Courteney Cox: ‘What makes me unhappy? When I am not understood.’

The actor on kissing Johnny McDaid, her Banksy painting and being locked outside naked

Born in Alabama, Courteney Cox, 54, studied architecture before becoming an actor. From 1994 to 2004 she played Monica Geller in Friends; she also made four Scream movies and starred in the television series Cougar Town from 2009 to 2015. Her partner is the songwriter and Snow Patrol guitarist Johnny McDaid; she has a daughter, Coco, with her ex-husband David Arquette. She narrates the new pregnancy docuseries 9 Months, on Facebook Watch. She lives in Malibu.

What is your earliest memory? 
Not the earliest, but the most impactful was when my parents got divorced. I was 10.

What is the trait you most deplore in others? 
The inability to be accountable.

What was your most embarrassing moment? 
When I was very young, my older brother and two older sisters told me that there was an emergency and I had to get out of the shower, then pushed me outside and locked the door. I was completely naked and couldn’t get back in.

Property aside, what’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought? 
A Banksy painting.

What would your superpower be? 
To be able to click my fingers and have two opposing parties see each other’s perspective.

What makes you unhappy? 
When I am not understood.

What is your favourite word? 
“Darlin’ girl” is something that Johnny says that makes me melt.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? 
An architect.

What do you owe your parents? 
My mum wasn’t a go-getter so I am thankful that I was able to witness that and be completely the opposite.

If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you choose? 
I would like to stop things from becoming extinct. The way we are going… humans.

What does love feel like? 
Safe and peaceful. It gives you a sense of ease.

What was the best kiss of your life? 
The first time I kissed Johnny, and I, actually, was the person who kissed first. Ed Sheeran brought him over to my house one Sunday.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party? 
Johnny, and Lisa [Kudrow] and Jennifer [Aniston], because they are fun.

When did you last cry, and why? 
Yesterday, when I heard songs that Johnny has been writing.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life? 
Uninterrupted sleep.

What has been your closest brush with the law? 
I don’t even have a lawyer, so I don’t feel like I get into trouble in those ways.

What keeps you awake at night? 
Worrying about not being able to go back to sleep.

Where would you most like to be right now?

I would be in the sun, but not get brown spots or skin cancer.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you? 
Nothing is personal.