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.
70Credits40 TV · 30 films
1964–2025Years activefirst to latest
10.0 Highest ratedThe Gamblers
7.8 Average ratingacross 69 titles
Top TV shows 40best Brian Cox shows
- 1The GamblersMickey · 20 eps · 1967
- 2
UnsinkableRobert Dodds · 11 eps · 2024 - 3
Dexter: ResurrectionNew York Ripper · 2025 - 4
Shades of GreeneHarry · 1 ep · 1975 - 5
SuccessionLogan Roy · 39 eps · 2018 - 6
DeadwoodJack Langrishe · 9 eps · 2004 - 7
Red DwarfThe King · 1 ep · 1988 - 8
OzDirector · 1 ep · 1997 - 9
Good OmensDeath (voice) · 3 eps · 2019 - 10
The SimpsonsKostas Becker (voice) · 2 eps · 1989 - 11
The Big BattalionsEdward Hoyland · 5 eps · 1992 - 12
SharpeMajor Hogan · 2 eps · 1993 - 13
The Modern World: Ten Great WritersHenrik Ibsen (voice) · 1 ep · 1988 - 14
House on the HillLeon Douglas · 1 ep · 1981 - 15
Inspector MorseMichael Steppings · 1 ep · 1987 - 16
OutMcGrath · 3 eps · 1978 - 17
Penny DreadfulJared Talbot · 2 eps · 2014 - 18
The GameDaddy · 2014–2014 · Drama - 19
The Devil's CrownHenry II · 7 eps · 1978 - 20
Medici: Masters of FlorenceBernardo Guadagni · 8 eps · 2016 - 21
Superman: The Animated SeriesDr. Earl Garver (voice) · 1 ep · 1996 - 22
FrasierHarry Moon · 2 eps · 1993 - 23
War and PeaceMikhail Kutuzov · 6 eps · 2016 - 24
KingsKing Vesper Abaddon · 3 eps · 2009 - 25
French & SaundersKing Lear · 1 ep · 1987 - 26
Aqua Teen Hunger ForceAnubis (voice) · 1 ep · 2000 - 27
ShetlandMagnus Bain · 2 eps · 2013 - 28
The TakeOzzy · 4 eps · 2009 - 29
NurembergHerman Wilhelm Goering · 2 eps · 2000 - 30
A Touch of ClothBill Ball · 1 ep · 2012 - 31
Theatre 625Lasar Opie · 1 ep · 1964 - 32
MinderFrank · 1 ep · 1979 - 33
Hammer House of HorrorChuck · 1 ep · 1980 - 34
The SlapManolis · 2015–2015 · Drama - 35
Blade Runner: Black LotusNiander Wallace Sr. (voice) · 5 eps · 2021 - 36
PlayhouseDalhousie · 1 ep · 1974 - 37
TargetBilly Voss · 1 ep · 1977 - 38
LongitudeLord Morton · 1 ep · 2000 - 39
The Day of the TriffidsDennis Mason · 2009–2009 · Drama - 40
Bob Servant IndependentBob Servant · 2013–2014 · Drama
Top movies 30best Brian Cox movies
- 1
DeceptionsCarlton Heard · 1992 - 2
The NegotiatorCharlie King · 1994 - 3
The BiographerMichael O'Mara · 2002 - 4
The ChangelingAlsemero · 1974 - 5
Bob the Builder: Mega Machines - The MovieConrad / Crunch (voice) · 2017 - 6
Witness Against HitlerJudge Freisler · 1996 - 7
The Invention of Dr. MorelDr. Morel · 2000 - 8
Loch Lomond: Legend of the LochNarrator · 2002 - 9
The Maltese Double CrossNarrator (voice) · 1994 - 10
BraveheartArgyle Wallace · 1995 - 11
Hitler in ColourNarrator · 2005 - 12
HerAlan Watts (voice) · 2013 - 13
Fantastic Mr. FoxAction 12 Reporter (voice) · 2009 - 14
Scooby-Doo! and the Samurai SwordGreen Dragon (voice) · 2009 - 15
An Adventure in Space and TimeSydney Newman · 2013 - 16
Directed by Andrei TarkovskyVoiceover Narrator · 1988 - 17
ZodiacMelvin Belli · 2007 - 18
A Woman in WinterDr. Hunt · 2007 - 19
Pope John Paul IIFather Góra · 1984 - 20
GrushkoColonel Yevgeni Grushko · 1994 - 21
Secret WeaponAndrew Neil · 1990 - 22
Widdershinsvoice · 2018 - 23
The Bourne IdentityWard Abbott · 2002 - 24
The Bourne UltimatumWard Abbott (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited) · 2007 - 25
LongitudeLord Morton · 2000 - 26
RushmoreDr. Nelson Guggenheim · 1998 - 27
Match PointAlec Hewett · 2005 - 28
Rise of the Planet of the ApesJohn Landon · 2011 - 29
Adaptation.Robert McKee · 2002 - 30
The Bourne SupremacyWard Abbott · 2004
