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James Marsters
James Marsters (53319510570).jpg
Marsters at 2023 Comic Con Brussels
Born
James Wesley Marsters

(1962-08-20) August 20, 1962 (age 62)
Other names
  • David Gray
  • Sam Majesters
Education
Occupation
  • Actor
  • musician
  • singer
  • comic book writer
  • audiobook narrator
Years active 1987–present
Spouse(s)
Liane Davidson
(m. 1989; div. 1997)
Patricia Jasmin Rahman
(m. 2011; div. 2021)
Children 2
Signature
James Marsters signature one.png

James Wesley Marsters (born August 20, 1962) is an American actor, musician, singer, comic book writer, and audiobook narrator. He is widely recognized for his role as the British punk vampire Spike in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off, Angel.

Marsters has also played other memorable characters. These include the alien supervillain Brainiac on the Superman-inspired series Smallville, Captain John Hart on Torchwood, and Barnabas Greeley in Syfy's Caprica. He has appeared in films like P.S. I Love You and played Victor Hesse in the TV show Hawaii Five-0. He was also Victor Stein in the Marvel series Runaways.

Beyond live-action roles, Marsters is known for his voice acting. He voiced Zamasu for the Funimation dub of the Dragon Ball franchise. He also voiced Lex Luthor in the film Superman: Doomsday and the video game DC Universe Online. Other voice roles include Sergei in Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, Mister Fantastic in The Super Hero Squad Show, and Korvac in Ultimate Spider-Man.

Sometimes, Marsters uses different names for his voice work in anime and video games. He has been credited as David Gray in Dragon Ball Super and Sam Majesters in Dragon Ball FighterZ.

Early Life and Acting Dreams

James Marsters was born in Greenville, California. His father was a minister, and his mother was a social worker. He grew up in Modesto, California, with his brother, Paul, and sister, Susan.

Marsters dreamed of becoming an actor from a young age. He played Eeyore in a Winnie-the-Pooh play when he was in fourth grade. He later joined the theater group at Grace M. Davis High School and performed in many plays, including musicals. After graduating in 1980, Marsters studied at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, California. In 1982, he moved to New York City to attend the Juilliard School, a famous performing arts school.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Out in Theater

After leaving Juilliard, Marsters moved to Chicago. His first professional acting role was in a play called The Tempest in 1987. He also worked with other well-known theater groups in Chicago. In 1989, he was nominated for an award for his role as Robespierre in a long play called Incorruptible: The Life, Death and Dreams of Maximilian de Robespierre.

In 1990, Marsters moved to Seattle and helped start a new theater company called New Mercury Theatre. He acted in many different plays there, including a British play called Teechers and a play based on Dr. Seuss books.

First TV Roles

Marsters got his first TV acting job in 1992 on the show Northern Exposure. He appeared in two episodes. He also made guest appearances on other TV series like Andromeda. He acted in independent films such as Chance (2002) and Winding Roads (1999). In 1999, he had a small role in the movie House on Haunted Hill.

Becoming Spike in Buffy and Angel

James Marsters became widely known for playing the vampire Spike on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He joined the show in its second season. For this role, Marsters used a London accent, getting tips from his British co-star Anthony Head.

The show's creator, Joss Whedon, originally planned for Spike to be a minor character who would be killed off quickly. However, fans loved Spike so much that they kept him on the show. Marsters explained that Whedon didn't want another romantic vampire to take over the show, as vampires were supposed to be evil and easily defeated. But the huge fan response meant Spike stayed for the rest of the second season.

Spike was not initially planned to be a regular character on Buffy. However, when another character, Cordelia Chase, moved to the spin-off show Angel, the creators needed someone to challenge Buffy. So, they brought Spike back. Surprisingly, Spike became a romantic interest for Buffy and a main cast member until the show ended.

After Buffy finished, Marsters continued playing Spike on the spin-off series Angel for its fifth and final season. His return was meant to be a surprise, but the network announced it early to create excitement.

In April 2004, after Angel ended, Marsters shaved off Spike's famous bleached hair live on TV for charity. There were talks about making a movie about Spike, but these plans were eventually stopped. Marsters said he would only play Spike again if the movie happened within five years, because he felt he would become too old to play an immortal character after that time.

Besides acting as Spike, Marsters also helped write a comic book for Dark Horse Comics called Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Spike and Dru. He continued to be involved with the comic book series of both shows, especially with stories about his character. A graphic novel called Spike: Into the Light, written by Marsters, was released in 2014.

Other Notable Roles

Marsters has narrated many audiobooks, including The Dresden Files series, which are detective novels with supernatural elements. Fans were very happy when he returned to narrate the book Ghost Story after another actor had recorded it.

In 2005, Marsters appeared on the TV series Smallville as Dr. Milton Fine, also known as Brainiac, a famous Superman villain. He played this role in several episodes across different seasons. In September 2006, Marsters performed his stage play Teechers again in Los Angeles.

He co-starred in the 2007 film P.S. I Love You alongside Kathy Bates and Hilary Swank. In the animated film Superman: Doomsday, released in 2007, Marsters voiced the villain Lex Luthor.

In 2008, he guest-starred in Torchwood, a spin-off of the British science fiction series Doctor Who. He played Captain John Hart, a time traveler. He returned for more episodes in the second season.

Marsters played Lord Piccolo in the live-action film Dragonball Evolution, released in 2009. He also portrayed Buzz Aldrin in the film Moonshot, which aired on the History Channel in 2009 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. In August 2009, he joined the cast of Caprica as a terrorist leader named Barnabas Greeley.

In 2011, Marsters appeared on Supernatural and Warehouse 13. In 2018, it was confirmed that Marsters voiced Zamasu in Dragon Ball Super under the name David Gray. He took on this role for free because he is a fan of the Dragon Ball series and wanted to make up for his role in the poorly received Dragon Ball: Evolution film.

Musical Journey

James Marsters has been involved in music for many years. He performed solo in clubs, singing covers of classic folk and rock artists. He also sang in "Once More, with Feeling", a musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Unionchapel
James Marsters performing at the Union Chapel Concert in Islington, London on May 4, 2007

From 2003 to 2004, Marsters was the lead singer for the rock band Ghost of the Robot. Their first album, Mad Brilliant, was released in 2003. The band played concerts in Los Angeles, Paris, and had two sold-out tours in Europe. They released singles and an EP (Extended Play) called It's Nothing. Marsters wrote or co-wrote many of their songs.

Marsters started his solo music career in October 2004 in London. His solo acoustic tour in the United Kingdom in April 2005 sold out. His first solo album, Civilized Man, was released on April 15, 2005. It included new songs and popular ones like "Katie" and "Smile". He performed songs from this album in various cities.

He also wrote new songs that he performed live but were not on his album, such as "Birth of the Blues" and "London City". In 2005, he released a DVD called Words and Music, which included his play Macbeth and a full solo music performance.

In September 2006, Marsters debuted more new songs, including "The Truth Is Heavy" and "Jealous Man". These songs showed his move towards blues and folk music. His second solo album, Like a Waterfall, was released in 2007. It featured twelve songs, all written by Marsters.

In 2010, the band Ghost of the Robot reformed. They have since released albums like B-Sider (2011) and Murphy's Law (2011). In 2023, Ghost of the Robot released the album Tin Man, which includes the song "Don't Worry Son," a song Marsters wrote while working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Personal Life

James Marsters was married to Liane Davidson, and they have one son, born in 1996. In 2002, he began raising his niece, whom he considers his daughter.

On January 14, 2011, Marsters married Patricia Rahman in Los Angeles. They later filed for divorce in February 2021.

Discography

As a solo artist:

  • Civilized Man (2005)
  • Like a Waterfall (2007)

With California-based rock band Ghost of the Robot:

  • Mad Brilliant (2003)
  • B-Sider (2011)
  • Murphy's Law (2011)
  • Bourgeois Faux Pas (2015)
  • Pair of Bulls, Vol.1 (2018)
  • Tin Man (2023)

Filmography

Film Roles

Year Title Role Notes
1999 Winding Roads Billy Johnson
House on Haunted Hill Channel Three Cameraman
2002 Chance Simon
2007 Shadow Puppets Jack
Superman: Doomsday Lex Luthor Voice, direct-to-video
P.S. I Love You John McCarthy
2009 Dragonball Evolution Lord Piccolo
2015 Billie Bob Joe Himself Cameo
Dudes & Dragons Lord Tensley Dragon Warriors (working title)
2016 New Life William Morton
2018 A Bread Factory (Part 1) Jason
A Bread Factory (Part 2) Jason
2019 Grief Tom Short
2023 Abruptio Les Hackel
2024 Isla Monstro Reggie Voice

Television Roles

Year Title Role Notes
1992–1993 Northern Exposure Bellhop, Rev. Harding 2 episodes
1995 Medicine Ball Mickey Collins Episode: "Heart and Sole"
1997 Moloney Billy O'Hara Episode: "Herniated Nick"
1997–2003 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Spike Recurring role (seasons 2–3); main role (seasons 4–7)
1999–2004 Angel Spike Guest role (seasons 1–2); main role (season 5)
1999 Millennium Eric Swan Episode: "Collateral Damage"
2001 The Enforcers Charles Haysbert Miniseries
Strange Frequency Mitch Brand Segment: "Soul Man"
Andromeda Charlemagne Bolivar Episode: "Into the Labyrinth"
2003 Spider-Man: The New Animated Series Sergei Voice, 2 episodes
2004 The Mountain Ted Tunney Episode: "A Piece of the Rock"
2005 Cool Money Bobby Comfort Television film
2005–2010 Smallville Dr. Milton Fine, Brainiac, Brainiac 5 Recurring role
2007–2008 Without a Trace Detective Mars 4 episodes
2007 Saving Grace Dudley Payne Episode: "Bring It On, Earl"
2008 Torchwood Captain John Hart 3 episodes
The Capture of the Green River Killer Ted Bundy Miniseries
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Capt. Faro Argyus Voice, episode: "Cloak of Darkness"
2009 Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 Buzz Aldrin Television film
High Plains Invaders Sam Denville Television film
Numb3rs Damien Lake Episode: "Guilt Trip"
2009 The Super Hero Squad Show Mister Fantastic Voice, 5 episodes
2009 Lie to Me Pollack Episode: "Truth or Consequences"
2010 Caprica Barnabas Greeley 4 episodes
2010–2020 Hawaii Five–0 Victor Hesse 5 episodes
2011 Supernatural Don Stark Episode: "Shut Up, Dr. Phil"
Three Inches Troy Hamilton Episode: "Pilot"
2012–2014 Metal Hurlant Chronicles Brad Davis, Doc Rowan 2 episodes
2013 Wedding Band Declan Horn Episode: "Personal Universe"
Warehouse 13 Prof. Bennett Sutton 3 episodes
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated Dandy Highwayman, Librarian, Man Voice, episode: "Stand and Deliver"
Ultimate Spider-Man Korvac, Chitauri #3 Voice, episode: "Guardians of the Galaxy"
2014 Witches of East End Tarkoff 7 episodes
2015 The Devil You Know Rev. George Burroughs Pilot
2017–2019 Runaways Victor Stein / Jonah / Magistrate Series regular
2018 Dragon Ball Super Zamasu English dub; credited as David Gray
2020 The Order Xavier Episodes "The Common" Part 1 & 2
DuckTales Nosferatu Voice, episode: "The Trickening!"
2021 Leverage: Redemption Carl Bishop Episode: "The Golf Job"
2023–present Curses! Larry Voice; series regular
TBA Casa Grande Filming

Video Game Voice Roles

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Spike
2003 Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds Spike
2009 Real Heroes: Firefighter Louis "Match" Morris
2010 DC Universe Online Lex Luthor
2017 Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Zamasu Credited as David Gray
2018 Dragon Ball FighterZ Zamasu Credited as Sam Majesters
2020 Dragonball Legends Zamasu
2024 Dragon Ball: The Breakers Zamasu
2024 Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Zamasu Credited as David Gray

Audio Dramas

Year Title Role Notes
2018 Torchwood: Monthly Range Episode: "The Death of Captain Jack" Captain John Hart
2020 Torchwood: The Sins of Captain John
2024 Dark Gallifrey: The War Master Episodes: "Part 2" & "Part 3"

Audiobooks Narrated

The Dresden Files
Year No. Title
2002 1 Storm Front
2003 2 Fool Moon
2005 3 Grave Peril
2007 4 Summer Knight
2009 5 Death Masks
2010 6 Blood Rites
2010 7 Dead Beat
2009 8 Proven Guilty
2009 9 White Night
2008 10 Small Favor
2009 11 Turn Coat
2010 12 Changes
2010 12.5 Side Jobs
2015 13 Ghost Story
2012 14 Cold Days
2014 15 Skin Game
2015 15.5 Working for Bigfoot
2018 15.75 Brief Cases
2020 16 Peace Talks
2020 17 Battle Ground
The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Clare
Year No. Title
2017 2 The Lord of Shadows
2018 3 The Queen of Air and Darkness
The Vampire Empire by Clay and Susan Griffith
Year No. Title
2012 1 The Greyfriar
2013 2 The Rift Walker
2014 3 The Kingmakers
The Untamed City by Melissa Marr
Year No. Title
2012 1 The Carnival of Secrets

Awards and Nominations

Year Award Category Nominee Result
2000 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV: Sidekick Buffy the Vampire Slayer Nominated
2000 Saturn Awards Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Series Buffy the Vampire Slayer Nominated
2001 Saturn Awards Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Series Buffy the Vampire Slayer Won
2002 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV: Actor Buffy the Vampire Slayer Nominated
2002 Saturn Awards Cinescape Genre Face of the Future Award Buffy the Vampire Slayer Won
2002 Saturn Awards Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Series Buffy the Vampire Slayer Nominated
2002 SFX Awards Best Comedy Performance Buffy the Vampire Slayer Won
2002 SFX Awards Best TV Actor Buffy the Vampire Slayer Won
2003 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV: Actor Buffy the Vampire Slayer Nominated
2003 Saturn Awards Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Series Buffy the Vampire Slayer Won
2003 Golden Satellite Awards Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Series Buffy the Vampire Slayer Nominated
2004 Saturn Awards Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Series Angel / Buffy the Vampire Slayer Nominated
2004 Spacey Awards Favourite TV Character—Male Spike in Angel Won
2005 Saturn Awards Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Series Angel Nominated
2011 S.E.T. Awards The Documentary S.E.T. Award Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 Won

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: James Marsters para niños

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