Brian Cox was born on 1st June 1946, in Dundee, Angus, Scotland, the only son and youngest child in the family of seven born to Roman Catholic parents of Irish and Scottish ancestry. Cox is perhaps best known for his movie appearances and theatre roles – he was the first to portray the infamous killer, Hannibal Lecktor in the 1986 movie ‘’Manhunter’’. His talent is widely recognized, thus the actor has been nominated for numerous awards.
So, just how rich is this Scottish actor as of mid-2017? Authoritative sources report that Brian Cox’s net worth is as high as $8 million, accumulated from his five decades-long acting career. After his father’s death and several mental breakdowns of his mother, Brian’s four sisters decided to take care of him. He attended St Mary’s Forebank Primary School and St Michael’s Junior Secondary School, meantime joining Dundee Repertory Theatre when he was only 14 years old. Having found a job for himself, Cox decided to drop out of school at the age of 15, which in hindsight opened the door for opportunities and the development of Brian’s career on a higher level.
Brian Cox Net Worth $8 million
At the age of 17, Brian enrolled into the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, eventually leaving to join the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1965. These formative acting days were marked by his roles in ‘’Peer Gynt’’ and ‘’As You Like It’’, before he made his London debut in thr latter play at the Vaudeville Theatre. Brian’s first television role was in an episode of ‘’The Wednesday Play’’, after which the actor got several smaller roles, until he took the lead role in ‘’The Year of the Sex Olympics’’ – a critically praised play broadcast on BBC2.
In the late ‘70s Cox portrayed characters in many television dramas, amongst which the most acknowledged was his portrayal of King Henry II of England in ‘’The Devil’s Crown’’, followed by his big screen breakthrough was the role of Leon Trotsky in ‘’Nicholas and Alexandria’’ in 1971. Cox’s success was developing furthermore and he would eventually spend the seasons in the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company for over a decade. One of his noted appearances in the former was the portrayal of Titus Andronicus in the play of a same title – critics agreed that this role had been one of his finest works and the actor himself went even further, calling it the greatest stage performance he had ever given. He also played Petruchio in ‘’The Taming of the Shrew’’, and in 1983 King Lear from Shakespeare’s play of the same title. All added steadily to his net worth.
Brian went on to play Hannibal Lecktor in ‘’Manhunt’’ -tThe character’s name would later be changed into Lecter. The year of 1984 brought him another notable role, the Royal Ulster Constabulary officer, Inspector Nelson, for which he awarded with ‘Best Actor in a New Play’. During this period, Brian also played numerous roles in the movie and TV genres, gaining recognition in the acting industry. In 1995, he appeared in “Rob Roy” and “Braveheart”, and his most acknowledged radio characters include James McLevy and Bob Servant, a Dundonian comic character.
He went on to appear in the widely recognized horror movie ‘’The Ring’’ followed by roles in‘’X2’’ and ‘’Troy’’ – his portrayal of King Agamemnon was marked as outstanding by the movie experts. In 2001 Cox played the pedophile Jon Harrigan in ‘’L.I.E’’, with critics agreeing that Brian’s performance added significantly to the movie, and it won him a Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, plus nominations for several other awards. He subsequently appeared in ‘’25th Hour’’, ‘’Super Troopers’’ and ‘’Red Eye’’ and as a protagonist, and Frank Perry in 2005 film ‘’The Escapist’’, among many other successful movies.
The number of his movie and TV show appearances was continuously increasing during this period of time, and he went on to play many movie and TV series roles, including in ‘’The Day of the Triffids’’, ‘’Law and Order’’, ‘’Doctor Who’’ and ‘’The Rise of the Planet of Apes’’, continuing on as an actor today.
In his personal life, Cox has been married twice. He has two children, Margaret and Alan from his marriage with Caroline Burt (1968-86), and remarried in 2002 to Nicole Ansari and has two sons with her.
His charity work is widely recognized. He is a financer of the Scottish Youth Theatre among many other organizations.
University of Huddersfield, University of Manchester, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Oldham Hulme Grammar School, Victoria University of Manchester
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie, Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series, Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, Laurence Olivier Award for Actor of the Yea...
Music Groups
D:Ream (1993 – 1997), Dare (1986 – 1992)
Nominations
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, British Academy Television Award for Best Actor, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Villain, Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead, Golden G...
Movies
The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, Manhunter, Troy, Braveheart, X2, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Super Troopers, The Ring, Trick 'r Treat, RED, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Adaptation, 25th Hour, Red Eye, Forsaken, Rushmore, Zodiac, Rob Roy, Pixels, The Escapist, Nuremberg, Match Point, Chain...
TV Shows
Forces of Nature, Human Universe, Wonders of Life, Wonders of the Universe, Wonders of the Solar System, Deadwood, The Day of the Triffids, Stargazing Live, Stargazing Live Back To Earth, The Day of the Triffids, The Take, The Straits, The Big C, A Touch of Cloth, The Slap, The Year of the Sex Olymp...
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Trademark
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Deep smooth voice
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Dark blue eyes
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Often plays characters associated with the government or the military (or both).
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Quote
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[on Spike Lee] Ah, there's a director. Astonishing, Spike Lee. A feisty guy, but a guy who's, I think, incredibly misunderstood. I think people review his politics or his color as opposed to his filmmaking sometimes. Because he's a wonderful, wonderful filmmaker and a lover of the art. He stands up for things, but he's also a brilliant storyteller who really understands the whole.
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As a boy, I was never interested in theater because I came from a working-class Scottish home. I thought, "I want to do movies." Then it was finding the means to do it.
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I'm 100% Celt. In fact, I'm directly related to the progenitor of the high kings of Ireland, Niall of the Nine Hostages.
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I'm an actor who does really interesting work in independent movies. I want to keep doing that because I don't want the burden of an opening weekend sitting on my shoulders.
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In a sense I feel very much a part of the cinema now in a way where when I come back to the theater now I feel like a visitor. The cinema is really what I enjoy. I want to do more independent movies.
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I was living in London and I thought, "There's nothing here for me anymore". I don't want to become this actor who's going to be doing this occasional good work in the theater and then ever diminishing bad television. I thought I'd rather do bad movies than bad television because you get more money for it.
Although Cox has been vocal about his support for Scottish independence, he did not qualify to have a vote in the 2014 referendum due to his status as a resident of the United States.
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Has won two prestigious Laurence Olivier Best Actor Awards for performances on London's West End stage - "Rat in the Skull" and Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus".
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Among the actors thought suitable for the role of Roger Derebridge in the science fiction horror film Lifeforce (1985). The role eventually went to Nicholas Ball.
Although it is indicated in X2 (2003) that his character (William Stryker) is at least 20 years older than Bruce Davison's character (Senator Robert Kelly), in real life, he is only 27 days older.
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Backed out of his contract after filming the second of the BBC/Celtic Sharpe series of films after complaining of poor working conditions in the Ukraine as well as becoming repeatedly sick because of them. He was replaced by Michael Byrne, who was featured in the next three Sharpe films.
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Has appeared with Joan Allen in Manhunter (1986). Each of them later went on to work with the other's successor. Cox's successor as Lecter, Anthony Hopkins, appeared in Nixon (1995) with Allen. Cox worked with Allen's successor, Emily Watson, in The Boxer (1997).
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After graduating from LAMDA, he spent several seasons with the Royal National Theatre in London, England.
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Member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford Upon Avon, England, where he is most recognized for his performance of "King Lear".
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The scene in X2 (2003) where Magneto escapes from prison is modeled after Hannibal Lecter's escape in The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - the sequel to Cox's film Manhunter (1986), in which he played Lecter.
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Alumnus of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
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Has no fewer than three roles in common with Anthony Hopkins. They have both played Titus Andronicus, and both of them played King Lear while the other was simultaneously playing Hannibal Lecter.
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Has performed in several movies playing a government official in which another actor has amnesia but later discovers they are secret government assassins: The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) where the amnesia victim is actress Geena Davis, The Bourne Identity (2002) with Matt Damon having the amnesia, and also X2 (2003) where the victim is played by Hugh Jackman.
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Rarely plays characters who are sympathetic or likable, from his egotistical take on Robert McKee in Adaptation. (2002) to the robust evil in his portrayal of Agamemnon in Troy (2004). However, he has gone against type and played several likable characters, such as the gruff yet honorable Uncle Argyle in Braveheart (1995) and the lovable, paternal Police Chief John O'Hagan in Super Troopers (2001).
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He does not watch or view his own work.
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He was awarded the 1984 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama Theatre Award) for Best Actor for his performances in "Rat in the Skull" and "Strange Interlude".
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He was awarded the 1987 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama Theatre Award) for Best Actor for his performances in "The Taming of the Shrew", "Titus Andronicus" and "Fashion".
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Has two children: Alan Cox (a professional actor) and Margaret Cox, from his 18-year marriage to Caroline Burt (they divorced in 1986). A second son was born January 31, 2002 from his wife Nicole Ansari-Cox.
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He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1989 (1988 season) for Best Actor in a Revival for "Titus Andronicus".
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He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1985 (1984 season) for Best Actor in a New Play for "Rat in the Skull".
$8 Million
