James Marsden

James Marden is an Emmy-nominated actor best known for his role on Netflix’s Dead to Me. Marden briefly studied journalism at Oklahoma State University before deciding to drop out, instead moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting.

Marden landed his first Hollywood role on the CBS sitcom The Nanny as Eddie. He later made guest appearances on shows such as Blossom and Touched by an Angel. From 1996 to 1997, he joined the cast of Second Noah as Ricky Beckett.

The actor’s first big screen role came in 2000, when he was cast as Cyclops in X-Men. His performance helped him to land a number of starring roles in films such as The Notebook (2004), Hairspray (2007) and 27 Dresses (2008). Throughout his career he has acted alongside the likes of Cameron Diaz, Chris Rock and Rachel McAdams. Some of his notable later works include Sonic the Hedgehog and a recurring role on HBO’s Westworld.

In 2019, Marden signed on to the cast of Netflix’s Dead to Me, and he remained with the cast until its end in 2022. The following year, his role in the mockumentary Jury Duty earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

He has also done multiple voice acting projects, including The Boss Baby: Family Business (2021).

The Emmy-nominee joined the cast of Hulu’s political thriller Paradise as Cal Bradford in 2025.

The actor wed Lisa Linde in 2000, and the couple welcomed children Jack (born in 2001) and Mary (born in 2005) before their split in 2011. He shares son William (born in 2012) with model Rose Costa. He was linked to model Frederique Brons in 2024.