Courteney Cox Said Breaking Engagement With Johhny McDaid Made Their Relationship ‘Better Than Before’

Mar 30, 2022 by apost team

Courteney Cox rose to fame as the hilarious Monica Geller on the beloved sitcom "Friends," which aired from 1994 to 2004. Even after the series ended, Cox continued to be a big player in Hollywood. She starred in the series "Dirt" and "Cougar Town," and has appeared in many movies over the years, including the "Scream" franchise. Outside of her acting work, Cox is known for her close friendship with "Friends" alum Jennifer Aniston. The two often show their support for one another's work. 

Cox began her starring role in "Cougar Town" in 2009. She played a newly single woman in her 40s searching for love and new experiences. The star's performance earned her a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy. Cox also had the opportunity to direct a couple of episodes while working on the show.

In her personal life, Cox was married to fellow actor David Arquette for over 11 years. The couple got married in June 1999 and had a daughter named Coco Arquette in 2004. Coco practically looks like her mother's twin. However, sadly Cox's relationship with David didn't last, and the two finalized their divorce in 2013 after three years of separation. Nevertheless, they remain close and are still business partners together in their production company, Coquette Productions.

In late 2013, Cox began dating a member of the band Snow Patrol named Johnny McDaid. They were engaged in 2014 but broke off the engagement in 2015. A year later, the pair confirmed they were back together and have remained a couple ever since. Keep reading to learn more about Cox's love life and why she says her relationship with McDaid was better after they broke their engagement.

Cox met Arquette in 1996, and the two had an immediate spark. Then still a bright-eyed up-and-coming name in Hollywood, Cox met her future husband on the set of the first-ever "Scream" movie. Speaking to ABC News in 2014, she said she "fell in love" almost instantly, and they began a relationship. And according to Arquette, the feelings were mutual.

"I stalked her," Arquette told US Weekly. "She would go away and fly back. I was stuck at the hotel and then I would wait for her car to come and as soon as she got in the door, I would [pick up the phone]. 'What are you doing?' and she's like 'Are you stalking me?' and I was like, 'Exactly!'"

The unlikely pair got hitched three years later in a star-studded ceremony at the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Cox wore a one-of-a-kind silk Valentino number with a 6-foot-long train, paired with a glamorous tulle veil held in place by a floral headpiece. She also donned an antique, rare stone choker Arquette had gifted her.

Shortly after, following 11 years of marriage, Cox and Arquette announced they would be trialing a separation. They officially divorced in 2013.

However, even though the two tried hard to keep their daughter Coco away from their divorce, it was notably a major life change. In an interview with Harper's Bazaar that same year, Cox said that the child was "adjusting."

"Luckily, we've always had two houses, so there was no change in her living unit. And we both work a lot, so that wasn't a huge adjustment. She's our number-one priority," Cox explained.

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In late 2013, Cox began her relationship with McDaid. The couple got engaged a year later but called off their engagement in 2015. They then got back together shortly after. According to the actress, their relationship became better after they ended their engagement.

"He's not my fiancé. We were engaged to be married, but now we're just together," she said. "We broke off our engagement, and he moved to England, then we got back together, and it's actually better than it was before."

Cox added:

"Everything's better. Not because he's in London — although I think the distance after that breakup, we were apart for six months, that really showed us a lot. It's just better."

With McDaid living in England, the couple was able to have space when they needed it and decided they were better together. The pair have stayed together since, despite the long distance between them. "I mean, it's expensive," Cox shared. "That's an expensive relationship! We go back and forth a lot."

When they announced that they were back together in 2016, Cox said: "Well, we love each other and we are — yes, we're happy!"

As for McDaid, he also had kind words to say about his love for Cox back in 2016. "I don't know if you can put a label on what makes us work so well," he said. "But I know that I've never loved like I love this woman. So if that's enough, then that's enough."

With a laugh, Cox joked: "How do I go after that? It's poetic. I'm literally going to sound like a toad!"

Are you a fan of Courteney Cox? What do you think about her staying with McDaid after their engagement ended? Let us know, and be sure to pass this on to your friends and family.