Mr. Marsden is a most interesting man & has made some very surprising career choices. He started as a model, which seems
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ellandroad_allstars — 15 years ago(September 19, 2010 01:20 PM)
He's had an interesting career so far from what I've seen (which isn't loads). I never really liked him until I saw Death at a Funeral and then Sex Drive, where I thought he was brilliant in both, stealing every scene he is in.
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crazy_old_days — 15 years ago(September 27, 2010 11:13 PM)
You have abused the ampersand (&), it should only be used in movie titles, book or document titles, logos, addr5b4ess labels, and wedding related materials. Other than that, yes James Marsden is a decent actor that is getting better roles. I'm glad he has moved away from teen/college movies, he deserves more serious roles or comedic roles that suits his age.
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mojo2004 — 14 years ago(September 14, 2011 05:21 AM)
You have abused the ampersand (&), it should only be used in movie titles, book or document titles, logos, address labels, and wedding related materials.
In the texting & tweeting world we live in today how the hell can anyone be accused of abusing punctuation anymore??
"It's like yelling at babies for not changing their own diapers!" -
TMC-4 — 11 years ago(March 17, 2015 01:34 PM)
http://www.laineygossip.com/Career-Prospectus-James-Marsden/30701?cate goryId=1290
I jokingly proposed doing a prospectus on James Marsden a few weeks ago, but then thought, No but seriouslywhat happened to James Marsden? So Im answering my own question with this prospectus, because Marsden is a guytalented, likeable, good-lookingwho ought to have a stand-out career, but hes been spinning his wheels for over a decade as a workaday actor. He books a lot of gigs but hes never really broken out, despite being involved in some very popular projects. What gives?
First, Marsdens career spans thirty-one years. Let that sink in. James Marsden has been steadily employed as an actor for THIRTY-ONE YEARS. In all that time, the only year in which he does not have a credit to his name is 1999, and you know what movie was filmed in 1999? The first X-Men movie, in which he had a starring role. There are highly accomplished, much admired A-list actors who dont have that kind of streak going, so in one sense, Marsdens career is fine. He works, a lot. Over the last decade hes averaged three projects a year. And hes been in some big stuff: the X-Men franchise, The Notebook, 27 Dresses, Enchanted.
But somehow, Marsden never quite broke out. Hes the one guy who didnt win the superhero lottery, despite playing a major character (Cyclops) in a very popular franchise. Even Ryan Reynolds, despite his inability to stick the landing, kept getting handed franchises again and again. So why not Marsden? Hes handsome, charming, a legit singing/dancing/acting triple threat, and hes super likeable. He certainly works enoughthis is not a case like Eric Bana where hes deliberately chosen to work less.
Theres a lot of junk on Marsdens resume (Sex Drive, The Box, teen trash/guilty pleasures Gossip and Disturing Behavio5b4r), some obvious paycheck stuff (Hop, 2 Guns), the inescapable I know this is bad but a friend asked me to titles (Small Apartments, Walk of Shame), some underrated gems (Bachelorette, Robot & Frank, the Straw Dogs remake), and the big features like Enchanted, Hairspray, Anchorman 2, 27 Dresses. Hes a jobbing actor so theres more junk than not, but theres nothing really big. Starring roles are few and far between, and Marsden, though capable of performing in an ensemble, isnt really a character actor. Even if the movies arent great, Id expect to see more lead roles on his roster.
In pondering the state of Marsdens career, I keep coming back to one movie: Superman Returns. I think his career is the unknown victim of Superman Returns. Everyone talks about how Superman Returns killed Brandon Rouths career, but I think it set back Marsden more. Routh is not all that talented (see also: Dylan Dog: Dead of Night, or dont, because its terrible and you may never forgive yourself), so there wasnt a lot of momentum in the first place. But Marsden had a nice mix brewing in the early aughts, between X-Men, The Notebook and a recurring role on Ally McBeal. It felt like he was about to make the leap.
And then he decided to exit the X-Men franchise along with Bryan Singerforcing Cyclops to be killed off in a very unsatisfying wayand go play second fiddle to Routh in Superman Returns5b4. Theres no way to say for sure how X-Men: The Last Stand wouldve turned out had Singer stayed on, but Singers co-writer on the franchise, Mike Doughtery, once revealed that the rough plan for that movie was to have it star Cyclopsnot Wolverineas he dealt with the loss of Jean Grey. What would his career look like today if THATs the X3 we got and Marsden emerged a bona fide superhero star?
Because the thing that Marsden lacks is a defining role. As much as actors fear being pigeonholed, its impossible to break out without a defining role. Consider your favorite actor, and I bet you can name that one role that put them over the top.
Cyclops should have been that for Marsden, the role that made him memorable to the public, but he bailed and made a sh*tty Superman movie before it really stuck. And now hes perpetually That Guy in someone elses breakout movie.
And while he has a lot of work on tap, it looks pretty rough. There are some comedies that may or may not pan out, but theres also a drecky romantic drama, The Best of Me (Jesus, REALLY?), and the horrible looking The Loft, a movie so bad its already sat on the shelf for three years, then had its August release yanked from the schedule without explanation earlier this summernever a good sign. You can check out the red band trailer for The Loft here. Its some 1997 realness. If James Marsden never lands a defining part, 2000we may have a lot more like The Loft to look forward to.
http://cosblog.cosmelentertainment.com/2013/05/16/the-mother-brain-fil es-underrated-actors-special-james-marsden/
http://okmagazine.com/meet-the-stars/why-is-james-marsden-so-underrate d/
http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/the-most-screwed-over-man-in-histor y-movies/
http://whatculture.com/film/5-james-marsden-characters-got-totally-s -
loislane703 — 11 years ago(April 01, 2015 05:43 AM)
I do disagree with this analysis from Laineygossip.
In pondering the state of Marsdens career, I keep coming back to one movie: Superman Returns. I think his career is the unknown victim of Superman Returns. Everyone talks about how Superman Returns killed Brandon Rouths career, but I think it set back Marsden more. But Marsden had a nice mix brewing in the early aughts, between X-Men, The Notebook and a recurring role on Ally McBeal. It felt like he was about to make the leap.
Setting aside Routh's acting skills, I think the movie, Superman Returns, suffered because of the script more than anything. The actors had little to work with except Spacey who gave a hammed-up performance for all of them combined.
The thing is Superman is, for lack of a better word, "kryptonite" for most people. It is a concept everyone loves but when translated on screen, it becomes something everyone loves to hate.
And then he decided to exit the X-Men franchise along with Bryan Singerforcing Cyclops to be killed off in a very unsatisfying wayand go play second fiddle to Routh in Superman Returns. Theres no way to say for sure how X-Men: The Last Stand wouldve turned out had Singer stayed on, but Singers co-writer on the franchise, Mike Doughtery, once revealed that the rough plan for that movie was to have it star Cyclopsnot Wolverineas he dealt with the loss of Jean Grey. What would his career look like today if THATs the X3 we got and Marsden emerged a bona fide superhero star?
Because the thing that Marsden lacks is a defining role. As much as actors fear being pigeonholed, its impossible to break out without a defining role. Consider your favorite actor, and I bet you can name that one role that put them over the top. Cyclops should have been that for Marsden, the role that made him memorable to the public, but he bailed and made a sh*tty Superman movie before it really stuck. And now hes perpetually That Guy in someone elses breakout movie.
I think Singer and Marsden took a good opportunity when it presented itself. Since the comic book franchises are from opposing comic book houses (I won't get into the separate studios and production houses deal that the Marvel movies have), I would imagine that they did have to leave the franchise. Although, due to the schedule conflicts and such Marsden was working on
both
films around the same time.
And I highly doubt whether Cyclops could have carried the franchise the way Wolverine has done so far. Hugh Jackman literally propped up X-Men! No one can do what he did. Cyclops was but a minor character in those movies; Marsden's part shrunk as the movies went on.
I personally think Marsden is quite happy mixing it up with TV and movies. He is now forever Liz Lemon's husband (30 Rock) and he's shown that he can play a variety of parts in a variety of movies - from the Enchanted Prince to JFK to his role in Anchorman 2. So yes, he lack a defining role but I think it is variety he's after.
I think he's going to be working for a long time as long as he keeps doing what he does. If he did only Cyclops and rested his career on that one role, it might have been long gone by now; that would have definitely pigeon-holed him for sure.
Marsden's roles comes in waves - some are good and some are just too insignificant. Some years are better than the others as well but again, as long as he keeps working. -
danny736 — 11 years ago(April 05, 2015 11:49 AM)
I think it must be hard for any actor to make an impact on audiences when they spend a whole movie with their face completely obscured - if he had a bigger role in X3 , I doubt it would have made much difference - it's strange how somebody just seems like an emotional blank slate when their eyes aren't visible and I think any actor would have disappeared into the background as Cyclops
A Distorted Reality Is Now A Necessity To Be Free -
loislane703 — 10 years ago(April 12, 2015 06:48 PM)
I think it must be hard for any actor to make an impact on audiences when they spend a whole movie with their face completely obscured - if he had a bigger role in X3 , I doubt it would have made much difference - it's strange how somebody just seems like an emotional blank slate when their eyes aren't visible and Ib68 think any actor would have disappeared into the background as Cyclops
Good point, Danny. I agree. -
TMC-4 — 9 years ago(June 05, 2016 12:33 AM)
https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/4mjhd3/why_is_james_marsden_not_a_bigger_star/