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courteney cox and daughter coco hugging© Instagram

Courteney Cox admits she's struggling with daughter Coco's latest life update

The Friends alum shares Coco with her ex-husband David Arquette

Jenni McKnight
US Lifestyle Editor
October 19, 2024
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Courteney Cox has been an empty nester for over 12 months – but it's only now hit her that her daughter has moved out of her $16 million home.

The Friends alum, 60, admitted she didn't understand why parents would "get upset" about their children going off to college until she had to recently say goodbye to Coco, 20, for a second time after they spent the summer together.

"It's weird because people get upset the first year your kid goes off to school and I was like, 'What's the big deal? She doesn't talk to me anyway, she's always in her room," she said at the Inc. 5000 45th Annual Conference & Gala in Palm Desert, CA on Thursday.

"Then she comes home after her first year in college and she was all mature and talking more," she added.

Courteney admitted that the change in Coco's behavior made her dread the thought of her going back to school this fall.

"And I mean, she's incredible. She's a really special, smart, funny kid," she said of her only child. "But then I was like, I don't want you to go back to college. The second year was harder for me."

courteney cox and daughter coco arquette© Getty Images
Coco has left home to start her second year at college

It was last year that Coco moved out of her family home and jetted off to college after delaying 12 months to enjoy a gap year.

Last year, Courteney appeared on Live! with Kelly and Ryan (now Live! with Kelly and Mark) and joked that she referred to her daughter's gap year as her "nap year".

Courteney Cox and her daughter Coco Arquette in a selfie shared on Mother's Day© Instagram
Courteney is struggling with Coco's departure

She added: "It's good. She's been home, so I haven't had that empty nest thing yet. But I know I'm gonna really... I love having her around."

During her appearance, the actress teased that Coco may follow in her family's footsteps. Her dad, David Arquette, comes from a big family of actors, including Rosanna and Patricia Arquette.

Coco Arquette, David Arquette and Christina McLarty on January 15, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California© Getty Images
Coco with her dad and stepmom

"She loves musical theater," the actress explained, adding: "She's a really good singer. She's done plays since she was, you know, in kindergarten. Probably like 33 musical theater plays."

"So, she's going into the family business," host Kelly Ripa teased – but Courteney quickly clarified: "I don't sing… let's not go too far in the family part."

She added: "[She has] a very good sense of humor. She cracks me up all the time, just like little things she says."

Courteney Cox and David Arquette's daughter Coco seen in a photo with step-mom Christina Arquette ahead of departure for college© Instagram
David marked Coco's departure for college with this sweet photo

David marked his daughter's big move away from home in an Instagram post last August, sharing a photo of Coco posing next to her stepmom Christina Arquette (née McLarty), whom the Scream actor married in 2015.

"We are so proud of you @cocoarquette_ that you're going to college!!!" he wrote in the caption, adding: "We LOVE You!!!!"

Despite their breakup, Courteney and David have remained close and successfully co-parent their daughter.

Courteney Cox and David Arquette during AFI Honors Hollywood's Arquette Family on May 2006 in Los Angeles, California© Getty Images
Courteney and David have remained close since their split

"We never went head-to-head, [or] battled each other, through the process of divorce and through the process of raising our kid," he told People.

Speaking of their relationship, David said: "I love her, too, and she's an amazing person… We have a great relationship because we treat each other with respect. We're honest with each other. We're respectful, and that's what it comes down to."

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