SmartLess

Brian Cox

March 2, 2026

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  • Brian Cox, the guest on this episode of SmartLess, directed his debut feature film, *Glen Rothen*, which features his son playing his father. 
  • Brian Cox highly praised director Lindsay Anderson for his ability to give actors simple, effective notes, contrasting him with directors whose ego interferes with performance. 
  • Brian Cox attributes his early ambition to act to the joy he found in visiting the 21 cinemas in his hometown of Dundee, Scotland, especially after the loss of his father at age eight. 
  • Brian Cox views voiceover work as a valuable discipline that sharpens an actor's craft due to its time constraints. 
  • Brian Cox praised Jason Bateman's strong voice and clarity, while simultaneously encouraging him to trust his talent more and consider broader acting swings, including comedy. 
  • The hosts and Brian Cox expressed mutual admiration, with Cox emphasizing that the next creative step is simply 'the next job' and Jason Bateman noting Cox's unexpected light and breezy humor. 

Segments

Podcast Opening Banter
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(00:01:54)
  • Key Takeaway: Jason expresses annoyance with Will’s incomplete countdown habit during podcast introductions.
  • Summary: Jason confronts Will about his tendency to stop countdowns prematurely after three. Will defends this by stating he goes silent from four down, leading to a brief, playful argument before the official welcome to SmartLess. The hosts then briefly discuss their sleep quality.
Guest Introduction and Acclaim
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(00:06:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Brian Cox is introduced as a highly decorated actor with numerous nominations across Golden Globes, SAG Awards, Emmys, and BAFTAs.
  • Summary: The hosts detail Brian Cox’s extensive accolades, noting his four Golden Globe nominations (one win) and multiple nominations for SAG and BAFTA awards, including five Emmy nominations (one win). His extensive filmography is described as having its own dedicated page due to its sheer volume. Key roles mentioned include the original Dr. Hannibal Lecter, Braveheart, The Bourne Identity, and Succession.
Directorial Debut: Glen Rothen
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(00:08:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Brian Cox cast his own son as his father in his directorial debut, Glen Rothen, to teach him about fatherhood.
  • Summary: Brian Cox’s new film, Glen Rothen, releases on April 17th and centers on two brothers running a distillery, with Cox playing the plotter older brother and Alan Cumming playing the talented younger brother. Cox found directing scary but was surprised he completed the shoot, aiming for an egalitarian approach where he avoided imposing his vision on the crew.
Director Philosophy and Lindsay Anderson
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(00:09:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Brian Cox considers Lindsay Anderson the best director he worked with for providing simple, insightful notes that removed ‘attitudinizing’ from performances.
  • Summary: Cox expressed a desire to avoid directors who micromanage based on ego, preferring latitude for actors to own their characters. He cited Anderson’s note to remove ‘attitudinizing’ as an example of a simple, effective directorial intervention. Anderson’s filmography, including The Sporting Life and If, is highlighted as essential viewing.
Performance Control and Latitude
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(00:13:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Performance and music are unique creative lanes that directors cannot fully control, as the character must ultimately ’live and breathe’ as the actor’s own.
  • Summary: The hosts agree that while directors need a plan, performance cannot be micromanaged between ‘action’ and ‘cut.’ Allowing actors latitude frees up exciting performances rather than forcing them into the director’s preconceived version of the character. Cox referenced his quote about being ’too old, too tired, and too talented to give a fuck’ regarding unnecessary direction.
Sean’s One-Man Show Prep
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(00:32:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Sean is preparing for his Off-Broadway one-man show, The Unknown, and admitted to being scared about memorizing the material.
  • Summary: Brian Cox shared a story about forgetting lines in a one-man show and having to restart, which prompted discussion about Sean’s upcoming performance. Sean admitted to panicking about memorization and even considering using a tape recording as a backup. Will praised Sean’s performance in a previous London show, noting the audience mistook his piano playing for mime.
Brian Cox’s Early Life and Influences
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(00:18:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Brian Cox felt liberated after his father died when he was eight and his mother suffered severe breakdowns, allowing him to pursue acting despite being trained for manual labor.
  • Summary: Cox grew up in Dundee, Scotland, where his destiny was set to be a bricklayer, but he rejected this path, having desired to act since age three. He found joy in cinema, visiting nearly every one of the 21 cinemas in his town. He identifies as a socialist due to the poverty he witnessed, noting Dundee now has the highest heroin addiction rate in Europe.
Transition to American Acting Ambition
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(00:44:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Brian Cox realized his acting ambition was specifically tied to American cinema, finding inspiration in Albert Finney’s performance in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning.
  • Summary: Cox felt a strong pull toward American cinema, contrasting it with British actors like Kenneth More. Seeing Albert Finney in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning provided him with a relatable path to success as a working-class actor. This realization coincided with the rise of the ‘Free Cinema’ movement in the UK.
Voiceover Work and Discipline
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(00:47:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Brian Cox enjoys the discipline of voiceover work, particularly for McDonald’s, because the tight time constraints force efficiency and focus.
  • Summary: Cox lost his UK voiceover career upon moving to the US but regained it through agent Steve Arcieri, landing the McDonald’s campaign. He appreciates the strict timing required in voiceover spots, adhering to the Scottish principle of ‘get on and get off.’ He dislikes being asked for ‘one more for safety’ when a take is already perfect, as digital recording negates the need for film-style safety takes.
Voiceover Craft and Discipline
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(00:53:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Voiceover work provides excellent discipline by forcing concise delivery within finite time constraints.
  • Summary: The discipline of voiceover work is praised as a great practice for an actor’s craft. Performers appreciate the constraint of having only a finite amount of space to convey a point. This tight structure is found to be ‘really GMC Shier’ (professional grade).
Compliments on Vocal Talent
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(00:54:28)
  • Key Takeaway: Brian Cox complimented Will Arnett’s strong voice and clarity, referencing a specific film performance.
  • Summary: Brian Cox complimented Will Arnett, stating he is blessed with a very fine and strong voice with great clarity. This compliment was appreciated, especially given Cox’s own high standards. The clarity of Arnett’s voice was noted as being strong even when playing a character on the run.
Cox’s Extensive Career Achievements
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(00:55:19)
  • Key Takeaway: Brian Cox has achieved major accolades across theater (Olivier Awards) and screen (BAFTAs, Emmys, Golden Globes) and recently directed a film.
  • Summary: The conversation reviewed Brian Cox’s extensive career, noting his wins for Olivier Awards, BAFTAs, Emmys, and Golden Globes in both film and television. He has also recently directed his own film. When asked what excites him next, Cox stated simply, ‘The next job.’
Theater Aspirations and Challenges
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(00:56:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Jason Bateman turned down a one-man show recently, feeling he needs more theater experience before taking on such a role.
  • Summary: Jason Bateman mentioned turning down a one-man show because he felt he couldn’t truly enjoy doing it at this time. He expressed a desire to gain more theater experience before attempting a solo performance. Cox views acting endeavors simply as ’the work’ rather than challenges.
Coaching Jason Bateman’s Performance Style
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(00:56:56)
  • Key Takeaway: Brian Cox advised Jason Bateman to stop being so contained and trust his talent more, noting his exquisite taste.
  • Summary: Brian Cox strongly encouraged Jason Bateman to ‘just let yourself go’ and trust his talent more, suggesting he is currently too contained. Cox praised Bateman’s work in The Ozarks and The Black Rabbit. He also highlighted Bateman’s impeccable comedic timing, urging him to do more straight comedies.
Jason Bateman’s Acting Preferences
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(00:58:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Jason Bateman prefers playing the ‘straight man’ and doing less, having become turned off by watching actors overact.
  • Summary: Jason Bateman stated he has enjoyed playing characters that are not overly ‘charactery’ recently. He admitted to getting turned off by watching actors act, preferring to play the straight man and focus on doing less. He is now considering taking on bigger, broader acting swings.
Gratitude and Farewell
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(01:00:04)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts expressed deep gratitude for Brian Cox’s mentorship through his talent and wished him success with his directed film, Glen Roth.
  • Summary: The hosts thanked Brian Cox for being an absolute legend and icon, acknowledging that he has mentored them through his talent over many years. They wished him continued success with his film that he directed. Cox concluded by stating that being on the podcast was an honor.
Recalling Cox’s Early Kindness
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(01:00:50)
  • Key Takeaway: Will Arnett recounted a positive early career memory of Brian Cox graciously hosting him at a rented Hollywood Hills home for the Oscars.
  • Summary: Will Arnett shared that Brian Cox was incredibly kind and generous when Arnett, then a young actor, attended an Oscar viewing at a house Cox was renting in the Hollywood Hills 30 years ago. Arnett felt like a ‘stupid ass kid’ but was made to feel welcome by the acclaimed working actor. Arnett regretted not telling Cox this story during the interview.
Podcast Credits and Ad Reads
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(01:04:18)
  • Key Takeaway: The podcast is handcrafted by Michael Grant Terry, Rob Armjarve, and Bennett Barbico, followed by ads for Afrin Saline and the HBO show Rooster.
  • Summary: The closing credits listed the podcast as being 100% organic and artisanally handcrafted by Michael Grant Terry, Rob Armjarve, and Bennett Barbico. Advertisements followed for new drug-free Afrin extra strength saline, which uses purified French seawater. Steve Carell stars in the new HBO Max comedy series Rooster, premiering March 8th.