James Marsden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Marsden
Marsden at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con
Born	James Paul Marsden (1973-09-18) September 18, 1973 (age 51) Stillwater, Oklahoma, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1993–present
Spouse(s)	Lisa Linde ​ ​ (m. 2000; div. 2011)​
Children	3
Relatives	Dennis Linde (former-father-in-law)

James Paul Marsden (born September 18, 1973) is an American actor. He is famous for playing many different types of characters in movies and TV shows.

He first became well-known as Cyclops in the X-Men movies. He also starred in popular films like The Notebook (2004), Hairspray (2007), and Enchanted (2007). More recently, he played Tom Wachowski in the Sonic the Hedgehog movies.

On TV, James Marsden has been in the science fiction series Westworld and the comedy series Dead to Me. In 2023, he played a funny version of himself in the show Jury Duty, which earned him award nominations.

Early Life and Family

James Marsden was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in the United States. His mother, Kathleen, was a nutritionist, and his father, James, was a food safety advisor. His parents divorced when he was nine years old.

He has four siblings: two younger sisters and two brothers. James went to Hefner Middle School and Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City. He then studied broadcast journalism at Oklahoma State University. After about a year and a half, he decided to move to Los Angeles to become an actor.

Acting Career

Early Roles (1993–2003)

James Marsden's first acting job was on the TV show The Nanny. He played Eddie, the boyfriend of a character named Margaret. He also appeared in a Canadian TV series called Boogies Diner.

After that, he had guest roles on shows like Saved by the Bell: The New Class and Party of Five. He also starred in the ABC show Second Noah. In movies, he appeared in Disturbing Behavior with Katie Holmes and Gossip with Kate Hudson. He even sang in the TV series Ally McBeal where he was a main cast member for a while.

A big role for Marsden was playing Cyclops in the X-Men movies. Cyclops is a very important character in the comic books. James also appeared in Superman Returns as Richard White, who was Lois Lane's fiancé. Because of his work on Superman, his time as Cyclops in X-Men: The Last Stand was shorter. Fans of the comics talked a lot about this. Still, his performance as Cyclops was liked, and he won a Blockbuster Award for Best Supporting Actor. He briefly returned as Cyclops in X-Men: Days of Future Past in 2014.

Comedy Film Success (2004–2011)

In 2004, James Marsden starred in the romantic movie The Notebook. He played Lon Hammond, Jr., who was the second person Allie Hamilton fell in love with.

In 2007, he played Corny Collins in the movie Hairspray, which was based on a Broadway musical. He sang two songs in the film: "The Nicest Kids In Town" and "(It's) Hairspray." Both the movie and its music were very popular.

Next, he starred with Amy Adams in the Disney movie Enchanted. He played Prince Edward, a charming prince from a fairy tale world. He sang a duet with Amy Adams in the movie. Enchanted was a big success, earning over $340 million around the world.

After these successful movies, Marsden played the main male role in the 2008 romantic comedy 27 Dresses with Katherine Heigl. This movie also made a lot of money, earning $160 million worldwide. He was even nominated for a Teen Choice Award for his roles in Enchanted and 27 Dresses.

In 2009, Marsden starred in The Box, a thriller movie. In 2010, he was in the comedy Death at a Funeral.

In 2011, James Marsden appeared on the TV show Modern Family. He also starred in the Easter-themed comedy Hop, where he played Fred O'Hare. The movie was a commercial success, making over $100 million in the U.S. Later in 2011, he played the lead in Straw Dogs, a remake of an older film.

Recent Films and TV Shows (2012–Present)

Marsden at the world premiere of Robot & Frank in January 2012

From 2012 to 2013, Marsden had a recurring role in the TV show 30 Rock. He played Criss Chros, the boyfriend and later husband of the main character, Liz Lemon. He also appeared in several independent films like Robot & Frank and Bachelorette.

In 2013, he co-starred with Denzel Washington in the action film 2 Guns. Soon after, he played President John F. Kennedy in the historical drama The Butler. This movie, which had many famous actors, was very popular. Marsden also played Jack Lime, a rival reporter, in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.

In 2014, he returned as Scott Summers (Cyclops) for a brief appearance in X-Men: Days of Future Past. He also starred in The Best of Me.

James Marsden played the robot character Teddy Flood in three seasons of HBO's science fiction series Westworld.

He also appeared in the Netflix comedy series Dead to Me. He first played Judy Hale's ex-boyfriend, Steve Wood. Later, he played a different character, Ben Wood, in the same series.

In 2020, he starred in the movie Sonic the Hedgehog as Tom Wachowski. He also appeared in the TV miniseries The Stand and Mrs. America. In 2021, he voiced Hitch Trailblazer in the animated film My Little Pony: A New Generation.

Marsden returned as Tom Wachowski in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in 2022. He also played King Edward again in Disenchanted, the sequel to Enchanted.

In 2023, Marsden starred as himself in the unique TV series Jury Duty. This role earned him a Golden Globe nomination. The show won a Peabody Award for being an entertaining series.

In 2024, it was announced that Marsden would return as Tom Wachowski in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. He also played Jack LaLanne in the movie Unfrosted.

Personal Life

James Marsden married Mary Elizabeth "Lisa" Linde on July 22, 2000. They have two children together: a son born in 2001 and a daughter born in 2005. They divorced in 2011.

He also has another son, born in 2012, with model Rose Costa.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music Videos

Discography

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: James Marsden para niños