David Arquette, the youngest of five siblings, was born in Winchester, Virginia, and hails from the illustrious Arquette family, whose artistic endeavors have spanned multiple generations. His parents, Lewis Arquette, an accomplished actor, and Brenda Denaut (née Nowak),an acting teacher and therapist, had four other children: Rosanna Arquette, Richmond Arquette, Patricia Arquette, and Alexis Arquette, all of whom followed in their parents' footsteps to become actors. David's paternal grandfather, Cliff Arquette, was also an entertainer, adding to the family's rich cultural heritage. His mother was of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, tracing her roots back to Poland and Russia, while his father had a mixed ancestry, comprising French-Canadian, Swiss-German, and English heritage.
Like his siblings, David began working at a young age, and his first major role arrived as Luke Perry's best friend in the hit film Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992). However, his major breakthrough both personally and professionally did not occur until 1996, when he was cast in the slasher flick Scream (1996),starring alongside close friend Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell, and Courteney Cox, whom he would later marry in San Francisco during the summer of 1999. Scream (1996) achieved worldwide success and acclaim, and David's portrayal of lovable simple cop "Dewey" earned him widespread recognition. His character's popularity was so immense that the original script intended for him to die, but due to the positive response from test audiences, the script was altered, and he returned for both Scream 2 (1997) and Scream 3 (2000).
David is often known for his goofiness in more mainstream roles, but his greatest performances and reviews have come from his indie films, such as Johns (1996),Dream with the Fishes (1997),and The Grey Zone (2001). David and his wife, Courteney Cox, reside in Los Angeles and produce their own DIY show, Mix It Up (2003),due to their shared passion for home improvement.
