unilad homepage
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • World News
    • Crime
    • Health
    • Money
    • Sport
    • Travel
  • Film and TV
    • Netflix
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Brian Cox slams Hollywood's biggest names as 'stupid' in brutal rant

Home> Celebrity> News

Published 20:30 3 Apr 2026 GMT+1

Brian Cox slams Hollywood's biggest names as 'stupid' in brutal rant

The Succession actor ranted about people he's worked with in the past, as well as big directors

Britt Jones

Britt Jones

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover
Featured Image Credit: Dave Benett/Getty Images for dunhill

Topics: Johnny Depp, Kevin Spacey, Celebrity

Britt Jones
Britt Jones

Advert

Advert

Advert

Brian Cox has called out huge film stars, branding them as 'stupid', 'overblown' and 'complete a***holes' in the industry.

The actor, who you may know as Logan Roy on Succession, no longer cares about keeping mum, and has revealed that turning 80 means he can now 'say what he wants.'

Cox has worked alongside some big names in the field, such as Daniel Day Lewis in The Boxer, and once rubbed him the wrong way by dismissing method acting – which Day Lewis is famed for – as ‘American s***’.

But Day Lewis isn’t the only legend he has spoken about, as recently he told The Times UK that the likes of Johnny Depp, Edward Norton, Ian McKellen, Margot Robbie, Quentin Tarantino and more were not up to scratch.

Advert

Brian Cox spoke out about Hollywood elites (Photo by Adela Loconte/Variety via Getty Images)
Brian Cox spoke out about Hollywood elites (Photo by Adela Loconte/Variety via Getty Images)

In the interview, which saw him talk about being 80 soon ahead of his June 1 birthday, the acclaimed actor and theatre star revealed that he was thankful he turned down the role of the governor in the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise because he thinks Depp is 'so overblown' and 'so overrated'.

In the end, that role went to Jonathan Pryce.

But he didn’t stop there, as he went on to call Edward Norton 'a pain in the a**e', having worked with him in the 2002 flick, the 25th Hour.

He also called Kevin Spacey 'a stupid, stupid man' after acting with him in the 1994 film, Iron Will, and defending him just last year against scathing comments, calling the pair friends in an interview with The i Paper.

He said Ian McKellen's acting was not to his 'liking' (Photo by Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
He said Ian McKellen's acting was not to his 'liking' (Photo by Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

He was also vocal about cancel culture after Spacey was accused by multiple men of sexual misconduct in 2017.

The actor also said Ian McKellen's acting was 'not to his taste’, after the two worked together on the theatre production of Richard III and King Lear.

As for Tarantino, Cox called him 'meretricious', and also called Michael Caton-Jones 'a complete a***hole'.

David Hare, a play and screen writer, who Cox worked with Skylight in 1997, was called a 'see you next Tuesday' in the interview.

He also called Jeremy Strong's approach to method acting, 'f***ing annoying', so even those he’s known for years don’t get out unscathed.

Telling The Times, Cox lamented that it’s all part of his aging process, noting: “I think, 'F*** it, I don't want to be careful any more! I'll be 80 this year. F*** it! I'm gonna say what I want to say.'”

That includes critiquing Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights adaptation, starring Robbie and Jacob Elordi.

He went all in on Edward Norton (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator)
He went all in on Edward Norton (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator)

However, he wasn’t too harsh on her in comparison with the above.

Instead, he mocked her Aussie accent, putting on an accent and shouting: “‘Keith Cliff! It’s me, Cathy!’”

He went on to say: “‘How ya doing, Keith? Awright?’ ‘Yeah, I’m awright!’”

Cox then said Robbie is ‘far too beautiful’ to play Cathy, adding: “I mean, I think there should be something more of the Gypsy about her, but it’s wrong of me to judge. It may be a brilliant film.”

UNILAD reached out to the representatives of Johnny Depp, Edward Norton, Margot Robbie, Kevin Spacey, Quentin Tarantino, Ian McKellen, David Hare, Jeremy Strong, Michael Caton-Jones, and Brian Cox for comment.

Choose your content:

5 hours ago
7 hours ago
8 hours ago
  • Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images
    5 hours ago

    Storage Wars star Darrell Sheets has died aged 67

    The reality TV star's death was announced by Arizona police officers after being called to his home address

    Celebrity
  • Matt McNulty/Getty Images
    7 hours ago

    Healthy woman reveals early symptoms she experienced at 23 before ‘life changing diagnosis’

    The celebrity sportswoman also explained how other people perceive her disability

    Celebrity
  • Amanda Edwards/Getty Images
    7 hours ago

    Blind Side star Quinton Aaron woke up from coma to found out wife was married

    Quinton Aaron's wife was removed from his hospital bedside after his attorney uncovered a surprising document

    Celebrity
  • Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
    8 hours ago

    Hulk Hogan reveals massive amount of fentanyl he was taking daily in new Netflix doc

    There was one moment Hogan told interviewers to 'stop' during Netflix's Hulk Hogan: Real American

    Celebrity
  • George Clooney opens up about past friendship with Donald Trump as president slams actor in scathing rant
  • Matthew McConaughey reveals ‘biggest mistake’ people make in relationships as he shares unexpected advice
  • Amber Heard's sister slams Johnny Depp's VMAs appearance
  • Johnny Depp Reunites With Lawyer Camille Vasquez In Europe