James Marsden is the model character actor...
The current issue of GQ magazine not only features the handsome Josh Brolin on the cover, but inside there is a fashion spread featuring Out In Hollywood fave James Marsden. I've picked out my favorites and am posting the short story that goes along with the pics...
With bone structure like this, James Marsden is the kind of actor you expect to get the girl. But he doesn’t. Ever. As Cyclops in X-Men, he was overshadowed by Wolverine. In The Notebook, Rachel McAdams chose Ryan Gosling. In Superman Returns, he’s engaged to Lois Lane, and yet she still had a kid with Superman! But in this month’s 27 Dresses, Marsden plays opposite Knocked Up’s Katherine Heigl, and (spoiler alert) he finally comes out on top.
Most actors would find this beta-male career maddening. (There’s no big-screen Cyclops spin-off planned.) But Marsden actually considers himself lucky. Not only does he get to play the sorta weird, goofy character bits actors crave, but his performances also allow him to wink and nudge at our expectations. The Oklahoma native has been popping up in diverse and unexpected roles of late (see Hairspray). Perhaps it’s because, at age 34, he’s finally grown into his looks. The wrinkles about the eyes, the well-placed creases here and there—the man has weathered well, from a soap opera pinup with a high-definition smile to a handsome but believable dude.
Marsden expects to remain the prettiest character actor in the room, despite getting the girl in Dresses. And that’s just fine by him. “I’ve been up-and-coming for fifteen years now,” he says. “And to tell you the truth, it’s the perfect place to be.” It certainly makes fatherhood easier (he’s married with two kids). “I can still walk into the grocery store and most people don’t even blink an eye. If I can manage to still be up-and-coming when I’m 80 years old, then I’ll know I’ve had the ultimate career.”
About Out
in Hollywood
Greg Hernandez has covered the entertainment industry for the Daily News since 2001. He's considered a bit odd by some for his obsession with box office numbers, has been known to camp out near the kitchen at premieres for first crack at the hors d'oeurves, and Greg's never seen a red carpet he didn't want to stroll down.
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