Brian Cox is a Scottish actor who has been in this realm of screen and stage for up to six whole decades now. He has more than 200 credits and has performed as characters in a multitude of well-known movies and TV shows. Cox is unquestionably gifted, as seen in anything he has worked in. However, during his acting career, he has played a number of crucial yet minor roles. Despite that, his performance has always been the highlight of any scene he steps in. Therefore, to celebrate his 60 years-worth of journey, here are some of his best performances.
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9 RED (2010)
Summit Entertainment
2010’s RED offered equivalent thrills to the audience, much like The Expendables, demonstrating how viewers would swarm to see elderly action heroes on a screen together. The movie revolves around Frank Moses, played by Bruce Willis, who is essentially a “retired, extremely dangerous” former CIA agent. An assassin tries to take his life. Thus, in order to save himself, Moses reunites with some of his old RED pals in order to track down this man.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
As a gratifying action film, RED is made significantly more engaging and mesmerizing to watch by Cox’s portrayal of a former Russian agent named Ivan Simonov. Cox is a joyous delight, chomping down on a thick accent and constantly smirking through all his parts. All fans consider his rekindled affair with the retired assassin of Helen Mirren, who once shot him twice in the chest, the highlight of the entire film. Once again, proving he can be in a movie with a massive list of celebrities, but even his little acting gig can outshine all.
8 Deadwood (Season 3, 2006)
HBO EnterprisesParamount Global Content Distribution
This may come as a surprise to some, but this series was inspired by an actual life story of an Irish actor who ended up becoming Idaho state senator. The story revolves around Jack Langrishe, played by Cox, who makes a grand entrance into Deadwood. Cox is exceptional in this series. He has aspirations to establish a theater and infuse culture into this land that someday will become South Dakota. Unfortunately, since many viewers and critics had issues with the direction of season three, this led to Deadwood’s controversial cancelation even before its creator could give the series a satisfying conclusion.
All in all, it was Cox’s performance that breathed life into the entire series. Every single time Cox was on-screen, it was difficult to take eyes off it. The show demanded some serious acting, but it all felt like a piece of cake, seeing how Cox nailed it so effortlessly.
7 Adaptation (2002)
Sony Pictures Releasing
Directed by Spike Jonez, Adaptation follows the story of a screenwriter named Charlie Kaufman, who is having a hard time adapting Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief as he suffers from every author’s worst nightmare; writer’s block. During this time, Kaufman goes to a renowned storytelling seminar of screen master Robert McKee, portrayed by none other than Cox. Being friends with McKee in actual life helps Cox channel his personality into his character. He beautifully represents the narrative experience of the entire world as he berates Kaufman for lacking any of it in his life. His enchanting performance makes one want to believe everything he says simply because of how he delivers it. Cox delivers some incredibly impactful lines that can be a game changer not only for Kaufman but also for the viewers.
6 X2: X-Men United (2003)
20th Century Fox
Before the world became a hardcore Marvel Universe stans, they religiously followed the X-Men franchise. Building on the first Bryan Singer’s X-Men, the film that possibly served as the blueprint for many of the superhero blockbusters of the future. X2: X-Men United is an extremely rare case where the sequel is far superior to the original. One of the reasons has to be Cox’s performance. No one can deny the sheer fact that Cox’s character of William Stryker, an anti-mutant special operation bad guy, has to be the best antagonist of the X-Men franchise. His portrayal is far more vicious and bone-chilling than Magneto’s, making him far more dangerous.
Throughout the franchise, Stryker has indeed been portrayed by a variety of actors. However, no one ever was able to get engraved in the viewer’s mind as Cox did. He absolutely dominated X2 whenever he was on the screen, and it was to that extent that his absence could be felt in all Wolverine-centric films thereafter. This speaks volumes about how charismatic his performance is.
5 Super Troopers (2001)
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Cox is mainly acclaimed for his exceptional theatrical talents, but he can seamlessly transition to humor anytime. Super Trooper, a film by Jay Chandrasekhar, is a raunchy yet silly comedy film that was a slight hit at the time and, to this day, is considered a cult favorite. The movie’s plot is five state troopers who enjoy pranking around, trying to keep their jobs, while at the same time solving an ongoing crime.
The flimsy plot barely holds the antics of these Vermont troopers together, but the constant stream of humor at the right time keeps the audience entertained. Cox acts as the commander of the Super Troopers and beautifully dominates every scene he is in as the grumpy, harsh, and humorous straight guy who is yet fully supportive of the insanity his team unleashes. This film proves Cox’s diverse acting range and how he can play comedic roles so effortlessly without looking cringe or awkward, something not every actor can do.
4 The Minus Man (1999)
Artisan EntertainmentThe Shooting Gallery
There is no doubt in admitting that indie films have some of the finest acting, which can also be seen in The Minus Man. This is an independent drama from 1999, which is highly underappreciated and merits a second look. This is the very first and probably the only movie Hampton Fancher has ever directed.
The Minus Man revolves around Vann Siegert, played by Owen Wilson, who does a 180 in his life and turns into a cruel serial killer. He meticulously murders individuals with a flask of poisoned amaretto liqueur. After committing his first murder, Vann finds himself in a tiny village where he stays with Doug and Jane, played by Cox and Mercedes Ruehl, who are unhappy with their marriage. Similar to most indie films, it is a slow-burn movie that is immensely character driven. Movies like this rely on the actor’s performance, and Cox does complete justice to his role. His portrayal of the resentful, alcoholic Doug, punctuating the intended pace with the threat of the violence that Vann shies away from is hauntingly mesmerizing. Viewers will find themselves constantly immersed in the movie due to his realistic yet raw portrayal.
3 Manhunter (1986)
De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
For any fan of a murder mystery or suspense, this is the ideal movie. Manhunter, adapted from Red Dragon by Thomas Harris, follows an FBI profiler named Will Graham through his relentless search for the vile murderer who goes by Tooth Fairy. However, to catch him, he must ask for help from Dr. Hannibal Lecter, his arch-nemesis. Cox was already performing continuously for about twenty years by the time this movie was released. However, it wasn’t until people saw him play the infamous serial murderer Hannibal Lecter that they realized his wide acting range and potential. Yet, despite it, people often overlook the fact that Cox was the first person to portray the vengeful yet most iconic antagonist, Dr. Hannibal Lecktor.
The few scenes that Cox gets in the movie are by far the scariest ones. His acting is enough to send shivers down the watcher’s spine. Interestingly, he is mostly in jail, which means he’s not clearly visible, but he is still able to infuse every phrase with a sense of fear and menace. All of this is enough to keep viewers up at night for days, making it rightfully one of his best performances.
2 Succession (2018 - Present)
Warner Bros. Television DistributionHBO
When it comes to merging dark comedy with family drama, Succession by Jesse Armstrong is as good as it gets. The HBO television series revolves around the Roy Family, who own the Waystar RoyCo., a global entertainment and media multi-industry company. Due to the decline in his health, Logan Roy (Brain Cox), the head of the company, considers stepping down from his position. During his birthday celebration, the family decides to cheer on Logan’s second son, Kendall, as the heir to the company. However, things become difficult when Logan announces that he will instead give his third wife, Marcia, the rights to choose an heir after his death. Thus, a fight for power commences while the family’s patriarch’s health is uncertain.
Brain brings out the best in the series through his character, Logan. With a strict and patriarchal persona, he keeps the audience at the edge of their seats, waiting for another uncompromising remark from him. He truly embodies the role, allowing fans to see a head-strong character that does not compromise when it comes to pushing boundaries with his family or running his business; even with a dying body. Due to this, he was nominated multiple times for the best actor nomination spots in Satellite Awards and Primetime Emmy Awards.
1 Nuremberg (2000)
Netflix
This Canadian-American docudrama steals the spotlight as one of the best historical war dramas on television. The miniseries narrates the after-math following Germany’s defeat in WWII. In order to reconcile for the crimes committed by Nazi Germany, American Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson (Alec Baldwin) created an international war crime tribunal at Nuremburg. 24 representatives of the Nazi military personals and even civilians are chosen to stand trial for the commission of aggression and war-crimes against humanity. The series entails a series of trials through the eyes of Robert Jackson and Hermann Goering (Brian Cox).
Brian Cox nails the antagonistic role of a Nazi defendant who charmed Lt. Tex Wheelis, his guard, into giving him a better treatment than the other criminals of war. Fans admittedly were charmed by his charisma and intelligence into getting his way. Well, almost. His immersive performance earned him nominations for multiple awards, including the best male actor in a miniseries or television movie.
