Brian Cox
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
The Simpsons
Kostas Becker (voice)
1989
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self
2014
Series
The Daily Show
Self
1996
Series
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Guest
2015
Series
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self
2015
Series
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self
2014
Series
The Graham Norton Show
Self
2007
Series
Real Time with Bill Maher
Self
2003
Series
Frasier
Harry Moon
1993
Series
The Colbert Report
2005
Series
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest
1988
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
2003
Series
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
God
2014
Series
Top Gear
Self
2002
Series
Great Performances
Self - Narration (voice)
1971
Series
Play for Today
Dr. Gillespie
1970
Series
The One Show
Self - Guest
2006
Series
Succession
Logan Roy
2018
Series
Minder
Frank
1979
Series
Have I Got News for You
Self
1990
Series
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self
2014
Series
Shetland
Magnus Bain
2013
Series
BBC Play of the Month
Alsemero
1965
Series
The Last Leg
Self
2013
Series
Good Omens
Death (voice)
2019
Series
Superman: The Animated Series
Dr. Earl Garver (voice)
1996
Series
Red Dwarf
The King
1988
Film
Troy
King Agamemnon
2004
Series
Deadwood
Jack Langrishe
2004
Series
Question Time
Self - Panellist
1979
Series
The Wednesday Play
Nelson
1964
Series
Inspector Morse
Michael Steppings
1987
Series
Richard & Judy
Self
2001
Series
Have I Got a Bit More News for You
Himself - Panellist
Series
Playhouse
Dalhousie
1974
The Tony Danza Show
Self
2004
Series
The Jonathan Ross Show
Self
2011
Series
The Jonathan Ross Show
Self - Guest
2011
Series
Theatre 625
Lasar Opie
1964
Series
ITV Playhouse
Apeman
1967
Series
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Anubis (voice)
2000
Series
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip
Self - Participant
2011
Series
Carpool Karaoke: The Series
Self
2017
Series
Dexter: Resurrection
New York Ripper
2025
Series
Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
Self – Actor
2022
Series
Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
Self - Actor
2022
Film
The Bourne Identity
Ward Abbott
2002
Series
Penny Dreadful
Jared Talbot
2014
Film
Braveheart
Argyle Wallace
1995
Series
Remembers…
2022
Series
Performance
The Director
1991
Film
Her
Alan Watts (voice)
2013
Series
Sharpe
Major Hogan
1993
Series
Medici: Masters of Florence
Bernardo Guadagni
2016
Film
Zodiac
Melvin Belli
2007
Film
Pixels
Admiral Porter
2015
Film
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
John Landon
2011
Series
Van der Valk
Stefan Szabo
1972
Series
The Russell Howard Hour
Self
2017
Series
M.I. High
Voice of the Mastermind
2007
Series
Blade Runner: Black Lotus
Niander Wallace Sr. (voice)
2021
Film
The Ring
Richard Morgan
2002
Series
Churchill's People
William Wallace
1974
Film
The Autopsy of Jane Doe
Tommy Tilden
2016
Film
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Action 12 Reporter (voice)
2009
Series
War and Peace
Mikhail Kutuzov
2016
Film
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
Helm Hammerhand (voice)
2024
Film
The Bourne Supremacy
Ward Abbott
2004
Film
The Electric State
Popfly (voice)
2025
Film
RED
Ivan Simanov
2010
Film
The Bourne Ultimatum
Ward Abbott (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)
2007
Film
Match Point
Alec Hewett
2005
Series
The Colour of Magic
Narrator
2008
Series
Hammer House of Horror
Chuck
1980
Series
Kings
King Vesper Abaddon
2009
Film
RED 2
Ivan
2013
Series
The Slap
Manolis
2015
Series
French & Saunders
King Lear
1987
Series
Target
Billy Voss
1977
Series
Shakespeare: The Animated Tales
Macbeth (voice)
1992
Series
Nuremberg
Herman Wilhelm Goering
2000
Film
Red Eye
Joe Reisert
2005
Film
Super Troopers
Captain O'Hagen
2001
Film
The Long Kiss Goodnight
Dr. Nathan Waldman
1996
Series
Manhunt
Anton
1970
Film
Kiss the Girls
Chief Hatfield, Durham PD
1997
Series
The Modern World: Ten Great Writers
Henrik Ibsen (voice)
1988
Film
The Campaign
Raymond
2012
Film
Trick 'r Treat
Mr. Kreeg
2007
Series
The Game
Daddy
2014
Film
Morgan
Jim Bryce
2016
Film
Adaptation.
Robert McKee
2002
Film
25th Hour
James Brogan
2002
Series
A Touch of Cloth
Bill Ball
2012
Series
Longitude
Lord Morton
2000
Film
Rushmore
Dr. Nelson Guggenheim
1998
Film
Coriolanus
Menenius
2011
Film
Rob Roy
Killearn
1995
Film
Desperate Measures
Captain Jeremiah Cassidy
1998
Film
Anna
Sebastian
2013
Film
That Christmas
Santa (voice)
2024
Series
The Day of the Triffids
Dennis Masen
2009
Film
The Rookie
Jim Morris Sr.
2002
Series
The Take
Ozzy
2009
One Life
2003
Series
Unsinkable
Robert Dodds
2024
Film
Ironclad
Albany
2011
Film
Chain Reaction
Lyman Earl Collier
1996
Series
007: Road to a Million
The Controller
2023
Series
Perfect Scoundrels
Father Amedy
1990
Series
The Great War: The People's Story
Rev. Andrew Clark
2014
Series
The Sinking of the Laconia
Captain Sharp
2011
Series
Unnatural Causes
Vic
1986
Film
The Water Horse
Old Angus
2007
Series
The Straits
Harry Montebello
2012
Film
Iron Will
Angus McTeague
1994
Film
Glenrothan
Sandy
2026
Film
Nicholas and Alexandra
Trotsky
1971
Film
Battle for Terra
General Hemmer (voice)
2007
Film
The Ringer
Gary Barker
2005
Series
Piers Morgan Uncensored
Self
2022
Film
For Love of the Game
Gary Wheeler
1999
Film
Forsaken
James McCurdy
2015
Film
Super Troopers 2
John O'Hagen
2018
Film
The Boxer
Joe Hamill
1997
Film
The Corruptor
Sean Wallace
1999
Film
Bonnie
Self
2022
Series
Out
McGrath
1978
Film
The Glimmer Man
Mr. Smith
1996
Film
Churchill
Winston Churchill
2017
Series
VE Day 80
Self
2025
Film
Last Moment of Clarity
Gilles
2020
Film
The Reckoning
Tobias
2004
Film
Red
Avery Ludlow
2008
Film
L.I.E.
Big John Harrigan
2001
Series
Tooned
The Mechanic
2012
Film
The Good Heart
Jacques
2009
Film
The Parenting
Frank
2025
Film
On Expenses
Michael Martin
2010
Film
Separation
Rivers
2021
Film
Quasi
Narrator (voice)
2023
Film
Prisoner's Daughter
Max
2023
Film
The Independent
Nick Booker
2022
Film
Strange but True
Bill
2019
Film
Prince of Jutland
Aethelwine
1994
Film
Mending the Line
Ike Fletcher
2023
Film
The Flying Scotsman
Douglas Baxter
2006
Film
The Veteran
Gerry
2011
Film
Tell-Tale
Van Doren
2009
The Gamblers
Mickey
1967
Film
Running with Scissors
Dr. Finch
2006
Film
Saltwater
George Beneventi
2000
Series
Made of Money with Brian Cox
2023
Film
The Etruscan Smile
Rory MacNeil
2018
Series
Shakespeare: Rise of a Genius
Self
2023
Film
Super Troopers 3
Capt. John O’Hagan
2026
Film
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson
Other Voices (voice)
2004
Film
The Year of the Sex Olympics
Lasar Opie
1968
Film
The Affair of the Necklace
Minister Breteuil
2001
Film
The Minus Man
Doug
1999
Film
Sharpe: The Legend
Hogan
1997
Film
Sin
Captain Oakes
2003
Film
The Escapist
Frank Perry
2008
Series
Amol Rajan Interviews
Self - Interviewed Guest
2021
Series
Therese Raquin
Laurent LeClaire
1980
Film
Hidden Agenda
Peter Kerrigan
1990
Film
Grushko
Colonel Yevgeni Grushko
1994
Film
Little Wing
Jaan Vari
2024
Film
Scooby-Doo! and the Samurai Sword
Green Dragon (voice)
2009
Film
An Adventure in Space and Time
Sydney Newman
2013
Film
The Anomaly
Dr. Langham
2014
Film
Blood
Lenny Fairburn
2012
Series
The Big Battalions
Edward Hoyland
1992
Film
Shoot on Sight
Daniel Tennant
2007
Film
The Bay of Silence
Milton
2020
Series
House on the Hill
Leon Douglas
1981
Film
Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster
Glover
2011
Series
Bob Servant
Bob Servant
2013
Film
Longitude
Lord Morton
2000
Film
Complicity
Inspector McDunn
2000
Acting
1987
Film
Strictly Sinatra
Chisolm
2001
Film
Remember Me
Shane
2019
Film
Sharpe's Rifles
Major Michael Hogan
1993
Film
Merchants of Venus
Uncle Vladimir
1998
Film
Believe
Matt Busby
2013
Film
Pretenders
Henry
2019
Film
The Evolution of an American Filmmaker
Self
2003
Film
The Key Man
Irving
2011
Film
King Lear
Burgundy
1983
Film
The Carer
Sir Michael
2016
Film
Exit Humanity
Malcolm Young (voice)
2011
Film
The Strange Case of Sherlock Holmes & Arthur Conan Doyle
Joseph Bell
2005
Film
Poodle Springs
Clayton Blackstone
1998
Film
Bob the Builder: Mega Machines - The Movie
Conrad / Crunch (voice)
2017
Film
Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba
Self
2022
Blumenthal
Harold Blumenthal
2013
Film
A Shot at Glory
Martin Smith
2000
Series
The Devil's Crown
Henry II
1978
Film
Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun
Jack Purves
1988
Film
Bug
Cyr
2002
Film
Lawrence After Arabia
Father (Voice)
2020
Film
Florence Nightingale
Dr. McGregor
1985
Film
Clay, Smeddum and Greenden
George Simpson
1976
Film
The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men! Making X2
Self
2003
Film
Sharpe's Eagle
Major Michael Hogan
1993
Rat in the Skull
Detective Inspector Nelson
1987
Series
Brian Cox: How The Other Half Live
Presenter
2022
Film
Carry On Ken
Self
2006
Film
Murder on the Moon
Voronov
1989
Film
As Good As Dead
Reverend Kalahan
2010
Film
In Celebration
Steven Shaw
1975
Film
The Marbles
Self - Interviewee
2025
Film
The Last Right
Father Reilly
2019
Film
Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky
Voiceover Narrator
1988
Film
Inside 'Manhunter'
Himself
2001
The Outsiders
Gabriel
2006
Film
Mad About Mambo
Sidney McLoughlin
2000
Film
Red Fox
Geoffrey Harrison
1991
Film
Skelly
Grandpa
2024
Film
Witness Against Hitler
Judge Freisler
1996
Film
Agent Crush
Spanners (voice)
2008
Film
Murder by Numbers
Self
2004
Film
The Changeling
Alsemero
1974
Film
Raoul Wallenberg: Missing Inaction
Gustaf Wallenberg (voice)
2025
Film
The Biographer
Michael O'Mara
2002
Film
Pope John Paul II
Father Góra
1984
Film
Home Cooking
Vic
1986
Film
Shoot for the Sun
Dunny
1987
Film
Alan Clarke: Out of His Own Light
Self
2016
Film
The Privilege
Young Laird
1982
Film
Oleg: The Oleg Vidov Story
Narrator (voice)
2021
Film
The Lost Language of Cranes
Owen Benjamin
1992
Film
The Trials of Henry Kissinger
Self
2002
Film
X2
William Stryker
2003
Series
I, Caesar – The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire
Narrator
1997
Film
All at Sea
Wally
2012
Film
The Making of 'Rushmore'
Self
2000
Film
A Cotswold Death
Dr. Gillespie
1982
Series
Addicted to Pleasure
Self - Host
2012
Scotland In A Day
2014
Film
Vegalta: Soccer, Tsunami and the Hope of a Nation
Narrator
2017
Film
Ukraine: Answering the Call
Self
2022
Film
The Invention of Dr. Morel
Dr. Morel
2000
Film
The Cutter
1992
Film
A Woman in Winter
Dr. Hunt
2007
Film
Secret Weapon
Andrew Neil
1990
Film
The Glove
Film
Japan's War in Colour
Self - Narrator (voice)
2005
Film
Six Characters in Search of An Author
The Director
1992
Film
Killing Thyme
Norman
2015
Film
The Curse of Edgar
Edgar Hoover
2013
Series
Brian Cox's Russia
Host
2017
Masters of Darkness
Narrator
2002
Film
Blue/Orange
Dr. Robert Smith
2005
Film
The Sunrise File
Oded Ailam (voice)
2026
Film
The Gospel of John
Narrator (voice) – King James Version
2014
Film
Gramsci: Everything that Concerns People
Narrator
1987
Film
Ooh the Banter!
Self
2022
Film
The Negotiator
Charlie King
1994
Film
Deceptions
Carlton Heard
1992
Film
Darcey Bussell: My Life on the BBC
Self
2016
Aleister Crowley: The Wickedest Man in the World
Narrator
2002
Film
Dalhousie's Luck
Dalhousie
1980
Old Pals
Jimmy
Film
Food for Ravens
Aneurin Bevan
1997
Lindsay Anderson: Lucky Man?
Self
2004
Film
Smallpox 2002: Silent Weapon
Narrator
2002
Film
Brian Cox on Acting in Tragedy
Self
1989
Film
Andrew Carnegie: Rags to Riches, Power to Peace
Andrew Carnegie (voice)
2015
Film
The Making of 'Hidden Agenda'
self
1990
Film
The Blasphemers' Banquet
Rev. Wallace (voice)
1989
Film
Loch Lomond: Legend of the Loch
Narrator
2002
Film
Bill Douglas: My Best Friend
Narrator (voice)
2023
Wittgenstein's Poker
Bertrand Russell (voice)
A Knight in Tarnished Armour
Nelson
1965
Film
An Interview with Brian Cox
Himself
2023
Film
The Secret of the Nutcracker
Drosselmeyer
2007
Film
The Cloning of Joanna May
Carl May
1992
Film
Manhunter
Dr. Hannibal Lecktor
1986
Film
Pacific Warriors
Narrator
2015
Film
The Maltese Double Cross
Narrator (voice)
1994
Film
The Planets
Film
Hitler in Colour
Narrator
2005
Film
A Modern Magician
The Voice
I Missed My Mother's Funeral
Old Man
2012
Film
Widdershins
voice
2018
Film
Kubrick by Candlelight
The Narrator
2018
An Evening with Brian Cox
Himself
2017
The Cantor of St Thomas's
Johann Sebastian Bach
1985
Film
Brian Cox's Jute Journey
Self
2009
AMR: Dying to Change the World
AMR
2025
Film
John Rebus: The Lockdown Blues
John Rebus
2020
The History of the British Police Force
Narrator (voice)
1999
Film
Rasputin: The Devil in the Flesh
Narrator
2002
Film
Battle of the Clans
Narrator
1998