Nikki Cox (Actor)

Nikki Cox on Las Vegas. (Photo: NBC)

About Nikki Cox

Often described as "the Jessica Rabbit of The WB", curvy redheaded actress Nikki Cox got her start as a dancer before segueing into an acting career most notable for prolific and memorable television work. Cox made her screen debut in the 1988 children's sci-fi film "MAC and Me" in a non-speaking dancing role. Her moves were similarly featured in Michael Jackson's feature-length musical "Moonwalker" that same year, and she added Paula Abdul's "Forever Your Girl" video to her resume in 1989. Cox impressed with a high-profile supporting role in the ABC fact-based TV-movie "The Ryan White Story", playing the AIDS-infected young boy's sister Andrea. This moving and emotionally challenging part came only one year after her acting debut in an episode of the NBC spin-off sitcom "Mama's Family". A guest role on the short-lived ABC series "Living Dolls" came in 1989, followed by a 1990 stint on "Night Court" (NBC) and turns in "Eerie, Indiana" (NBC) and "Murphy Brown" (CBS) in 1991. That same year the actress returned to the big screen with a bit part in the action blockbuster "Terminator 2: Judgment Day".

Cox's career continued its upward climb as she racked up television credits including a featured role in the 1992 NBC TV-movie "Danger Island". Guest shots in episodes of "Boy Meets World" (ABC), "The Nanny (CBS) and "The Second Half" (NBC) put her on the small screen in 1993, the same year that she began a two-year recurring role on the ABC daytime drama "General Hospital" playing Gina Cates, the long-lost younger sister of Antonio Sabato Jr's popular heartthrob Jagger. In 1994 Cox played the older sister of Gaby Hoffman's central character in the NBC sitcom "Someone Like Me", and was also featured with a recurring role on the network's Saturday morning teen series "California Dreams".

A cute and energetic teen performer, Cox made the most of these smaller early roles, but would come into her own with a more adult role as a regular on The WB's quirky family sitcom "Unhappily Ever After" (1995-99). Starring opposite a talking stuffed bunny (voiced by her real-life love interest Bobcat Goldthwait) and a family of droll pessimists, Cox often stole scenes as Tiffany Malloy, an opportunistic and self-centered young woman out to make the most of her brains and good looks. The "Married... With Children"-reminiscent sitcom cast Cox in the Kelly Bundy sex symbol role but instead of Kelly's good natured dimness, Tiffany was armed with ambition and attitude. Outfitted in low-cut shirts, short skirts and high heels, the outspoken Tiffany became a viewer favorite and won the series a devoted male audience while offering Cox the opportunity to hone her acting skills and amass a fan following. When the series ended in 1999, she joined the cast of ABC's Norm Macdonald sitcom vehicle "Norm" for one season (1999-2000) playing Taylor, a prostitute-turned-receptionist with a sunny disposition at Norm's New York City social work office. Cox next returned to The WB to star in her own sitcom "Nikki" (2000-2002), playing a small town girl adjusting to a new life in Las Vegas with her aspiring professional wrestler husband (Nick Von Esmarch). As the title character, Cox portrayed a Las Vegas showgirl, a profession with costumes that cause the series to be celebrated in the ranks of the actress' fans--if not with a ratings-rich demographic. Cox found a more receptive audience with her next series venture, as part of the insanely attractive ensemble of NBC's popular, lighthearted drama "Las Vegas" (2003-), in which she played the gold-hearted girl-next-door Mary Connell, the childhood friend (and hopeful love interest) of lead Danny McCoy (Josh Duhamel).

Notes

On the difference between herself and her "Unhappily Ever After" character, Cox was quoted in 1996 press material as saying "I'm ambitious but not as ambitious as Tiffany. She's quite money hungry and very goal oriented. I'd like to think I'm a little nicer, and I don't dress quite as cool."