David Arquette on Courteney Cox: 'One of My Closest Friends'

Oct. 2, 2013— -- David Arquette and Courteney Cox split in 2010 after more than a decade of marriage, but according to the actor, they're as close as ever.

"It really was a goal of ours to not make it a fight, to really support each other and although we'd grown apart to stay connected, to stay friends, to still love each other," he told ABC News. "I still obviously feel so blessed that I met her and that we have a child together and that she's in my life. She's still one of my closest, greatest friends."

By all accounts, Arquette, 42, is in a good place personally -- but professionally, too. On Oct. 7, his new show, "Dream School," will premiere on the Sundance Channel. In the series, Arquette mentors high-risk kids in Los Angeles.

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"A lot of people wouldn't consider me to be the teacher of kids, but the way it all worked out, it was really beneficial for me and for them," he said. "I learned a lot and they did too. It was just a really beautiful experience altogether."

Arquette said he wanted to get involved with the project to give young kids the type of inspiration his high school drama teacher gave him. As a teen, the actor said he was "doing graffiti, breakdancing and causing trouble," when he was recruited for a school play. It profoundly changed his life.

"I felt like I could relate to the kids as well because I may have grown up in a Hollywood family, but it wasn't like that for us," he said. It was more like growing up in the streets of Hollywood, selling maps to stars' homes to make a buck and when there were strikes, the refrigerator got pretty empty.

"I thought I could help inspire them, and I feel like they have a whole world ahead of them," he said. "All they need is more compassion and inspiration so that they can achieve their goals."'

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The actor, who has a web series, "Cleaners," debuting on Crackle.com this week, also said that being a father helped. (Arquette and Cox have a daughter, Coco, 9.)

"One thing my therapist taught me was if you're having a moment with your child and you're trying to get them to focus on their schoolwork, do something silly. Like, I'll pick up my shoe and put it to my ear and I'd be like, 'Hello, is Coco there, because it's time for her to do her homework,'" he said with a laugh. "That element of fun and silliness and laughter inspires and it gets them focused. That's the whole idea behind ths project."

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It works at home too. Arquette, who said he'd "love" to have more kids someday, said that raising a little girl has been great fun, and that he sees much of himself and Cox in her.

"She's a really interesting combination and then a complete wildcard, definitely," he said. "From both me and her mother she has a sense of silliness.

"She sent me this funny video with these shoes that are kind of like trampolines. Big funny trampoline shoes, and then she had a hoolah hoop and she sent me a video of her hoolah hooping and jumping and trying to make a basket," he said, laughing. "It was the silliest thing, and it reminded me of something I would've done."