Courteney Bass Cox (born June 15, 1964 in Birmingham, Alabama) is an American actress, best known for the role of Monica Geller in Friends. She also appeared in the Scream series and starred in the sitcom Cougar Town.
She married David Arquette in 1999, with whom they had a daughter born in 2004, but they separated in 2010, before divorcing in 2013. During their marriage, she was known as Courteney Cox Arquette. She is currently dating Snow Patrol member Johnny McDaid.
Note that her first name is spelled "Courteney", not "Courtney".
Notable credits:
Film roles:
- Masters of the Universe (1987) as Julie Winston
- Cocoon: The Return (1988) as Sara
- Mr. Destiny (1990) as Jewel Jagger
- Ace Ventura Pet Detective (1994) as Melissa Robinson
- The Scream series, as Gale Weathers
- 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001) as Cybil Waingrow
- Barnyard (2006) as Daisy (voice)
- The Tripper (2006) as Dog Lover Hippie
- Bedtime Stories (2008) as Wendy Bronson
Television roles:
- As the World Turns (1984) as Bunny
- Misfits of Science (1985-86) as Gloria Dinallo
- The Love Boat (1986) as Carol
- Murder, She Wrote (1986) as Carol Bannister
- Family Ties (1987-89) as Lauren Miller
- Dream On (1992) as Alisha
- Seinfeld (1994) as Meryl
- Friends (1994-2004) as Monica Geller
- The Larry Sanders Show (1995) as herself
- Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1999) as Emerald Salt Pork (voice)
- Dirt (2007) (2007-08) as Lucy Spiller
- Scrubs (2009) as Dr. Taylor Maddox
- Cougar Town (2009-15) as Jules Cobb
- Private Practice (2011) as Woman
- Web Therapy (2011) as Serena DuVall
- Go On (2013) as Talia
- Drunk History (2014, 2016) as Edith Wilson
- Shameless (2018) as Jen Wagner
- Modern Family (2020) as herself
- Shining Vale (2022) as Patricia 'Pat' Phelps
Tropes associated with the actress:
- Actor-Inspired Element: Monica Geller was written to be a lot more sexual, and appears as such in the pilot. Producers admitted that Courteney softened her a lot and made her come across as a Team Mom. This caused plans to change - where Monica and Joey were planned to become a couple - because Monica was now a better match for the awkward Chandler than the confident Joey.
- Career Resurrection: She got a lot of hype from her breakout appearance in Bruce Springsteen's video for "Dancing in the Dark" and netted a prominent role on Family Ties. Afterwards however, her films didn't do too well and she struggled to get work. Then Friends came along and made her even more famous than she'd ever been.
- Hide Your Pregnancy: In Season 10 of Friends, which had to be hidden since Monica was meant to be infertile.
- Playing Against Type: Gale Weathers was this at the time. She had been known as Nice Girls and producers didn't think she could be bitchy enough to play Gale. Courteney lobbied hard and was cast. She later found herself playing more Alpha Bitch roles, and Monica Gellar even got Flanderized into one.
- Romance on the Set: With David Arquette on the set of Scream. They were married by the time the third one was made, but later separated while the fourth was filming.
- What Could Have Been:
- She was offered the role of Rachel first, but producers felt Monica was a better fit for her.
- She was one of the choices for Mrs Coulter in the film adaptation of The Golden Compass, before Nicole Kidman was cast.
- She was originally planned to be in Desperate Housewives, but couldn't as she was pregnant that time.
