Brian Denis Cox, CBE (born 1 June 1946) is a Scottish actor. He is known for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he gained recognition for his portrayal of King Lear. He has also appeared in many American films, such as Rushmore, Super Troopers, X2: X-Men United as William Stryker, and Troy as Agamemnon. He was the first actor to portray Hannibal Lecter on film in the 1986 movie Manhunter.

Biography

Marriages and family
He is divorced from his first wife Caroline Burt. The couple have two children; their son Alan Cox, also an actor, is best known for his roles in Young Sherlock Holmes, and playing the young John Mortimer in the television film of his play A Voyage Round My Father (1982) opposite Laurence Olivier, their second child is daughter Margaret.

Brian married his second wife, actress Nicole Ansari, in 2002. The couple have two boys and live in New York City. Cox retains a home in Edinburgh.


Political views
In 2007, Cox campaigned for Labour in the run-up to that year's Scottish Parliamentary elections and he is a lifelong supporter of the party. Cox endorsed the Scottish National Party in the 2011 election, however, only because of their higher education policy.

On 25 May 2012, Cox spoke in support of Scottish Independence at the Yes Scotland campaign. Although a Labour Party supporter and saying he believed in democratic socialism, he felt that Independence was the best way forward for Scotland.

On 29 January 2015, Cox announced he had quit the Labour Party as he believed it had failed to live up to its basic principles and instead joined the Scottish National Party as he felt it was taking forward values of social justice and representing Scotland's best interests.


Civic activity
Cox is a patron for Scottish Youth Theatre, Scotland's National Theatre "for and by" young people. Scottish Youth Theatre's building in Glasgow, The Old Sheriff Court, named their theatre the Brian Cox Studio Theatre in his honour. He is also a patron of "THE SPACE", a training facility for actors and dancers in his native Dundee, and an "ambassador" for the Screen Academy Scotland.

On 11 February 2010, Cox was elected as the 12th Rector of the University of Dundee by students of the institution. He was re-elected in January 2013. He also holds an honorary doctorate from Napier University in Edinburgh, awarded in July 2008.

In April 2010, Cox, along with Ian McKellen and Eleanor Bron, appeared in a series of TV advertisements to support Age UK, the charity recently formed from the merger of Age Concern and Help the Aged. All three actors gave their time free of charge.

Cox has worked to promote a diabetes research facility in his home town of Dundee.

On 14 April 2012, Cox was the 10th Grand Marshal of the New York City Tartan Day Parade.


Honour
On 31 December 2002, Cox was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year Honours List.

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