Scottish actor Brian Cox isn’t willing to give in to ageing any time soon. At 79, he’s still training in the gym several times a week – part of an approach he believes supports both his physical and mental longevity.
Between 2018 and 2023, Cox portrayed the powerful, ruthless media tycoon Logan Roy in Succession, with his consistent training helping him maintain an on-screen presence to match the character. Even in the upcoming film Glenrothan, he’s seen having a brotherly scrap with Alan Cumming, rolling around on the floor despite his age. When asked how he stays so active, Cox credits the gym without hesitation.
‘Gym three times a week,’ Cox told The Times. ‘You really have to be responsible for your body, because it’s dying. You can’t give in to that.’
This commitment to training isn’t new. While filming the 2004 epic Troy, in which he played Agamemnon, another tyrannical ruler, Cox was a regular in the gym, working to look as physically imposing as possible.
‘Brian Cox (Agamemnon) trained every single day while we were filming,’ wrote Nathan Jones, who appeared in the film, on Instagram. ‘We’d have a quick chat in the gym here and there – genuinely one of the most pleasant, down-to-earth guys on the whole production. Funny how the nicest people often play the toughest characters.’
While regular gym sessions help keep Cox in strong physical shape, working also keeps his mind sharp. He’s spoken openly about his fear of dementia, which is one reason he continues to take on new challenges – including Glenrothan, his directorial debut.
‘Yes, you know, there’s all kinds of protocols I can take,’ he added. ‘I’m very careful about it, because I need to learn my lines to keep working.’
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Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.
During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.
Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…
You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs or on X @ryandabbs_
