Courteney Cox received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this week. I’m shocked that she hasn’t gotten one before now, although they don’t give out stars on merit. Someone has to pay for your star and, like, actually campaign for the star or something. Usually, studios put something together to coincide with a big premiere – I would assume that Cox got the star as part of the promotion for Scream VI. Cox’s friends came out for her Walk of Fame ceremony, like Jennifer Aniston and my nemesis Laura Dern. Ahead of her ceremony, Cox chatted with Variety about her career and what she’s learned. She was also asked about Prince Harry doing mushrooms in her house! Some highlights:
Her recurring role on Family Ties: “I was so nervous. It’s so hard to go into a hit show. I wasn’t a guest star, I was a recurring character, but every time I went it felt like I was starting from scratch! Being on a show and watching Michael J. Fox was the greatest lesson in acting and comedy that I’ve ever seen. He was able to take one line, break it up into three different parts and get three huge laughs. He’s just a master. It was a great experience — it was nerve-wracking!”
What she learned from ‘Friends’: “‘Friends’ taught me the importance of camaraderie and really sticking together. These friendships were at the most important time in my life, and we went through so many things together. And it just taught me about being there for each other — I know, that’s the song: ‘I’ll be there for you.’ But it’s true. It was so nice to work with people that could bounce ideas off each other. Everybody wanted the best for everybody. There was no jealousy, it was only, ‘Let’s make the best show we can, and let’s support each other in this.’”
Getting cast as Gale Weathers in Scream: “That’s a really fun character, especially at the very beginning when she was so ruthless. I was known from ‘Friends’ and ‘Family Ties,’ known as the girl next door and sweet. I had to talk to [director] Wes Craven and write him a letter and say, ‘I know that you don’t think of me as this person, but trust me, I really can be an absolute bitch.’ It was over the top in the perfect way. You really care about the characters because they were unique, and you don’t laugh at them, you laugh with them because they’re smart. If they were dumb, they were supposed to be and they’re endearing.”
On Scream VI: “I missed working with [Neve Campbell] but I’m going to support whatever she feels is right. I have a really good scene with Ghostface and it was amazing. I’ve obviously been stabbed many times and all that, but this time, to work with Ghostface and not know who’s under the mask, it was a really fun. Usually by the time I’m getting stabbed, I know who it is.”
Happiest she’s ever been: “The place I am in right now is the happiest I’ve ever been. There’s a lot of things that are not great about getting older, but there’s a lot of great things and that is being in a place where I love working. I try harder now at things. I care more. I love directing. I love acting. I love producing. I feel like I’ve been doing it long enough that I actually know what I’m doing and then I can excel. I can be better. I take more chances. There’s just something about the confidence of time, of doing something so long, I probably love it more now than I ever have.”
Prince Harry sampling “a box of black diamond mushroom chocolates” in her fridge. “He did stay here for a couple of days — probably two or three. He’s a really nice person,” she says with a laugh. She also recently saw him at a birthday party and wanted to say hi, but kept to herself since he was talking to others. “I haven’t read the book. I do want to hear it, because I’ve heard it’s really entertaining. But yes, it’s gotten back to me about it. I’m not saying there were mushrooms! I definitely wasn’t passing them out.”
The story about Harry finding mushrooms and taking them at Cox’s house was always a little bit weird, just because… Courteney has a reputation of being very straight-arrow, no drugs, no shenanigans, no craziness. But maybe she’s chilled out, plus she’s with Johnny McDaid, so maybe some music people brought the drugs? The idea that Cox would let a random prince sleep in her guest room is on-brand for her though. As for the rest of it… she’s had a hell of a career. It’s so weird because, back in the ‘90s, most people thought the biggest breakout Friends stars would be Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry and/or David Schwimmer. But no, I would argue that Cox and Lisa Kudrow had the better careers overall. Matt LeBlanc also ended up having a really great TV career.
Photos courtesy of Getty, Backgrid.
Santa Monica, CA – Courteney Cox looks casually chic in all black while exiting dinner with a pal in Santa Monica. Pictured: Courteney Cox BACKGRID USA 18 MAY 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication* 
Santa Monica, CA – Courteney Cox looks casually chic in all black while exiting dinner with a pal in Santa Monica. Pictured: Courteney Cox BACKGRID USA 18 MAY 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmcWhmZ4V3e8KorKuslaOyuqvCqK%2BYqKKeu6SxvqGYq6qplMC1rdiem5ivmam1oLnEmJ2oqo%2BpxLCrzquWraCimrKgsMCyqpiglaiss7HApaOyl56esKZ7