The Dundee-born star said he used the drug to avoid being square and to help him cope with his frustration at modern politics.

Cox said he didn't try cannabis until he was 50 as a result of feeling he had missed out on experimenting as a youth because of his devotion to acting.

Hollywood actor Brian Cox calls for second Scottish independence referendum

Scottish actor Brian Cox speaks onstage during the 25th Annual Critics' Choice Award. Picture: Getty

The 73-year-old, who won best actor in a TV drama for his role as media magnate Logan Roy in Succession at the Golden Globe awards last week, called the drug "wonderful".

He said: "It's absolutely great and I recommend it to everyone - get stoned.

"It does make the politics easier to bear. It's a way of dealing with idiocy.

(L-R) Sarah Snook, Kevin Messick, Jeremy Strong, and Brian Cox accept Best Drama Series for 'Succession' onstage during the 25th Annual Critics' Choice Awards.

"I didn't start until I was 50. I was very against it, actually.

"You know, I got married at 21 to an upper middle-class English girl - well, with Scots parentage, but you know English Scots are the most English.

"We had two children, one went to St Paul's, one went to Cheltenham Ladies College. It was all done proper. It wasn't who I was, but happy wife, happy life.

"Then when I was 50, I realised I missed out on what was going on with young people because I was so square, and I was working so hard, I needed something to relax. So I discovered the wonderful world of cannabis."

New York-based Cox, who has campaigned for Scottish independence, last year called for drugs to be decriminalised in Scotland.

He spoke out after his home city of Dundee was named the drug death capital of Europe.

In an interview with The Guardian, Cox also claimed he was once "touched up" by Princess Margaret as a young actor.

He said: "You know, when I was a young actor I was touched up by Princess Margaret.

"I was at the Royal Court. I was doing a play with Alan Bates and it was my 23rd birthday and I'd been given a red shirt from Lindsay Anderson. I'd just washed my hair so I was sort of glistening, heh heh heh, and I walked in and was introduced to her.

"She put her fingers on my shirt, and said: 'This is a lovely shirt.' And she started to run her fingers down the inside of my shirt. And I went: 'Uh oh! What do you do when you're being touched up by a royal?'

"It was so funny. James Bolam, he could see what was going on and started going 'Ooooh' out of the side of his mouth, which somehow said princess didn't take in at all. She just kept saying: 'You were so wonderfully hooded on stage, I wanted to know more about you.'

"She was an extraordinay creature. I excused myself and said: 'Thank you, ma'am,' and it came to a natural end."

Scottish actor Brian Cox: 'I smoke cannabis and I recommend it to everyone'