Brian Cox cements his status as the most outspoken star in Hollywood after outbursts at ‘woke culture’ and brutal digs at celebs including Margot Robbie and Johnny Depp – as star says he won’t be careful anymore

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He is best known for his role as tyrannical media mogul Logan Roy.

Honestly, I’ve always loved Brian Cox, and it’s just SO him, you know? Like Logan Roy in Succession, he always says exactly what he thinks, and it’s amazing! Even now, as he’s getting close to eighty, he doesn’t hold back at all. It’s one of the things I admire most about him.

The Scottish actor has reaffirmed his direct and blunt style, stating he’s no longer interested in being overly cautious.

He admitted to sometimes saying things he regretted, explaining that he could be outspoken and occasionally lose his temper. He often found himself wondering why he’d said certain things, acknowledging he’d likely offended people over time.

The Daily Mail highlights some of Brian’s most controversial statements, ranging from his criticism of ‘woke culture’ to his harsh comments about prominent actors.

Brian has often freely shared his thoughts on Hollywood celebrities, sometimes calling them overrated or using harsh language to describe them.

And just last week he had some terse words when it came to Johnny Depp. 

Brian reportedly turned down the role of the governor in the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise.

But, rather than feeling like he missed out on an opportunity, he said he was relieved.

He told The Times he didn’t want to work with Johnny, describing him as excessively dramatic and not deserving of the praise he receives.

Brian wrote in his memoir that, despite likely being a nice person, he thought Johnny was extremely overrated and received far too much praise.

Think about Edward Scissorhands. Honestly, someone with hands like his and that pale, scarred look could get away with doing absolutely nothing. And that’s exactly what he did, and he’s been doing even less ever since.

He didn’t get along with Edward Norton, finding him difficult to work with, and he considered Kevin Spacey foolish. He also didn’t enjoy Ian McKellen’s performances.

Brian also had harsh words for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood writer and director Quentin Tarantino.

I think his work is superficial and showy, all style and no real content. It focuses on clever plot devices instead of meaningful themes. I even walked out of Pulp Fiction – it just didn’t resonate with me, he explained.

Although they’ve never collaborated and have faced criticism, Brian said he’d be open to working with the person if asked. He explained, ‘If I got the call, I would definitely do it.’

He described his Scottish colleague Michael Caton-Jones as a terrible person and David Hare as contemptible, using vulgar language.

I was really disappointed to hear Brian’s take on the new ‘Wuthering Heights’ movie, especially his comments about Margot Robbie as Cathy. He didn’t seem to think she was the right fit for the role, and honestly, it made me question the casting choices a bit too. It’s always tough when someone you respect critiques a performance so directly!

He made fun of her Australian accent and said she was too attractive to convincingly play the lead character in the classic 19th-century romance novel.

Even beloved figures like David Bowie couldn’t escape Brian’s barbs.

They first met while working on the 1960s British TV show Redcap, but the future music star’s acting skills didn’t make a strong impression on him.

The actor described himself as a thin young man and admitted he wasn’t a very skilled actor, stating he was definitely more suited to being a pop star.

While many actors receive praise for fully immersing themselves in their roles through method acting, Brian reportedly found his ‘Succession’ co-star Jeremy Strong’s dedication frustrating, describing it as ‘extremely annoying’.

Looking back on what he said, Brian shared that his wife worried he could sometimes be too direct and didn’t always hold back his thoughts.

He explained that he’d decided to stop holding back. Approaching his 80th birthday, he felt it was time to speak his mind freely, without worrying about being careful or politically correct.

Brian has been married to Nicole Ansari-Cox since 2002, and together they have two sons: 24-year-old Orson and 21-year-old Torin.

He might later wish he’d listened to his wife, especially since his direct way of speaking has caused problems with celebrities in the past.

Daniel Day-Lewis responded to criticism from Brian, a Scottish actor, who had disparagingly called method acting ‘American garbage’.

Daniel is well-known for his unique rehearsal method, often called ‘the process.’ He deeply immerses himself in a role, striving to understand a character’s feelings and motivations by truly living as that character.

Brian mentioned this while talking to Variety, where he complained about how his Succession co-star, Jeremy, approached acting using ‘method acting’ on set.

He explained it was a difference in how things are done. He strongly disliked what he saw as overly emotional or self-absorbed American work styles, saying he simply wanted people to focus on completing the task at hand without needing to constantly express their feelings or personal opinions.

‘Of course, Jeremy was Dan Day-Lewis’s assistant. So he’s learned all that stuff from Dan.’

After Brian Cox made some critical remarks, Daniel explained to The Big Issue that he’d once worked with Cox and unintentionally got caught up in a minor disagreement between them.

Let me tell you, Brian is a truly gifted actor – some of his work is just phenomenal. And honestly, it’s given him a platform to share his opinions, and he’s really leaning into it – doesn’t seem like he’ll be stepping back anytime soon!

‘Any time he wants to talk about it, I’m easy to find.’

Brian, Daniel, and Jeremy all collaborated on the 1997 movie The Boxer. Brian and Daniel starred in the film, and Jeremy, who was relatively new to the industry at the time, worked as Daniel’s assistant.

Daniel added that he would be very upset if he’d accidentally disrupted the other person’s work while they were collaborating.

I don’t believe that’s an accurate portrayal, and I’m not sure why that idea originated. Jeremy Strong is a talented actor, and while I’m not familiar with his process, I definitely don’t feel accountable for whatever’s being discussed.

He doesn’t limit his criticisms to other celebrities; the actor has also confessed to becoming easily annoyed when discussing politics.

He expressed his anger in an interview with The Guardian, specifically criticizing the Labour party’s shortcomings.

Keir Starmer isn’t known for being particularly charismatic. He doesn’t have the natural appeal that Tony Blair possessed, which helped Blair succeed until his overconfidence became a problem. Starmer simply lacks that quality.

The Times reported that Brian was accused of losing his temper during rehearsals last year, leading to a report filed with Equity, the union representing performers and creative professionals.

However, he claimed that actors from his generation would typically lose their temper while acting. 

He remembered his first experience with theatre involving a fight between two actors, one of whom was Nicol Williamson, known for his role in Excalibur.

He said the exchange would not be allowed to pass in modern times.

‘It’s this whole woke nonsense. You can’t say boo to a goose, he told The Times.

I got really angry and said, “I’m not mad at you, I’m just frustrated with myself. I’m the one struggling with this, not you.”

Although Brian often seems relaxed and carefree, he admitted in 2010 that he was seeing a counselor to help manage his anger.

The Dundee-born star said he sought help as he became suspicious of others’ motives.

He chose a type of therapy called logotherapy, which helps people find meaning and purpose in their lives.

He recently returned to therapy after a 25-year break, explaining that he’s at a point in his life where he wants to address some personal issues he’s been unhappy with. He shared this with The Times.

I sometimes overreact to things, and I can get carried away, which isn’t good for me. Especially now, it’s important to prioritize my health and well-being.

‘It’s anger, loss of trust, loss of faith and ‘poor me’ you know, all of those kind of weaknesses.’

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2026-04-12 16:05