The daughter of a prominent Birmingham, Ala., family, Courteney Cox was born June 15, 1964. After high school, she attended Mount Vernon College but dropped out to pursue modeling with the Ford Agency.

Cox studied acting while making TV commercials and appearing in music videos. She eventually landed a regular part on "Family Ties" and made her film bow in Masters of the Universe (1987). Cocoon: The Return and Mr. Destiny followed, but stardom didn't come till she played opposite Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994); soon after, she began her 10-season run on the wildly popular sitcom "Friends."

Starring in director Wes Craven's Scream trilogy, Cox became the first "Friend" to score a big-screen hit. Her other credits include 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001) and Zoom (2006). Cox's return to series television in 2009 earned her a Golden Globe nod for her lead role in "Cougar Town." ... - from Netflix