangle	Alice Connor	Short film
2000	Scream 3	Gale Weathers
2001	3000 Miles to Graceland	Cybil Waingrow
2001	Shrink Is In, TheThe Shrink Is In	Samantha Crumb
2001	Get Well Soon	Lily "Lillian"
2004	November	Sophie Jacobs
2005	Longest Yard, TheThe Longest Yard	Lena	Uncredited role
2006	Barnyard	Daisy the Cow	Voice role
2006	Zoom	Marsha Holloway
2006	Tripper, TheThe Tripper	Cynthia	Also film producer
2008	The Monday Before Thanksgiving	Cece	Short film
2008	Bedtime Stories	Wendy
2011	Scream 4	Gale Weathers-Riley
2016	Mothers and Daughters		Filming

As director/producer

• Just Before I Go (2014) - Director/Producer

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1984	As the World Turns	Bunny
1985	Code Name: Foxfire	Flight Attendant	NBC TV movie; Uncredited role
1985-86	Misfits of Science	Gloria Dinallo	Main Cast; 16 episodes
1986	Love Boat, TheThe Love Boat	Carol	Episode: "Dare Devil/Picture Me As a Spy/Sleeper"
1986	Sylvan in Paradise	Lucy Apple	NBC TV pilot
1986	Murder, She Wrote	Carol Bannister	Episode: "Death Stalks the Big Top"
1987	If It's Tuesday, It Still Must Be Belgium	Hana Wyshocki	NBC TV movie
1987-89	Family Ties	Lauren Miller	21 episodes
1988	I'll Be Home for Christmas	Nora Bundy	NBC TV movie
1989	Roxanne: The Prize Pulitzer	Jacquie Kimberly	TV movie
1989	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
1992	Dream On	Alisha	Episode: "Come and Knock on Our Door"
1993	The Trouble with Larry	Gabriella Easden	7 episodes
1994	Seinfeld	Meryl	Episode: "The Wife"
1994-2004	Friends	Monica Geller	Main Cast: 236 episodes
1995	Sketch Artist II: Hands that See	Emmy	Showtime TV movie
1995	Saturday Night Live	Host	Episode: "Courteney Cox/Dave Matthews Band"
1999	Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child	Emerald Salt Pork (voice)	Episode: "The Three Little Pigs"
2007-08	Dirt	Lucille "Lucy" Spiller	Main Cast: 20 episodes
2009	Scrubs	Dr. Taylor Maddox	3 episodes
2009	Web Therapy	Serena Duvall	Web series: 3 episodes
2009-15	Cougar Town	Jules Cobb	Lead Role; 102 episodes
2011	Private Practice	Patient (uncredited)	Episode: "Step One"
2012	Talhotblond	Amanda	TV movie: Also Director/Producer
2013	Go On	Talia	Episode: "Matchup Problems"
2014	Drunk History	Edith Wilson	Episode: "First Ladies"

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Title of work	Result
1995	Golden Apple Award	Female Discovery of the Year		Won
1995	People's Choice Award	Favorite Female Performer in a New TV Series	Friends	Nominated
1996	Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	Friends	Won
1997	Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards	Favorite Television Actress	Friends	Nominated
1998	Blockbuster Entertainment Award	Favorite Actress - Horror	Scream 2	Nominated
1998	Saturn Award	Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture	Scream 2	Nominated
1999	American Comedy Award	Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series	Friends	Nominated
1999	Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	Friends	Nominated
2000	Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards	Favorite Television Friends	Friends	Nominated
2000	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	Friends	Nominated
2000	Teen Choice Award	Film - Choice Chemistry	Scream 3	Won
2000	TV Guide Awards	Editor's Choice	Friends	Won
2001	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	Friends	Nominated
2001	Blockbuster Entertainment Award	Favorite Actress - Horror	Scream 3	Nominated
2002	Teen Choice Awards	Choice TV Actress, Comedy	Friends	Nominated
2002	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	Friends	Nominated
2003	Teen Choice Awards	Choice TV Actress, Comedy	Friends	Nominated
2003	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	Friends	Nominated
2004	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	Friends	Nominated
2005	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Movie Hissy Fit	The Longest Yard	Nominated
2006	TV Land Award	Most Wonderful Wedding - with Matthew Perry	Friends	Nominated
2007	TV Land Award	Break Up That Was So Bad It Was Good	Family Ties	Nominated
2009	Golden Globe Awards	Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical	Cougar Town	Nominated
2009	People's Choice Awards	Favorite New Comedy Series	Cougar Town	Nominated
2010	Streamy Award	Best Guest Star In A Web Series	Web Therapy	Nominated
2010	People's Choice Awards	Favourite TV Comedy Actress	Cougar Town	Nominated
2010	Glamour Magazine's Women of the Year Awards	US TV Actress	Cougar Town	Won
2010	TV Guide Awards	Courteney Cox To Be Honored By Women In Film Foundation		Nominated
2010	Golden Derby TV Awards	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series	Cougar Town	Won
2010	People's Choice Awards	Favourite TV Comedy Actress	Cougar Town	Nominated
2010	Women's Image Network Award	Actress Comedy Series	Cougar Town	Nominated
2010	Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards	Lucy Award		Recipient
2011	People's Choice Awards	Favorite Television Comedy Actress	Cougar Town	Nominated
2013	People's Choice Awards	Favorite Cable TV Actress	Cougar Town	Nominated
2014	People's Choice Awards	Favorite Cable TV Actress	Cougar Town	Nominated

[ Source: Wikipedia ]