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James Paul Marsden (born September 18, 1973 in Stillwater, Oklahoma) is an American actor. Marsden, who prefers to be called Jimmy, is best known as Scott "Cyclops" Summers in all three X-Men films. In 2006, he starred as Richard White in Superman Returns and landed the role of Corny Collins in the film adaptation of Broadway's Hairspray alongside High School Musical star, Zac Efron, set for a 2007 release.

Biography

Early life

Marsden was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He attended Putnam City North High School, in Oklahoma City. He went to school with fellow X-Men alumna Rebecca Romijn who played Mystique in the three X-Men films. Growing up, Marsden was always interested in acting but also took a shine to wrestling, impressed by the showmanship and athleticism, even involving himself in a local wrestling fed, under the moniker and costume of "El Gato Negro" (The Black Cat).

Career

Marsden started his acting career with minor roles in the late 80's and the 90's, he appeared as a background player in the popular TV show Saved by the Bell and also in some of the Saved by the Bell movies before switching to more mainstream and Hollywood movies.

Marsden lost out to Edward Norton for a role in Primal Fear (1996) and turned down the lead role in 54 (1998), which later went to Ryan Phillippe. Marsden then played Cyclops in the film X-Men and its sequels, X2: X-Men United and X-Men: The Last Stand. His X-Men character Cyclops' lessened screen time in X-Men: The Last Stand is due to scheduling conflicts with his prior commitment to his role in Bryan Singer's Superman Returns, in which he plays Lois Lane's love interest, Richard White. He also appeared (as one of the main cast members during the first half of season 5) in the television series Ally McBeal, where he also showed his singing abillities. Marsden later played Lon Hammond, Jr., in the romantic movie The Notebook, which was based on a Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name and is currently filming the hybrid animated/live action Disney movie Enchanted, which is due in theatres in November 2007. The Alibi was released in 2006, but only in Europe as of late. An American release date is still to be determined.

Personal life

Marsden is married to Lisa Linde (22 July 2000 - present), with whom he has two children: son Jack, and daughter Mary James. He is good friends with sibling actors Kirk Cameron and Candace Cameron. They initially helped him out when he moved to Hollywood.

Marsden is a huge fan of the band Simple Plan and is good friends with lead singer Pierre Bouvier. Unknown to most people, Marsden appears in the video of "I'd Do anything" by the band but has been incorrectly credited as being in the video for "Addicted".

Friends and family have been known to call him "Bello Jimmy" as well as "Jimmy Lee" after the character from the Double Dragon Franchise, which Marsden was a fan of growing up. Marsden often spent long periods of time at the local gas station his father owned playing the arcade version untill he received the home version for his NES for his 15th birthday.

He loves to eat apple pie on a Sunday afternoon. He says "It reminds me of home when my momma used to bake apple pies every Sunday morning and we would sit on the porch and have Warm Pie and Cold Lemonade". He also enjoys classical music from Bach to Barry Manilow. He is also a big fan of southern and classic rock. He has four siblings, Elizabeth, Jennifer, Robby, and Jeff. They have a successful family band called "The Hot Rods," the four of them regularly perform at their family owned gas station in Oklahoma.

Filmography

• Love is a Four Letter Word (2008) - Henry Bocklestein
• Hairspray (2007) - Corny Collins
• Enchanted (2007) - Prince Edward
• Conan: Red Nails (2006)
• Superman Returns (2006) - Richard White
• X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) - Scott Summers / Cyclops
• The Alibi (2006)
• 10th & Wolf (2006)
• Heights (2004)
• The Notebook (2004) - Lon Hammond Jr.
• The 24th Day (2004)
• Interstate 60 (2002)
• X-Men 2 (2003) - Scott Summers / Cyclops
• Ally McBeal (2001) - Glenn Foy (Season 5)
• Zoolander (2001) - John Wilkes Booth
• Sugar & Spice (2001)
• X-Men (2000) - Scott Summers / Cyclops
• Gossip (2000)
• Disturbing Behavior (1998)
• Second Noah (1996-1997) (TV) as Ricky Beckett
• The Nanny (1993) (TV) as Eddie

External links

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