David Arquette says he 'wanted to be the breadwinner' when he was married to Courteney Cox and that it was 'difficult' being less successful than her
The 51-year-old actor was married to his Scream co-star Courteney Cox, 58, when she was earning up to $1 million per episode as Monica Geller on Friends.
He explained that it was 'difficult' to be less successful than her because he wanted to be able to 'pick up the check' himself.
While appearing on Sirius XM's Andy Cohen Live on Friday he was asked if he ever felt inferior to his then-wife.
'Yeah, absolutely. It's difficult. I have some of the traditional male things where I want to like, you know, provide and pick up the check and, you know, be the breadwinner,' he said.
David and Courteney married in 1999 and split in 2013. The former couple share daughter Coco, 18.
![Exes: The 51-year-old actor was married to his Scream co-star Courteney, 58, when she was earning up to $1 million per episode as Monica Geller on Friends](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/29/02/70369915-12027133-Exes_The_51_year_old_actor_was_married_to_his_Scream_co_star_Cou-a-38_1682732558311.jpg)
Exes: The 51-year-old actor was married to his Scream co-star Courteney, 58, when she was earning up to $1 million per episode as Monica Geller on Friends
![Traditional: He explained that it was 'difficult' to be less successful than her because he wanted to be able to 'pick up the check' himself](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/28/23/70369909-12027133-image-a-116_1682721031782.jpg)
Traditional: He explained that it was 'difficult' to be less successful than her because he wanted to be able to 'pick up the check' himself
'In the acting world in general, you're always going on this rollercoaster of popularity and, you know, not being able to get a job. it's like this weird thing,' he continued.
'And then when you're, you know, comparing yourself to someone who's at the, you know, top of the television, iconic world, it's kinda hard to put yourself there, so there was definitely like learning and dealing with that, and a lot of pain and, you know, arguments or, you know, ego, early on,' he concluded.
The Scream actor married Christina McLarty, 42, in 2015. They share sons Charlie, nine and Alexis, six.
Courteney has been in a long-term relationship with Snow Patrol musician Johnny McDaid since 2013, and they seem to be going stronger than ever.
The Mrs. Davis star went on to explain that his attitude during the 14 years he was married to the Cougar Town star had 'a lot' to do with how he was perceiving and responding to the situation.
'A lot of it has to do with, you know, the way you're taking things, the way you're saying things, the way you're responding to things, the way you're, you know, allowing other sort of outside influences affect how you feel about yourself,' he said.
'I think like building confidence or just, you know, focusing on yourself, like working out some of the pain and trauma that I had so that I could open up like, you know, and own sort of what makes me happy, what my needs are, where my boundaries are,' he concluded.
Despite his regrets, earlier this year he admitted that he and Courteney had a good relationship today during an interview with Closer.
![$1 million: By season eight of the long running NBC sitcom the six main characters all made $1 million per episode](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/29/02/70369905-12027133-_1_million_By_season_eight_of_the_long_running_NBC_sitcom_the_si-a-39_1682732558340.jpg)
$1 million: By season eight of the long running NBC sitcom the six main characters all made $1 million per episode
![Breadwinner: 'I think like building confidence or just, you know, focusing on yourself, like working out some of the pain and trauma that I had so that I could open up like, you know, and own sort of what makes me happy, what my needs are, where my boundaries are'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/29/02/70369917-12027133-Breadwinner_I_think_like_building_confidence_or_just_you_know_fo-a-40_1682732558513.jpg)
Breadwinner: 'I think like building confidence or just, you know, focusing on yourself, like working out some of the pain and trauma that I had so that I could open up like, you know, and own sort of what makes me happy, what my needs are, where my boundaries are'
![Co-parenting: David and Courteney are parents to daughter Coco, 18](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/29/02/70369913-12027133-Co_parenting_David_and_Courteney_are_parents_to_daughter_Coco_18-a-13_1682731448056.jpg)
Co-parenting: David and Courteney are parents to daughter Coco, 18
'Today we are great co-parents to our daughter, Coco. So that's really beautiful.'
The dad of three also revealed their daughter is thriving and recently got her first car as she is learning to drive.
When David opened up about his second marriage, he revealed they have a tight family unit and he feels lucky to be married to such an amazing woman.
'My boys are just complete characters, both of them. I'm so grateful to Christina. She's just like the brains of the operation. The woman behind the man,' he said.
![Mrs. Davis: David is currently appearing in Peacock's Mrs. Davis alongside Betty Gilpin](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/29/02/70369907-12027133-Mrs_Davis_David_is_currently_appearing_in_Peacock_s_Mrs_Davis_al-a-41_1682732558534.jpg)
Mrs. Davis: David is currently appearing in Peacock's Mrs. Davis alongside Betty Gilpin
![Co-stars: The former couple starred in the first Scream film in 1996 together](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/29/02/70370243-12027133-Co_stars_The_former_couple_starred_in_the_first_Scream_film_in_1-a-15_1682731448129.jpg)
Co-stars: The former couple starred in the first Scream film in 1996 together
On why his second marriage is successful, he said: 'It’s tough. You have to figure out how to really make it work with each other, to hear each other and allow each other to be yourselves, but also to have your strong boundaries.”
The former couple starred in a fifth installment of the popular horror franchise last year, returning as characters Dewey Riley and Gail Weathers.
Speaking to the New York Times, David described acting with Cox over 10 years later as 'cathartic'.
'It's a cathartic experience to just be able to act opposite Courteney. It's been 25 years of our lives. We've grown up together. We have a child together.'
Most watched News videos
- Ukrainian sniper fires at two Russian soldiers with grenade launchers
- Cabinet minister blames Conservatives for lack of prison capacity
- Moscow woman reports live: 'Where are we supposed to run to?'
- Knife-wielding break-in suspect chases local after being confronted
- Moment diners tip vintage £3,200 Petrus to make £100,000 Sangria!
- Hairbrush and women's clothes found in tunnel where hostages died
- Moment 'drunk' Brit and his wife are hauled off Ryanair flight
- Moment of 'Ukrainian kamikaze drone attack' on Moscow building
- Princess Kate mirrors the late Queen driving in candid recovery video
- Germany implements temporary border controls to combat migration
- Tory MP Robert Jenrick dodges Tory leadership 'dirty tricks' query
- Audi fails to stop after hitting a pensioner in Keighley, Yorkshire