Courtney Cox is reflecting on mistakes she made in the past with her daughter, Coco Arquette, whom she shares with ex-husband David Arquette.
During an appearance on the Wednesday, April 24, episode of Minnie Driver’s “Minnie Questions” podcast, Cox said she regretted giving Coco, now 19, too much freedom to make her own decisions.
“I should have [trusted] myself and I should have stepped in,” Cox, 59, said. “I’m not saying I made her who she is, but you do see things in other people —whether it’s just always taking care of people and being the nicest person.And I mean, that’s one of the things with age, I’ve learned to say no, I’ve learned to have boundaries.”
Cox married David, 52, in June 1999. Coco was born five years later in June 2004. In October 2010, the couple announced that they had separated. David filed for divorce in June 2012, and the divorce was finalized in May 2013.
The Scream alum has been a single mom for over a decade and regrets that she was not more strict raising Coco.
“Earlier on when she was a kid or not even that many years ago, I wish I’d been a firmer parent,” she added.
Last year, the Friends alum’s daughter began attending college, and it was a difficult adjustment for Cox to see her only child leave home.
“I miss that girl every minute,” she told Marie Claire in October 2023. When Cox visited her daughter on campus, she realized Coco had become even more independent.
“I expected her to need [me] more than she does,” Cox added.
In February 2023, Cox was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in her speech, she praised her daughter.
“I just want you to know you shine your own unique light and I love you so much, and I’m so proud of you,” Cox said as her daughter watched her. “I’m proud to be your mom.”
After the ceremony, Cox continued to gush about having Coco witness the special moment.
“It meant the world to me to look down and see my beautiful daughter. It feels so good that she’s here and that we got a picture together by the star. I don’t know when that’ll happen again,” she told People at the time.
Cox is especially proud that Coco is following in her footsteps and pursuing an acting career.
“She’s done plays since she was in kindergarten, probably 33 musical theater plays,” Cox said during a March 2023 appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan.
