Brian Cox and wife Nicole Ansari waited for 8 years before dating despite 'fireworks' at first meeting

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Succession' star Brian Cox and his third wife, Nicole Ansari-Cox, have shared how they had a 'fireworks' first meeting but waited eight years to get together.

The 77-year-old actor and his 55-year-old actress wife stated that during their first encounter in 1990 — when Brian was on a global tour of 'King Lear' — there were "fireworks."

Though they did seem to "click," Brian believed at the time that she was "coming back for him" after their evening together.

Brian Cox and wife Nicole Ansari-Cox shared story of their first meeting

In a recent interview, the actor — best known for his parts as Hannibal Lecter in the 1989 movie 'Manhunter' and as wealthy media magnate Logan Roy in the HBO series 'Succession' — revealed that he and his wife Nicole had not 'seen each other again for eight years.'

Speaking to the Sunday Times Magazine, Brian said, "I was on tour in 1990 when I met Nicole at a party in Hamburg. We talked about work and all kinds of spiritual stuff well into the night. I was 44 and she was 23, but we sort of clicked."

"A few weeks later I was in a restaurant in Milan with the cast when she walked in. I thought, 'She's come for me,' and I stood up. Then sat down quickly thinking 'You bloody idiot,' because she clearly hadn't. After that I didn't see her again for eight years," he continued.

Nicole gave an explanation of the reason behind their time apart, saying, "Life took over. I worked in Zurich, Paris and Vienna and we didn't see each other again for eight years."

However, their relationship did not stop there. Brian and Nicole later reconnected after Nicole left a letter for him with the doorman while he was performing in Art on Broadway.

After an evening of tango dancing, Brian and Nicole spent the night together after the event, and he revealed they have remained together ever since.

Nevertheless, there have been difficult moments as well. Two years into their relationship, Brian recalled a make-or-break evening in Texas, when he stated they had to decide whether to end things or get married.

"We went to the Little White Chapel in Vegas the next day. That was 24 years ago. It was great fun and that's been our relationship ever since," the veteran actor said.

Nicole described their relationship as 'four years of pure hell'

Having been together for 25 years, Brian and Nicole's marriage has not been without its challenges. Nicole's acknowledgment of going through "four years of pure hell" highlights the difficulties that even the most committed partners encounter.

With two boys, Orson Jonathan and Torin Kamran, the devoted couple has been together since 2002.

"Our 25 years together have not been a fairytale. We had four years that were pure hell," Nicole remarked.

However, their unwavering dedication to confronting these problems head-on in couples therapy is what gives others going through a similar situation hope.

"We went to couples therapy and it helped a lot. He was always willing to work at it. Because after that first burst of falling in love, inevitably every relationship has moments where you have to decide: is this worth my time?" she added.

Elsewhere in The Times interview, Nicole acknowledged that 'Succession' "didn’t mean that much to her," but she is happy that it indicates that her husband has always been valued by everyone.

Brian won a Golden Globe for his highly praised performance in 'Succession,' per Daily Mail. He has acknowledged that his fame has come at a cost, though, and that he has been lamenting the loss of his privacy as a result of it.

Brian Cox and Nicole's journey is a monument to the strength of love, the significance of therapy, and the potential to come out stronger from the ashes of turbulence in a field where the limelight may frequently accentuate flaws and cracks.