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It means nothing beyond the fact that they want that name to stand out. It's just something their agent negotiated that sets their name apart from other names that are credited. There isn't rules to it or anything. They asked for it and had enough pull to get it.

One case where it might sort of mean something though. Sometimes there will be multiple really big stars. Not everyone can have their name go first, so one of them will instead negotiate to get the final spot with the "and" since they can't get the first billing spot. That's more common in films though than shows.

It can be a contractual thing, particularly in ensembles, to set a particular actor off from the others as a way of drawing attention to them and giving them an air of prominence in the credits.

Examples: Thomas Gibson and Paget Brewster both, at different points, were given "...and" treatment during the run of Criminal Minds to establish their status as the unofficial leads. If I remember correctly, Tom Selleck gets the same treatment on Blue Bloods.

For special guest stars, you're thinking of "...with" billing.

Dude check out the first (two?) seasons of Gilligan's island... the moviestar ginger didn't want anyone after her in the theme so the "professor and Mary anne" were literally "AND THE REST" lol Like wtf

Haven't seen but it's odd when a main character gets last b/c the first is usually the most coveted spot.

>I thought the "and" credit was only done for special guest actors who only have a small role in a show.

The last spot is very coveted too b/c it calls more attention to the person's role, but that's usually a consolation prize to not being the star of the show. Again, it's unusual that Cox was not first if he is the star.

"And/As" is often an acknowledgement that the person had a following independent of the show.

One of the odder And/As's was on the sitcom "It's a Living", where the fourth credit was "And Ann Jillian as Cassie" and the seventh and last was "And Barrie Youngfellow as Jan."

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f6X6zvrNkwY

>I thought the "and" credit was only done for special guest actors who only have a small role in a show.

This is...not true at all? 😄

I recall reading that in cheers Ted dansons and shelley longs names were billed equally on the credits so neither of them would take top billing.

“And” is a negotiated credit. Agents will get it to make their clients unique.

The West Wing has “and Martin Sheen”. Everybody Loves Raymond has “and Doris Roberts”.

Actors and their agents think that "and" is just as good as top billing, and the people who have to deal with competing egos are happy to let them think that. Not that Charlie Cox has too big an ego, but likely someone else does.

When it's a famous actor but they're not the main character and are in the movie just a little bit.

When they demand it and it gets put into their contract.

Seinfeld had "and Jason Alexander," Stargate SG-1 had "and Michael Shanks as Dr Daniel Jackson."