Brian Cox - Actor Profile

Brian Cox

Acting
Freshness: Jan 19, 2026
50Total Films
8.3 Highest Rated
Born: Jun 1, 1946
Birth Place: Dundee, Scotland, UK

About Brian Cox

Brian Denis Cox (born June 1, 1946) is a Scottish actor. A classically trained Shakespearean actor, he is known for his work on stage and screen. His numerous accolades include two Laurence Olivier Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award, as well as a nomination for a British Academy Television Award. In 2003, he was appointed to the Order of the British Empire at the rank of Commander. Cox trained at the Dundee Repertory Theatre before becoming a founding member of the Royal Lyceum Theatre. He went on to train as a Shakespearean actor, starring in numerous productions with the Royal National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he gained recognition for his portrayal of King Lear. Cox received two Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Actor for his roles in Rat in the Skull (1984), for Royal Court, and Titus Andronicus (1988). He received two more Olivier Award nominations for Misalliance (1986) and Fashion (1988). Known as a character actor in film, he played Robert McKee in Spike Jonze's Adaptation (2002) and William Stryker in X2 (2003). For his starring role in L.I.E. (2001), he received an Independent Spirit Award nomination. His other notable films include Manhunter (1986), Iron Will (1994), Braveheart (1995), The Boxer (1997), The Rookie (2002), Troy (2004), Match Point (2005), The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (2007), Coriolanus (2011), Pixels (2015), and Churchill (2017). Cox won the Primetime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series for his portrayal of Hermann Göring in the television film Nuremberg (2001). The following year, he guest starred on the NBC sitcom Frasier, earning his second Emmy nomination in 2002. He portrayed Jack Langrishe in the HBO series Deadwood. He starred as Logan Roy on the HBO series Succession (2018-2023), for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series and was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Actor in a Drama Series.

Career Statistics & Market Influence

Analyzing the cinematic journey of Brian Cox reveals a career defined by exceptional commercial consistency. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.

Genre Dominance: Drama

The majority of Brian Cox's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.

The "Box Office" Signature

With a 100% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Brian Cox remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Bob the Builder: Mega Machines - The Movie, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.

Best Brian Cox Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Brian Cox's career based on audience ratings.

Complete Filmography & Success Status

Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Brian Cox.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
2024 That Christmas Santa (voice) Hit Similar →
2022 Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba Self Super Hit Similar →
2018 Kubrick by Candlelight The Narrator Hit Similar →
2018 Widdershins voice Hit Similar →
2017 Bob the Builder: Mega Machines - The Movie Conrad / Crunch (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2014 The Gospel of John Narrator (voice) – King James Version Hit Similar →
2013 Her Alan Watts (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2013 An Adventure in Space and Time Sydney Newman Super Hit Similar →
2013 The Curse of Edgar Edgar Hoover Hit Similar →
2011 Rise of the Planet of the Apes John Landon Hit Similar →
2009 Fantastic Mr. Fox Action 12 Reporter (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2009 Scooby-Doo! and the Samurai Sword Green Dragon (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2007 Trick 'r Treat Mr. Kreeg Hit Similar →
2007 The Bourne Ultimatum Ward Abbott (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited) Hit Similar →
2007 A Woman in Winter Dr. Hunt Super Hit Similar →
2007 Zodiac Melvin Belli Super Hit Similar →
2005 Match Point Alec Hewett Hit Similar →
2005 Hitler in Colour Narrator Super Hit Similar →
2005 Japan's War in Colour Self - Narrator (voice) Super Hit Similar →
2004 Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson Other Voices (voice) Hit Similar →
2004 The Bourne Supremacy Ward Abbott Hit Similar →
2004 Troy King Agamemnon Hit Similar →
2003 The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men! Making X2 Self Hit Similar →
2003 The Evolution of an American Filmmaker Self Hit Similar →
2003 X2 William Stryker Hit Similar →
2002 25th Hour James Brogan Hit Similar →
2002 Adaptation. Robert McKee Hit Similar →
2002 Aleister Crowley - The Wickedest Man in the World Narrator Hit Similar →
2002 The Trials of Henry Kissinger Self Hit Similar →
2002 The Bourne Identity Ward Abbott Super Hit Similar →
2002 The Rookie Jim Morris Sr. Hit Similar →
2002 Bug Cyr Hit Similar →
2002 Smallpox 2002: Silent Weapon Narrator Hit Similar →
2001 L.I.E. Big John Harrigan Hit Similar →
2001 Inside 'Manhunter' Himself Hit Similar →
2000 Saltwater George Beneventi Hit Similar →
2000 Longitude Lord Morton Hit Similar →
1998 Rushmore Dr. Nelson Guggenheim Hit Similar →
1995 Braveheart Argyle Wallace Super Hit Similar →
1994 The Maltese Double Cross Narrator (voice) Hit Similar →
1993 Sharpe's Eagle Major Michael Hogan Hit Similar →
1992 The Cloning of Joanna May Carl May Hit Similar →
1990 Hidden Agenda Peter Kerrigan Hit Similar →
1988 Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky Voiceover Narrator Super Hit Similar →
1986 Manhunter Dr. Hannibal Lecktor Hit Similar →
1984 Pope John Paul II Father Góra Hit Similar →
1982 A Cotswold Death Dr. Gillespie Hit Similar →
1976 Clay, Smeddum and Greenden George Simpson Hit Similar →
1974 The Changeling Alsemero Hit Similar →
1971 Nicholas and Alexandra Trotsky Hit Similar →

Brian Cox - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Brian Cox?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Brian Cox is "Bob the Builder: Mega Machines - The Movie" with a rating of 8.3/10.

How many movies has Brian Cox acted in?

Brian Cox has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Brian Cox?

Other notable films include "Japan's War in Colour", "Braveheart", and "Hitler in Colour".