[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/courteney_cox_9611.jpg]]

Courteney Bass Cox (born June 15, 1964 in Birmingham, Alabama) is an American actress, best known for the role of Monica Geller in ''Series/{{Friends}}''. She also appeared in the ''Film/{{Scream}}'' series and starred in the sitcom ''Series/CougarTown''.

She married Creator/DavidArquette in 1999, with whom they had a daughter born in 2004, but they separated in 2010, before divorcing in 2013. During their marriage, she was known as Courteney Cox Arquette. She is currently dating Music/SnowPatrol member Johnny [=McDaid=].

Note that her first name is spelled "Courteney", not "Courtney".
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!Notable credits:
!!Film roles:

* ''Film/MastersOfTheUniverse'' (1987) as Julie Winston
* ''[[Film/{{Cocoon}} Cocoon: The Return]]'' (1988) as Sara
* ''Film/MrDestiny'' (1990) as Jewel Jagger
* ''[[Film/AceVentura Ace Ventura Pet Detective]]'' (1994) as Melissa Robinson
* The ''Film/{{Scream}}'' series, as [[Characters/ScreamGaleWeathers Gale Weathers]]
** ''Film/{{Scream|1996}}'' (1996)
** ''Film/{{Scream 2}}'' (1997)
** ''Film/{{Scream 3}}'' (2000)
** ''Film/{{Scream 4}}'' (2011)
** ''Film/{{Scream|2022}}'' (2022)
** ''Film/ScreamVI'' (2023)
* ''Film/ThreeThousandMilesToGraceland'' (2001) as Cybil Waingrow
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Barnyard}}'' (2006) as Daisy (voice)
* ''Film/TheTripper'' (2006) as Dog Lover Hippie
* ''[[Film/BedtimeStories2008 Bedtime Stories]]'' (2008) as Wendy Bronson

!!Television roles:

* ''Series/AsTheWorldTurns'' (1984) as Bunny
* ''Series/MisfitsOfScience'' (1985-86) as Gloria Dinallo
* ''Series/TheLoveBoat'' (1986) as Carol
* ''Series/MurderSheWrote'' (1986) as Carol Bannister
* ''Series/FamilyTies'' (1987-89) as Lauren Miller
* ''Series/DreamOn'' (1992) as Alisha
* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' (1994) as Meryl
* ''Series/{{Friends}}'' (1994-2004) as Monica Geller
* ''Series/TheLarrySandersShow'' (1995) as herself
* ''WesternAnimation/HappilyEverAfterFairyTalesForEveryChild'' (1999) as Emerald Salt Pork (voice)
* ''Series/Dirt2007'' (2007-08) as Lucy Spiller
* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'' (2009) as Dr. Taylor Maddox
* ''Series/CougarTown'' (2009-15) as Jules Cobb
* ''Series/PrivatePractice'' (2011) as Woman
* ''WebVideo/WebTherapy'' (2011) as Serena [=DuVall=]
* ''Series/GoOn'' (2013) as Talia
* ''Series/DrunkHistory'' (2014, 2016) as Edith Wilson
* ''Series/{{Shameless|US}}'' (2018) as Jen Wagner
* ''Series/ModernFamily'' (2020) as herself
* ''Series/ShiningVale'' (2022) as Patricia 'Pat' Phelps
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!!Tropes associated with the actress:
* ActorInspiredElement: Monica Geller was written to be a lot more sexual, and appears as such in the pilot. Producers admitted that Courteney softened her a lot and made her come across as a TeamMom. This caused plans to change - where Monica and Joey were planned to become a couple - because Monica was now a better match for the awkward Chandler than the confident Joey.
* CareerResurrection: She got a lot of hype from her breakout appearance in Bruce Springsteen's video for "Dancing in the Dark" and netted a prominent role on ''Series/FamilyTies''. Afterwards however, her films didn't do too well and she struggled to get work. Then ''{{Series/Friends}}'' came along and made her even more famous than she'd ever been.
* HideYourPregnancy: In Season 10 of ''Friends'', which had to be hidden since Monica was meant to be infertile.
* PlayingAgainstType: Gale Weathers was this at the time. She had been known as {{Nice Girl}}s and producers didn't think she could be bitchy enough to play Gale. Courteney lobbied hard and was cast. She later found herself playing more AlphaBitch roles, and Monica Gellar even got {{Flanderized}} into one.
* RomanceOnTheSet: With Creator/DavidArquette on the set of ''Film/{{Scream|1996}}''. They were married by the time the third one was made, but later separated while the fourth was filming.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** She was offered the role of Rachel first, but producers felt Monica was a better fit for her.
** She was one of the choices for Mrs Coulter in the film adaptation of ''Film/TheGoldenCompass'', before Creator/NicoleKidman was cast.
** She was originally planned to be in ''Series/DesperateHousewives'', but couldn't as she was pregnant that time.