Brian Cox and his wife Nicole Ansari-Cox maintain a “good creative relationship” by living in completely separate homes.
The “Succession” alum opened up about the couple’s 24 years of marriage and why they prefer to “keep things separate” in an interview with The Times published Friday.
“By keeping things separate, we take responsibility for the mess ourselves,” Cox, 79, explained. “It’s that simple.”
“Her space is very important to her, and my space is very important to me. When we’re thrown together, it feels like we’re trapped together, and I don’t think that’s a good creative relationship. You should be free.”
The Manhunter star and Ansari-Cox, 57, live in the same Primrose Hill area of London, but in separate houses nearly a 10-minute walk away.
Cox also told the outlet that the couple has separate bedrooms at their homes in New York City and upstate New York.
But after more than 20 years of marriage, the actor and Ansari-Cox have maintained their relationship by not only giving each other space, but also going to couples counseling, Ansari-Cox revealed.
“Nicole gave up a lot for me,” the “X-Men” star said. “It was difficult for her, but she gave up a lot. I feel like I need to give her credit.”
Cox and his wife first met in 1990 when Cox was performing in a production of “King Lear” in Germany, Cox told the Times.
But it wasn’t until eight years later, when they met again in New York City, that they became a couple.
The couple married in Las Vegas in 2002 and have two sons, Orson, 24, and Thorin, 21.
Cox has a daughter, Margaret, and another son, Alan, with his second wife, Caroline Burt.
The actor and Burt were married from 1968 to 1986, a year after Cox split from his first wife, Lillian Monroe-Kerr, with whom he was from 1966 to 1967.
“We’re about to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary,” Cox said before giving an impassioned speech to Ansari Cox. “She’s quite a person, quite a person. She’s one of the most generous and caring people.”
“Nicole’s problem, we talk about this, is that she has too many friends. At this age, I’m trying to get rid of them. Well, most of my friends are dying.”
Elsewhere during the interview, Cox spoke about how he stays in good physical and mental shape ahead of his 80th birthday on June 1st.
“I go to the gym three times a week,” he said. “You really have to take responsibility for your body, because death is coming. You can’t give in to it.”
Regarding the fear of developing dementia, Cox acknowledged that there are “all kinds of protocols” that can be “implemented” to prevent dementia.
“I am very careful because I need to memorize my lines to continue working,” he concluded.
Cox’s interview with the Times also made headlines for his surprising remarks about Margot Robbie and other A-listers.
“Damn, I don’t want any more attention! I’m turning 80 this year,” he said after criticizing the Hollywood star. “Damn! I’ll say what I want to say.”
