Who doesn’t know Monica Geller from the popular “Friends” series in the 90s? Very organized, overly preoccupied with order and cleanliness, not suffering losses and still complex due to her fullness in her childhood, a slender brunette. It is such a majority of us who first saw actress Courtney Cox, one of the main characters of the famous television series. This role has become for her almost the most important (but certainly the most recognizable) throughout the career, which today has more than 25 years.
She is also well-known to many by her role as reporter Gail Weathers in the scream horror film series, which the actress played in all four parts of the thriller tetralogy. However, Courtney Cox's biography, filmography and acting career are not limited to two well-known roles. Interesting for fans of the actress will be facts from her personal life. So what is she, Courtney? How did her career begin, what has she achieved over the years and what is the favorite of millions doing at the moment? Read about it and not only in the article.
Courtney childhood
The full name of the actress is Courtney Bass Cox (Bass is the mother's maiden name). Place of birth - Alabama, Birmingham (where she grew up and graduated from high school). She was born in the family of businessman Richard and housewife Courtney. She was the youngest of four children, had an older brother, Richard and two older sisters - Virginia Cox and Dottie Pickett. However, when the girl turned ten, her parents divorced. My father moved to another state, and his mother married businessman Hunter Copland from New York. As a result of new parental marriages, Courtney had nine more half-sisters and brothers. In school years, the girl was very active and inquisitive. Courtney was a member of the support group, was also a swimmer and tennis player.
Youth and Courtney's first successes
After graduation, Courtney Cox moved to Washington, where she entered the University at the Department of Design and Architecture. However, she didn’t finish it - she left her, having studied for only one year. The reason turned out to be very attractive - Courtney was accepted into the large Ford modeling agency. She was quite successful and saw her future career in this business, but everything happened differently. While still a model, Courtney attended acting classes - this was necessary to get rid of the interfering work of the southern accent. And it gave her much more than could be expected.
In 1985, Courtney Cox, who was not yet known to the mass audience, starred in her first commercial, taking on a very specific role - telling about the advantages of Tampax tampons from the screen. Later she starred for other brands, including for Maybilin. However, this was not the starting point for the beginning of the acting career of Courtney Cox. She began to be invited to the shooting of this movie after Courtney’s successful debut in the video “Dancing in the Dark” by Bruce Springsteen, in which she danced on stage.
Courtney's debut movie roles
For the first time as an actress, she appeared in an episode of the series “How the World Rotates,” then starred in “Martyrs of Science,” for which she moved to Los Angeles. Later there was a minor role in the series "Family Ties" (1987-89) and a role in the science fiction film "Mr. Fate" (1990). Then came the more popular films and famous colleagues - in 1994, Courtney played in the comedy Ace Ventura: Pet Tracing, where the inimitable Jim Carrey became her partner. Courtney also appeared in an episode of the rather famous series Seinfield (satire). However, all this was only a “warm-up” in front of the main role, which determined almost the entire creative fate of the actress and made her recognizable and beloved by millions. Not many people saw movies with Courtney Cox, but even the one who did not watch it knows about the Friends series.
Goldmine, or Just Friends
Going to the casting of the series that was just starting up, Courtney could not imagine that once she would receive a fee of one and a half million dollars for each episode she shot, which would even make her the Guinness Book of Records as the highest paid actress on television. It happened in 2005, and her "partners" in the series and in the record were Courtney's friends - Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston. However, back in 1994, when the actress was still little known and was just beginning her star trek. Initially, she auditioned for the role of Rachel Green, but in the end received the “go-ahead” to participate in the series as Monica Geller. She played her for 10 years of the life of the television series, it was she who brought the actress worldwide fame and stunning fees.
Meanwhile ...
During the filming of “Friends”, a lot of interesting things happened in the actress’s personal and creative life - she got married, gave birth to a daughter, and starred in several films, among which the most successful was the horror with the original plot and elements of the “Scream” humor. Courtney Cox starred in all four parts of the thriller, the last of which was released not so long ago - in 2011. Filming in this film also determined a lot in the career and life of the actress.
First, the role of reporter Gail Weathers was Courtney’s second most popular work (after Monica from Friends). Secondly, it was here, on the set of the first part of the film, that she met her main partner, who later became her husband, David Arquette. The wedding happened between the fifth and sixth seasons of “Friends” in 1999: the actress changed her name to Courtney Cox-Arquette. As for the picture itself, it turned out to be so successful that three parts came out in a row - “Scream-2” in 1997, “Scream-3” - in 2000, and already in 2011 - “Scream-4” ", in each of which Courtney played her" well-deserved role. "
Other works of Courtney
In addition to "Scream" and "Friends", Courtney starred in other films. In 2001, these were roles in the comedy "3000 Miles to Graceland" and in the melodrama "Here Is the Doctor", in 2004 - shooting in independent cinema with limited movie distribution (the psychological thriller "November"). When the shooting of the Friends series, which was already hometown, ended, new offers instantly appeared. Producer Mark Cherry gave Courtney a role in the TV series Desperate Housewives, but she had to be abandoned due to pregnancy. However, already in 2005, Courtney took part in the high-budget project "All or Nothing." In the same year, the film "Tourist" was released on the big screen, in which husband Courtney Cox acted not only as her partner, but also as a director.
Actress and more
In 2007, Courtney reappeared on television as editor of the tabloid press, Lucy Spiller, in the drama series Dirt. Here she was not only an actress, but also an executive co-producer with her husband David Arquette. An old friend of Courtney, Aniston, who in the story kissed her heroine, managed to take part in the series. The project lasted two seasons, after which it was closed.
In 2008, a film was released with the participation of Courtney Cox, Adam Sendler ("Bedtime Stories") became a partner and starring actor. Then there were short shootings in sitcoms "Clinic" (2008) and "City of Predators" (2009). The last work is especially noteworthy for the actress. Here she acted as a producer, and even stayed as a director of several episodes of the third season. For the role itself, Courtney was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as the best actress in a comedy series.
In 2012, Courtney Cox made a television film about a man leading a double life - Talhotblond. In 2013, appears in an episode of the comedy television series "To Start". The last notable role to date has become familiar to all fans of actress reporter Gail Weathers in the fourth part of the horror movie series “Scream”.
And what about the personal front?
Before marriage in 1999, Courtney had several memorable novels with creative personalities, mainly with musicians and actors. She met with Ian Copeland - the nephew of her stepfather, who was at that time a rock promoter, with vocalist Adam Duritz, actor Michael Kitan (their romance lasted more than five years). And in 1996, on the set of the movie "Scream," Courtney met her future husband, who played her heroine's lover. The marriage lasted until 2013, although rumors about the breakup of the pair began already in 2010. According to numerous assumptions, children became a stumbling block. Courtney Cox gave birth in 2004 to a daughter (whose godmother was the close friend of actress J. Aniston), after which attempts to have another child ended unsuccessfully. The girl suffered seven miscarriages, but could not give her husband another baby. As a result of disagreement on this basis, the couple divorced, and after three years they formalized an official divorce.
However, after parting, the couple maintained friendly and business relations. A joint company (once a family business), Coquette Productions, was retained. It was she who produced the series "City of Predators" and a number of other projects.
Interesting Courtney Facts
In life, the actress is quite miniature. Courtney Cox has a growth of only 165 centimeters, which did not prevent her from successfully engaged in modeling business in her youth. In addition, the actress carefully monitors her figure, plays sports and adheres to a diet. That is why, at 50, the still young and attractive Courtney Cox weighs about 44 kilograms, which can be compared with the parameters of the model. With all this, such a fragile lady has a karate belt (brown)! The interests of the actress are really vast, and enthusiasm does not fade over the years. She plays well not only in films, but also on musical instruments. In particular, her favorites are drums and piano.
Conclusion
Here is such a versatile and interesting actress of the series "Friends" and the quadrology of the thriller "Scream" - Courtney Cox. The biography of this celebrity is not replete with scandals and shocking antics, however, her life and work deserve attention and respect. Such personalities should be taken as an example - an active life position, the persistent transfer of adversity and problems in personal life, the preservation of interest in completely diverse fields, including cinema, music, sports, and reaching new heights in each of them. Did you know Courtney Cox from that side?