She was one of the hottest stars on TV – but then she disappeared completely and here’s why

She skyrocketed to fame with standout roles in Unhappily Ever After and Las Vegas, captivating audiences with her beauty and talent.

However, after enjoying a successful run in the 1990s and 2000s, this once-prominent star has gradually stepped away from the limelight.

In recent years, she’s been more talked about for her dramatic appearance changes, with fans shocked at how different she looks today.

Wait until you see the latest photos…

Do you remember Nikki Cox? I certainly do – how could anyone forget her iconic role as Tiffany Malloy on the sitcom Unhappily Ever After?

With her stunning looks, curvy figure, and her character’s tendency to wear revealing outfits, many saw her as the main reason to tune in to a show often viewed as a Married… with Children knockoff. In one interview, she famously described her Unhappily character as “smart, virginal, and dressed like a cheap hooker.”

Nikki, who’s real name is Nicole, was just an innocent 17-year-old when she landed the role of the dynamic Tiffany Malloy. Though she was seen as the perfect girl by many, Nikki was quick to point out her imperfections, explaining that her Unhappily character was far from who she really was.

“I’m a McDonald’s girl, several times a week,” she admitted in an interview with the AP, adding, “And I’m a nail-biter. If I didn’t have fake nails, my fingers would be bloody stumps. And I am the most accident-prone kid you’ve ever met. I fell flat the other day, just walking from my house to the car.”

”Just goofy-looking”

Born in Los Angeles, Nikki Cox started her career in entertainment at just four years old, performing in ballet productions and TV specials. By the age of 10, she had begun acting and danced professionally, though she quit in her early teens.

While filming Unhappily Ever After, Nikki lived with her brothers and their divorced father. Growing up, she was teased for being extremely skinny, which took a toll on her confidence.

“I was really, really, really skinny. Great big mouth on a little face. Just goofy-looking. More goofy than I am now. Really goofy.”

As for her career, Nikki always had a realistic outlook. “This is not what I want to do with my life, and I don’t think it’s the right way to a long-lasting career,” she said, though she added, “But what is?”

After Unhappily Ever After went off the air, Nikki starred as Nikki White in Nikki, a sitcom that didn’t last long and failed to achieve much success. However, she made a strong comeback with her role as Mary Connell, the special events director at a casino, in the popular drama Las Vegas.

Her credits also include roles in series like Baywatch, California Dreams, Norm Show, the daytime soap General Hospital, and the box-office hit Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Alongside her acting career, Nikki Cox also served as a spokesperson for a gambling company.

Nikki Cox husband

Unhappily Ever After wasn’t just a career-defining show for Nikki Cox — it also had a major impact on her personal life. During her spell on the show, she started dating her co-star Kevin Connolly, who many might recognize from Rocky V and The Beverly Hillbillies.

Connolly played Nikki’s younger brother, Ryan, on the sitcom. Their real-life romance led to plenty of jokes on set.

“We hear constant incest jokes,” Nikki told Daily News in 1997.

Sparks flew between them on the very first day of filming. According to Nikki, Connolly immediately lowered his sunglasses to check her out when she stepped out on the set.

“He was checking me out, like in some cheesy Tom Cruise movie,” she quipped.

However, Connolly had a different take, insisting that it was the then 17-year-old Nikki who first had her eye on him. Their romance was kept secret for a while, but eventually, the couple went public. Being good friends to rising stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, they seemed poised to become a Hollywood power couple.

But everything changed suddenly in 1997, when Nikki became engaged to Bobcat Goldthwait, a comedian, actor, and director 16 years her senior.

“It was pretty terrible”

Goldthwait, who voiced the character Mr. Floppy on Unhappily Ever After, seemingly shook things up both on and off the set. Connolly was blindsided by the news.

In fact, he found out about the relationship after being urged to check the National Enquirer. With a sense of dread, he drove to a 7-11, flipped through the magazine, and saw the shocking photo of Nikki and Bobcat together.

“It was pretty terrible. Yeah, I was gutted,” Connolly admitted. “I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep. It was one of those situations.”

Years later, Nikki finally found the man she wanted to marry. In 2006, she tied the knot with comedian and actor Jay Mohr in Los Angeles. Once again, romance blossomed on the job — the two fell in love while working on Las Vegas. The couple welcomed a son, Meredith Daniel Mohr, in 2011.

Sadly, their marriage came to an end in 2017. Jay Mohr filed for divorce, and the split became messy. Mohr made several serious accusations against Nikki.

According to court documents obtained by People, he stated that while they “continued to reside in the same residence” with their son, their living situation had become “extremely confusing and untenable; and, our son is suffering.”

Mohr further claimed that Nikki was struggling with her mental health, abusing drugs, and creating an unhealthy environment for their boy. He even alleged that on two occasions, Nikki had asked him to take her to the Universal Hilton so she could commit suicide.

“She almost never sleeps,” Mohr shared in the documents. “She has isolated herself, and no one ever comes to the house to visit her.”

Nikki never publicly responded to these allegations. After their divorce, Jay Mohr entered rehab to address his addiction to Adderall.

In the years following the divorce, headlines about Nikki focused more on her appearance than anything else. She was photographed in 2013 with noticeably swollen lips and a puffy face, sparking rumors of plastic surgery. Radar Online described her as ”a far cry from her former self,” while Daily Mail said she looked ”almost unrecognizable” and “older than her 34 years.”

As often happens with celebrities, speculation about cosmetic surgery quickly followed. Celebrity plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Fiorillo, who did not treat Nikki, told Radar Online that she appeared to have had filler injected in her cheeks and lips, possibly Perlane or Restylane.

”Injectables always look best when they’re not noticeable,” Fiorillo noted. ”It’s only a problem when everyone can tell that work has been done.”

Despite the rumors, Nikki Cox never responded to either the divorce allegations or the speculation about plastic surgery, choosing instead to remain out of the public eye. Her most recent work in the film industry has primarily been voice acting, with her last credited role listed in 2011, according to IMDb.

Today, Nikki, 46, seems to be focusing on motherhood, as seen from her occasional updates on Instagram.

I truly hope we’ll see Nikki make a comeback on our screens because she was such a talented and vibrant actress!

After a few turbulent years, what matters most is that she and her family are doing well. If you were a fan of Nikki and want to send her your best wishes, feel free to share this article!