Charlie Cox has found himself in an unexpected love triangle, and the third party has four legs and a wagging tail.
The London-born actor recently joked that his relationship with his wife, producer Samantha Thomas, has been turned upside down since they welcomed a dog into their family. Cox says the new pet has stolen his place at home.
The 42-year-old actor said his wife now shares what he jokingly described as a “very effed-up relationship” with their dog. Since Cox is often away for work, he says the pooch has stepped in to fill the gap, to his playful frustration. “They’re way too close,” he said, adding that the dog has essentially “replaced” him in the family.
The timing of the adoption is fitting. Cox had just wrapped filming Merv, a light-hearted romantic comedy where he stars alongside Zooey Deschanel. The film follows a couple who split up but are forced to stay connected through their shared dog, who is heartbroken by the breakup. The irony was not lost on Cox, who soon found himself living a version of that dynamic at home.
After working with a terrier mix named Gus on set, Cox and Thomas decided to get a dog of their own and added a goldfish to the household. While the goldfish has not caused any marital tension, the dog has quickly become his wife’s favourite companion.
Cox and Thomas, who have been married since 2018, share two children, a daughter born in 2016 and a son born in 2020. The couple met while working together on Marvel’s Daredevil, where Cox famously played Matt Murdock.
Beyond domestic dog drama, Cox continues to enjoy a successful acting career. He is widely recognised for his role as Michael Kinsella in the crime drama Kin, which centres on a fictional Dublin crime family. The actor has previously described the show as one of the best experiences of his career and has said he would gladly return if a third season were to happen.
For now, Cox may have to accept that at home, he is no longer the number one leading man. As he joked, it is truly a dog-eat-dog world, and his canine co-star seems to be winning.