Brian Cox
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- June 1, 1946 in Dundee, Scotland, UK
- Active Years
- 1964–2026 (63 Years)
- Total Credits
- 312 credits in database
Acting Born Jun 1, 1946 Dundee, Scotland, UK 312 credits
Biography
Brian Denis Cox was born on June 1, 1946, in Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom. He is a classically trained Scottish actor recognized for his work across stage and screen. His numerous accolades include two Laurence Olivier Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a British Academy Television Award nomination. In 2003, he was appointed to the Order of the British Empire at the rank of Commander. Known professionally under names including Brian Cox CBE, he has accumulated 305 known acting credits throughout his career.
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Career overview
Brian Cox began his acting training at the Dundee Repertory Theatre before becoming a founding member of the Royal Lyceum Theatre. He subsequently trained as a Shakespearean actor, starring in numerous productions with the Royal National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he gained recognition for his performances on stage.
Building upon his classical theatre background, Cox established a prolific screen career encompassing both film and television. His extensive body of work includes 305 known acting credits, spanning stage, television, and movie roles that have earned him international recognition and multiple major industry accolades.
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Frequent co-stars
Nicole Ansari-Cox
4 shared titles
Helen Mirren
3 shared titles
Sean Bean
3 shared titles
James Cosmo
3 shared titles
Morgan Freeman
3 shared titles
Mary-Louise Parker
3 shared titles
Hugh Fraser
3 shared titles
Kenneth Cranham
3 shared titles
Jay Chandrasekhar
3 shared titles
Kevin Heffernan
3 shared titles
Career timeline
GlenrothanGlenrothan · DirectorGlenrothan · ProducerSuper Troopers 3The Sunrise File
Dexter: ResurrectionThe Electric StateThe ParentingVE Day 80The Marbles
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the RohirrimThat ChristmasUnsinkableSkellyLittle Wing
Mending the Line007: Road to a MillionShakespeare: Rise of a GeniusPrisoner's DaughterQuasi
Sunday with Laura KuenssbergSunday with Laura KuenssbergRemembers…BonniePiers Morgan Uncensored
Blade Runner: Black LotusThe Simpsons: A Serious FlandersAmol Rajan InterviewsSeparationOleg: The Oleg Vidov Story
Last Moment of ClarityThe Bay of SilenceLawrence After ArabiaJohn Rebus: The Lockdown Blues
Good OmensStrange but TrueRemember MeThe Last RightPretenders
SuccessionSuper Troopers 2The Etruscan SmileWiddershinsKubrick by Candlelight
Carpool Karaoke: The SeriesThe Russell Howard HourBob Constructorul: Mega MașiniChurchillVegalta: Soccer, Tsunami and the Hope of a Nation
The Autopsy of Jane DoeMedici: Masters of FlorenceWar and PeaceMorganThe Carer
The Late Show with Stephen ColbertThe Late Show with Stephen ColbertPixelsThe SlapForsaken
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonLate Night with Seth MeyersLast Week Tonight with John OliverVariety Studio: Actors on ActorsPenny Dreadful
ShetlandThe Last LegHerRED 2Anna
The CampaignA Touch of ClothToonedThe StraitsBlood
The Jonathan Ross ShowThe Jonathan Ross ShowCelebrity Antiques Road TripRise of the Planet of the ApesThe Sinking of the Laconia
REDAs Good As DeadOn Expenses
Fantastic Mr. FoxKingsThe TakeThe Day of the TriffidsThe Good Heart
The Colour of MagicRedRed · Associate ProducerThe EscapistThe Escapist · Executive Producer
The Graham Norton ShowZodiacThe Bourne UltimatumM.I. HighTrick 'r Treat
The One ShowThe Flying ScotsmanRunning with ScissorsThe OutsidersCarry On Ken
The Colbert ReportMatch PointRed EyeThe RingerHitler in Colour
TroyDeadwoodThe Tony Danza ShowThe Bourne SupremacyThe Reckoning
Real Time with Bill MaherJimmy Kimmel Live!One LifeSinThe Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men! Making X2
Top GearThe Bourne IdentityThe RingAdaptation.The Rookie
Richard & JudySuper TroopersThe Affair of the NecklaceInside 'Manhunter'L.I.E.
Aqua Teen Hunger ForceNurembergLongitudeA Shot at GloryThe Making of 'Rushmore'
For Love of the GameThe CorruptorThe Minus ManThe History of the British Police Force
RushmoreDesperate MeasuresPoodle SpringsMerchants of VenusBattle of the Clans
Oz · DirectorKiss the GirlsSharpe: The LegendThe BoxerFood for Ravens
Full Filmography
312 titles- Glenrothan (2026) as Sandy
- Glenrothan (2026) Director
- Glenrothan (2026) Producer
- Super Troopers 3 (2026) as Capt. John O’Hagan
- The Sunrise File (2026) as Oded Ailam (voice)
- Dexter: Resurrection (2025) as New York Ripper
- The Electric State (2025) as Popfly (voice)
- The Parenting (2025) as Frank
- VE Day 80 (2025) as Self
- The Marbles (2025) as Self - Interviewee
- Seven Jewish Children (2025) Executive Producer
- Raoul Wallenberg: Missing Inaction (2025) as Gustaf Wallenberg (voice)
- AMR: Dying to Change the World (2025) as AMR
- The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024) as Helm Hammerhand (voice)
- That Christmas (2024) as Santa (voice)
- Unsinkable (2024) as Robert Dodds
- Skelly (2024) as Grandpa
- Little Wing (2024) as Jaan Vari
- Little Wing (2024) Executive Producer
- Mending the Line (2023) as Ike Fletcher
- 007: Road to a Million (2023) as The Controller
- Shakespeare: Rise of a Genius (2023) as Self
- Prisoner's Daughter (2023) as Max
- Quasi (2023) as Narrator (voice)
- An Interview with Brian Cox (2023) as Himself
- Bill Douglas: My Best Friend (2023) as Narrator (voice)
- Made of Money with Brian Cox (2023)
- Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (2022) as Self – Actor
- Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (2022) as Self - Actor
- Remembers… (2022)
- Bonnie (2022) as Self
- Piers Morgan Uncensored (2022) as Self
- The Independent (2022) as Nick Booker
- Ukraine: Answering the Call (2022) as Self
- Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba (2022) as Self
- Ooh the Banter! (2022) as Self
- Brian Cox: How The Other Half Live (2022) as Presenter
- Blade Runner: Black Lotus (2021) as Niander Wallace Sr. (voice)
- The Simpsons: A Serious Flanders (2021) as Kostas Becker (voice)
- Amol Rajan Interviews (2021) as Self - Interviewed Guest
- Separation (2021) as Rivers
- Oleg: The Oleg Vidov Story (2021) as Narrator (voice)
- Last Moment of Clarity (2020) as Gilles
- The Bay of Silence (2020) as Milton
- Lawrence After Arabia (2020) as Father (Voice)
- John Rebus: The Lockdown Blues (2020) as John Rebus
- Good Omens (2019) as Death (voice)
- Strange but True (2019) as Bill
- Remember Me (2019) as Shane
- The Last Right (2019) as Father Reilly
- Pretenders (2019) as Henry
- Succession (2018) as Logan Roy
- Super Troopers 2 (2018) as John O'Hagen
- The Etruscan Smile (2018) as Rory MacNeil
- Widdershins (2018) as voice
- Kubrick by Candlelight (2018) as The Narrator
- Carpool Karaoke: The Series (2017) as Self
- The Russell Howard Hour (2017) as Self
- Bob Constructorul: Mega Mașini (2017) as Conrad / Crunch (voice)
- Churchill (2017) as Winston Churchill
- Vegalta: Soccer, Tsunami and the Hope of a Nation (2017) as Narrator
- An Evening with Brian Cox (2017) as Himself
- Brian Cox's Russia (2017) as Host
- The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) as Tommy Tilden
- Medici: Masters of Florence (2016) as Bernardo Guadagni
- War and Peace (2016) as Mikhail Kutuzov
- Morgan (2016) as Jim Bryce
- The Carer (2016) as Sir Michael
- Alan Clarke: Out of His Own Light (2016) as Self
- Darcey Bussell: My Life on the BBC (2016) as Self
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) as Self - Guest
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) as Self
- Pixels (2015) as Admiral Porter
- The Slap (2015) as Manolis
- Forsaken (2015) as James McCurdy
- Killing Thyme (2015) as Norman
- Pacific Warriors (2015) as Narrator
- Andrew Carnegie: Rags to Riches, Power to Peace (2015) as Andrew Carnegie (voice)
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) as Self
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014) as God
- Variety Studio: Actors on Actors (2014) as Self
- Penny Dreadful (2014) as Jared Talbot
- The Game (2014) as Daddy
- The Anomaly (2014) as Dr. Langham
- The Great War: The People's Story (2014) as Rev. Andrew Clark
- The Gospel of John (2014) as Narrator (voice) – King James Version
- Scotland In A Day (2014)
- Shetland (2013) as Magnus Bain
- The Last Leg (2013) as Self
- Her (2013) as Alan Watts (voice)
- RED 2 (2013) as Ivan
- Anna (2013) as Sebastian
- Bob Servant (2013) as Bob Servant
- Blumenthal (2013) as Harold Blumenthal
- An Adventure in Space and Time (2013) as Sydney Newman
- Believe (2013) as Matt Busby
- The Curse of Edgar (2013) as Edgar Hoover
- The Campaign (2012) as Raymond
- A Touch of Cloth (2012) as Bill Ball
- Tooned (2012) as The Mechanic
- The Straits (2012) as Harry Montebello
- Blood (2012) as Lenny Fairburn
- I Missed My Mother's Funeral (2012) as Old Man
- All at Sea (2012) as Wally
- Addicted to Pleasure (2012) as Self - Host
- The Jonathan Ross Show (2011) as Self
- The Jonathan Ross Show (2011) as Self - Guest
- Celebrity Antiques Road Trip (2011) as Self - Participant
- Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) as John Landon
- The Sinking of the Laconia (2011) as Captain Sharp
- Ironclad (2011) as Albany
- Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster (2011) as Glover
- Coriolanus (2011) as Menenius
- The Veteran (2011) as Gerry
- The Key Man (2011) as Irving
- Exit Humanity (2011) as Malcolm Young (voice)
- RED (2010) as Ivan Simanov
- As Good As Dead (2010) as Reverend Kalahan
- On Expenses (2010) as Michael Martin
- Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) as Action 12 Reporter (voice)
- Kings (2009) as King Vesper Abaddon
- The Take (2009) as Ozzy
- The Day of the Triffids (2009) as Dennis Masen
- The Good Heart (2009) as Jacques
- Scooby-Doo! and the Samurai Sword (2009) as Green Dragon (voice)
- Tell-Tale (2009) as Van Doren
- Brian Cox's Jute Journey (2009) as Self
- The Colour of Magic (2008) as Narrator
- Red (2008) as Avery Ludlow
- Red (2008) Associate Producer
- The Escapist (2008) as Frank Perry
- The Escapist (2008) Executive Producer
- The Color of Magic - Die Reise des Zauberers Teil 1 (2008) as Narrator
- The Color of Magic - Die Reise des Zauberers Teil 2 (2008) as Narrator
- Agent Crush (2008) as Spanners (voice)
- The Graham Norton Show (2007) as Self
- Zodiac (2007) as Melvin Belli
- The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) as Ward Abbott (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)
- M.I. High (2007) as Voice of the Mastermind
- Trick 'r Treat (2007) as Mr. Kreeg
- The Water Horse (2007) as Old Angus
- Battle for Terra (2007) as General Hemmer (voice)
- Shoot on Sight (2007) as Daniel Tennant
- A Woman in Winter (2007) as Dr. Hunt
- The Secret of the Nutcracker (2007) as Drosselmeyer
- The One Show (2006) as Self - Guest
- The Flying Scotsman (2006) as Douglas Baxter
- Running with Scissors (2006) as Dr. Finch
- The Outsiders (2006) as Gabriel
- Carry On Ken (2006) as Self
- The Colbert Report (2005)
- Match Point (2005) as Alec Hewett
- Red Eye (2005) as Joe Reisert
- The Ringer (2005) as Gary Barker
- Hitler in Colour (2005) as Narrator
- Japan's War in Colour (2005) as Self - Narrator (voice)
- The Strange Case of Sherlock Holmes & Arthur Conan Doyle (2005) as Joseph Bell
- Blue/Orange (2005) as Dr. Robert Smith
- Troy (2004) as Agamemnon
- Deadwood (2004) as Jack Langrishe
- The Tony Danza Show (2004) as Self
- The Bourne Supremacy (2004) as Ward Abbott
- The Reckoning (2004) as Tobias
- Lindsay Anderson: Lucky Man? (2004) as Self
- Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004) as Other Voices (voice)
- Murder by Numbers (2004) as Self
- Real Time with Bill Maher (2003) as Self
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self - Guest
- One Life (2003)
- Sin (2003) as Captain Oakes
- The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men! Making X2 (2003) as Self
- The Evolution of an American Filmmaker (2003) as Self
- X2 (2003) as William Stryker
- Top Gear (2002) as Self
- The Bourne Identity (2002) as Ward Abbott
- The Ring (2002) as Richard Morgan
- Adaptation. (2002) as Robert McKee
- The Rookie (2002) as Jim Morris Sr.
- 25th Hour (2002) as James Brogan
- The Biographer (2002) as Michael O'Mara
- Smallpox 2002: Silent Weapon (2002) as Narrator
- Bug (2002) as Cyr
- Rasputin: The Devil in the Flesh (2002) as Narrator
- Loch Lomond: Legend of the Loch (2002) as Narrator
- Masters of Darkness (2002) as Narrator
- The Trials of Henry Kissinger (2002) as Self
- Aleister Crowley: The Wickedest Man in the World (2002) as Narrator
- Richard & Judy (2001) as Self
- Super Troopers (2001) as Captain O'Hagen
- The Affair of the Necklace (2001) as Minister Breteuil
- Inside 'Manhunter' (2001) as Himself
- L.I.E. (2001) as Big John Harrigan
- Strictly Sinatra (2001) as Chisolm
- Aqua Teen Hunger Force (2000) as Anubis (voice)
- Nuremberg (2000) as Herman Wilhelm Goering
- Longitude (2000) as Lord Morton
- A Shot at Glory (2000) as Martin Smith
- The Making of 'Rushmore' (2000) as Self
- Longitude (2000) as Lord Morton
- The Invention of Dr. Morel (2000) as Dr. Morel
- Saltwater (2000) as George Beneventi
- Mad About Mambo (2000) as Sidney McLoughlin
- Complicity (2000) as Inspector McDunn
- For Love of the Game (1999) as Gary Wheeler
- The Corruptor (1999) as Sean Wallace
- The Minus Man (1999) as Doug
- The History of the British Police Force (1999) as Narrator (voice)
- Rushmore (1998) as Dr. Nelson Guggenheim
- Desperate Measures (1998) as Captain Jeremiah Cassidy
- Poodle Springs (1998) as Clayton Blackstone
- Merchants of Venus (1998) as Uncle Vladimir
- Battle of the Clans (1998) as Narrator
- Oz (1997) Director
- Kiss the Girls (1997) as Chief Hatfield, Durham PD
- Sharpe: The Legend (1997) as Hogan
- The Boxer (1997) as Joe Hamill
- Food for Ravens (1997) as Aneurin Bevan
- I, Caesar – The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire (1997) as Narrator
- The Daily Show (1996) as Self
- Superman: The Animated Series (1996) as Dr. Earl Garver (voice)
- Chain Reaction (1996) as Lyman Earl Collier
- The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) as Dr. Nathan Waldman
- The Glimmer Man (1996) as Mr. Smith
- Witness Against Hitler (1996) as Judge Freisler
- Braveheart (1995) as Argyle Wallace
- Rob Roy (1995) as Killearn
- Iron Will (1994) as Angus McTeague
- The Negotiator (1994) as Charlie King
- Prince of Jutland (1994) as Aethelwine
- The Maltese Double Cross (1994) as Narrator (voice)
- Grushko (1994) as Colonel Yevgeni Grushko
- Frasier (1993) as Harry Moon
- Sharpe (1993) as Major Hogan
- Sharpe's Rifles (1993) as Major Michael Hogan
- Sharpe's Eagle (1993) as Major Michael Hogan
- Shakespeare: The Animated Tales (1992) as Macbeth (voice)
- The Cutter (1992)
- The Cloning of Joanna May (1992) as Carl May
- The Big Battalions (1992) as Edward Hoyland
- The Lost Language of Cranes (1992) as Owen Benjamin
- The Cloning of Joanna May (1992) as Carl May
- Six Characters in Search of An Author (1992) as The Director
- Deceptions (1992) as Carlton Heard
- Performance (1991) as The Director
- Red Fox (1991) as Geoffrey Harrison
- Have I Got News for You (1990) as Self
- Perfect Scoundrels (1990) as Father Amedy
- Hidden Agenda (1990) as Peter Kerrigan
- Secret Weapon (1990) as Andrew Neil
- The Making of 'Hidden Agenda' (1990) as self
- The Simpsons (1989) as Kostas Becker (voice)
- The Blasphemers' Banquet (1989) as Rev. Wallace (voice)
- Murder on the Moon (1989) as Voronov
- Brian Cox on Acting in Tragedy (1989) as Self
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988) as Self - Guest
- Red Dwarf (1988) as The King
- The Modern World: Ten Great Writers (1988) as Henrik Ibsen (voice)
- Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky (1988) as Voiceover Narrator
- Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun (1988) as Jack Purves
- Inspector Morse (1987) as Michael Steppings
- French & Saunders (1987) as King Lear
- Acting (1987)
- Rat in the Skull (1987) as Detective Inspector Nelson
- Shoot for the Sun (1987) as Dunny
- Gramsci: Everything that Concerns People (1987) as Narrator
- Unnatural Causes (1986) as Vic
- Home Cooking (1986) as Vic
- Manhunter (1986) as Dr. Hannibal Lecktor
- Florence Nightingale (1985) as Dr. McGregor
- The Cantor of St Thomas's (1985) as Johann Sebastian Bach
- Pope John Paul II (1984) as Father Góra
- King Lear (1983) as Burgundy
- The Privilege (1982) as Young Laird
- A Cotswold Death (1982) as Dr. Gillespie
- House on the Hill (1981) as Leon Douglas
- Hammer House of Horror (1980) as Chuck
- Dalhousie's Luck (1980) as Dalhousie
- Therese Raquin (1980) as Laurent LeClaire
- Question Time (1979) as Self - Panellist
- Minder (1979) as Frank
- Out (1978) as McGrath
- The Devil's Crown (1978) as Henry II
- Target (1977) as Billy Voss
- Clay, Smeddum and Greenden (1976) as George Simpson
- Shades of Greene (1975) as Harry
- The Master of Ballantrae (1975) as Henry Durie
- In Celebration (1975) as Steven Shaw
- Playhouse (1974) as Dalhousie
- Churchill's People (1974) as William Wallace
- The Changeling (1974) as Alsemero
- Van der Valk (1972) as Stefan Szabo
- Great Performances (1971) as Self - Narration (voice)
- Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) as Trotsky
- Stage 2 (1971) as Hastings
- Play for Today (1970) as Dr. Gillespie
- Manhunt (1970) as Anton
- The Year of the Sex Olympics (1968) as Lasar Opie
- ITV Playhouse (1967) as Apeman
- The Gamblers (1967) as Mickey
- BBC Play of the Month (1965) as Alsemero
- Thirty-Minute Theatre (1965) as Josef Stalin
- Thirty-Minute Theatre (1965) as Rod
- A Knight in Tarnished Armour (1965) as Nelson
- The Wednesday Play (1964) as Nelson
- Theatre 625 (1964) as Lasar Opie
- Have I Got a Bit More News for You as Himself - Panellist
- Old Pals as Jimmy
- A Modern Magician as The Voice
- Wittgenstein's Poker as Bertrand Russell (voice)
- The Planets
- The Glove
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Brian Cox best known for?
Brian Cox is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Glenrothan (2026), Glenrothan (2026), Glenrothan (2026), Super Troopers 3 (2026).
When and where was Brian Cox born?
Brian Cox was born on June 1, 1946 in Dundee, Scotland, UK.
How many credits does Brian Cox have?
Brian Cox has accumulated over 312 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1964 to 2026.
What is Brian Cox's background in cinema and television?
Brian Denis Cox was born on June 1, 1946, in Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom. He is a classically trained Scottish actor recognized for his work across stage and screen. His numerous accolades include two Laurence Olivier Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a British Academy Television Award nomi...
Brian Cox by the numbers
312credits
207films
105TV series
1964–2026active years
Age in their best-rated roles
- The Negotiator (1994) as Charlie King — aged about 48
- Dexter: Resurrection (2025) as New York Ripper — aged about 79
- Succession (2018) as Logan Roy — aged about 72
- Deadwood (2004) as Jack Langrishe — aged about 58
- Red Dwarf (1988) as The King — aged about 42
- Good Omens (2019) as Death (voice) — aged about 73
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