After meeting at a star-studded home party thrown by the Cougar Town star, Cox and McDaid started dating in late 2013. Nine months later, they became engaged, but in late 2015, they called it quits. The following year, they reconciled, but they did not rekindle their romance.

Cox disclosed that she and McDaid had first split up during a couples counseling session in April 2024.

"We broke up after three years, and it was really intense." In therapy, we split up. In an episode of the Minnie Questions with Minnie Driver podcast at the time, she stated, "I didn't know it was coming, whether I should have or not."


He wasn't attempting to take me by surprise. She went on, "He was in so much pain in the relationship." "He had to defend himself around his heart because there was so much that needed to be addressed."

Cox clarified that she was "thankful for that breakup" since it changed their relationship when they reconciled the following year, even if she stressed that the divorce taught her how to "reclaim" her voice and her limits.

She stated on the show, "It really taught me how I operated in the world." What did I need from my childhood? For example, I didn't know how to let go of things in order to be in a relationship, or I wanted to be loved by guys.