Who is David Arquette? Everything You Need to Know (2025)

David was born on September 8, 1971, in Bentonville, Virginia, USA, to Lewis Arquette and Brenda Olivia "Mardi" (née Nowak).He isLewis and Brenda’s youngest among five children.

His family is known for its association with the show business. His paternal grandfather Cliff Arquette was a comedian.His father was a film actor, writer, and producer, while his mother was an actress, acting teacher, poet, psychotherapist, theatre operator, and activist.

Famous American explorer, soldier, public administrator, and statesman Meriwether Lewisis his distant relative from his father’s side.

His father, who converted to Islam from Catholicism, had occasional issues related to substance abuse,which in certain ways led him and his siblings to an unusual upbringing. His four elder siblings—Rosanna, Patricia, Alexis, and Richmond—grew up to become actors. His mother succumbed to breast cancer.

Arquette developed a passion for art and acting at an early age.

After attending several auditions, he got his first big break in 1990 when he was cast to play a role in the short-lived American teen drama series ‘The Outsiders.’ He essayed the role of ‘Keith "Two-Bit" Mathews’ in the series which premiered on Fox on March 25, 1990.The 13thand final episode of the series was aired on July 22, 1990.

He played ‘Tod Hawks’ in 12 episodes of the American sitcom ‘Parenthood’ which aired on NBC from August 20, 1990 to August 11, 1991. The series featured other artists, including Leonardo DiCaprio, who later became famous celebrities.

His initial film career saw him playing a gay prostitute named ‘Rob’ in the Marc Rocco-directed 1992 drama film ‘Where the Day Takes You.’ The film received positive reviews but failed at the box-office.

His first significant film role was that of ‘Benny Jacks’ in the 1992 American comedy horror film ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer.’ The film was a moderate hit at the box-office. He was also featured in the short film ‘Halfway House,’ feature film ‘Cruel Doubt,’ and TV series like ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ and ‘Blossom.’

The ensuing years saw him perform in several other films, most notably in ‘Airheads’ (1994) and ‘Johns’ (1996).

His big breakthrough came in 1996 with the release of the American slasher film ‘Scream’ where he played the leading role of ‘Dewey Riley,’ the deputy sheriff of Woodsboro, starring opposite Neve Campbell, Drew Barrymore, Courteney Cox, Rose McGowan, Matthew Lillard, and Skeet Ulrich.

‘Scream’ not only received critical acclaim but also saw the revitalization of the horror genre. It became a smashing hit at the box office,collecting a whopping $173 million against its budget of $14 million.It also became one of the highest-grossing slasher films in the US.

The stupendous success of ‘Scream’ brought Arquette under the limelight; he earned worldwide fame and recognition. His remarkable performance in the film led him to reprise his role as ‘Dewey Riley’ in the other flicks of the horror/slasher film franchise.

His three other flicks of the ‘Scream’ series include ‘Scream 2,’ released on December 12, 1997, ‘Scream 3,’ released on February 4, 2000, and ‘Scream 4,’ released on April 15, 2011. All the three films garnered commercial success with the franchisegrossing more than $604 million worldwide.

Arquette received the ‘Favorite Actor – Horror’ award at the 1998 ‘Blockbuster Entertainment Awards’ for ‘Scream 2’ and the ‘Film – Choice Chemistry’ award, which he shared with Courteney Cox, at the 2000 ‘Teen Choice Awards’ for ‘Scream 3.’

Meanwhile in 1999, he played the role of ‘Rob Geller’ in the 1999 blockbuster hit romantic comedy ‘Never Been Kissed,’ starring opposite Drew Barrymore and Michael Vartan among others. The film earned him the ‘Favorite Supporting Actor – Comedy/Romance’ award at the 2000 ‘Blockbuster Entertainment Awards.’

After filming the 2000 American comedy movie ‘Ready to Rumble,’ which was based on the now defunct American pro wrestling promotion ‘World Championship Wrestling’ (WCW), where Arquette essayed the role of ‘Gordie Boggs,’ he tried his hand at pro wrestling.

On April 25, 2000, he and Diamond Dallas Page fought together in a tag team match against Jeff Jarrett and Eric Bischoff. The match concluded with Arquette winning the ‘WCW World Heavyweight Championship’ title after he succeeded in pinning Bischoff.

The years that followed saw him featuring in several films like ‘See Spot Run’ (2001), ‘Eight Legged Freaks’ (2002), ‘A Foreign Affair’ (2003), ‘Hamlet 2’ (2008), and ‘Field of Lost Shoes’ (2015) among many other films. Meanwhile, he alsoplayed prominent roles in short films like ‘Nosebleed’ (2008) and ‘The Legend of Hallowdega’ (2010).

He and his then-wife Courteney Cox created their TV and film production company named ‘Coquette Productions.’ The name of the company is a portmanteau of the surnames of the couple. Based in West Hollywood, California, ‘Coquette Productions’ has produced many TV series and shows like ‘Mix It Up’(2003), ‘Talk Show Diaries’ (2005), ‘Daisy Does America’ (2005), ‘Dirt’ (2007), and ‘Celebrity Name Game’ (2014).It has also produced films like ‘Bigger Than the Sky’ (2005), ‘The Tripper’ (2007), and ‘Just Before I Go’ (2014). Among these, the comedy slasher film ‘The Tripper’ marked Arquette’sdirectorial debut.

Apart from films and TV series, he also appeared in the American action web series ‘Cleaners’ from October 3, 2013 to August 19, 2014, playing one of the main roles of ‘Frank Barnes.’ He has also lent his voice for several video games, including‘SSX Tricky’ (2001) and ‘ESPN NFL 2K5’ (2004).

He was cast as ‘Captain Barnabus’ in the reboot of 'Sigmund and the Sea Monsters'in 2017. From 2017 to 2020, he was seen in films like ‘Once Upon a Time in Venice,’ ‘Amanda & Jack Go Glamping,’‘High Voltage,’‘Saving Flora,’‘The MisEducation of Bindu,’ and ‘Spree.’

He first met Courteney Cox on the sets of ‘Scream’ and the two got married on June 12, 1999. Their daughter Coco Riley Arquette was born on June 13, 2004. Famous American actress, producer, and entrepreneur Jennifer Aniston, a close friend of Courteney, is the godmother of Coco.

Arquette and Courteney separated in 2010, which was announced on October 11 that year.After almost two years of separation, a divorce case was filed by Arquette in June 2012. Theirdivorce was finalized on May 28, 2013.

From 2011, he was in an on-again, off-again relationship with Christina McLarty, a correspondent of ‘Entertainment Tonight.’ The two welcomed their son in 2014 and got married on April 12, 2015. Their second son was born in 2017.

David Arquette is an ordained minister and has officiated at several weddings, including that of his sister Patricia Arquette.

He is a skilled wrestler and has competed in various wrestling events, even becoming a champion in the independent wrestling circuit.

Arquette is a passionate collector of vintage clothing and has an extensive collection of unique and rare pieces.

He once owned a restaurant called Bootsy Bellows in Aspen, Colorado, named after his favorite dive bar in Los Angeles.

Arquette is a dedicated philanthropist and has been involved in various charitable causes, including supporting organizations that benefit children and the environment.