James Marsden is a TV and film star famous for X-Men and Sonic movies
11:45, 28 Jan 2025Updated 12:00, 28 Jan 2025
James Marsden stars as a US President Cal Bradford in new conspiracy thriller series Paradise.
The Disney Plus and Hulu series centres around an elite group of individuals residing in a manufactured community.
The new thriller launched with a three-episode premiere that unravels the mystery of a US President's murder
The series reveals he admitted to having enemies who wanted him dead, and now the race is on to find his killer.
Beyond his new series, James Marsden is a TV and film star famous for the X-Men film series, Sonic movies, Westworld and cameos in Modern Family and 30 Rock.
But what do we know about his life beyond his acting career including his famous ex-wife and children?
What is James Marsden most known for?
James Marsden started acting on TV shows including Saved by the Bell: The New Class, Touched by an Angel, and Party of Five, before he bagged more dramatic roles in Disturbing Behaviour and Ally McBeal.
Marsden's breakout role was as Cyclops in the X-Men film series and starred in four movies, including a cameo in X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Marsden emerged as a frequent face in comedy and family films including Hairspray, Enchanted, 27 Dresses and Superman Returns.
After cameos in Modern Family and 30 Rock, Marsden appeared in independent films, including Robot & Frank, Small Apartments, Bachelorette, and As Cool as I Am.
His career saw a resurgence thanks to his portrayal of the sentient android Teddy Flood in three seasons of HBO's Westworld and later Tom Wachowski in the Sonic film series.
Marsden's latest role is President Cal Bradford in the Disney+ and Hulu series Paradise.
James Marsden's unlikely friendship after mockumentary
James Marsden was the celebrity star roped into a fake court trial in the mockumentary Jury Duty. During the series, the unsuspecting Ronald Gladden and James Marsden struck up an unlikely friendship and bonded during the series.
Following the reveal the trial was a hoax, James and Ronald continued to stay in contact and have become friends.
Marsden told PEOPLE: "It was really important to me, I was like, 'I can't end this and then go, 'Hey bud, that was fun, see ya'.
"If we're really celebrating the guy, then we got to stay pals. And he's such a purehearted human being — I'd want to be friends with him anyway."
Marsden played an exaggerated version of himself to appear obnoxious and reluctant to engage in the trial after failing to get out of jury duty.
"I was loving James one minute and then I was hating him the next, but then he'd bring himself back," Ronald recalls. "So during that whole process it was just a rollercoaster, the best way I can describe it."
"But once I found out it was fake, I was just so relieved ... to know that he was not that guy," he adds.
Who is James Marsden's famous ex?
James Marsden was previously married to actress Mary Elizabeth "Lisa" Linde after they met in the early to mid-1990s.
The couple tied the knot on July 22, 2000 and went on to have two children together, namely a son named Jack born in 2001 and a daughter named Mary born in 2005.
She is the daughter of late songwriter Dennis Linde, who wrote hits for Elvis Presley, The Chicks, Garth Brooks, The Judds, and Alan Jackson.
Lisa is best known for appearing in Days of Our Lives, Pacific Blues, and The Darkling.
In September 2011, Lisa filed for divorce from the Westworld star citing irreconcilable differences. Speaking about the spilt to Men's Health in 2018, he said: "My life hasn’t been filled with sorrow and deep struggle.
"When the divorce happened, it was the first time I felt I lost my equilibrium… It was scary and sad and made me pull everything into focus. I needed to focus on what was important.
"So that's who I am now because of that. I know regrets can be catalysts for good things."
He continued: "It's sad and heartbreaking. I was separating not only from my wife but also my kids and the bonds of home and family.
"Those are things you're painfully reminded of every day. It's like, '[Expletive], what lesson is this? What’s to come from this?'"
After their split, James Marsden entered into a relationship with Brazilian model Rose Costa. She later gave birth to a son, William Luca Costa-Marsden in December 2012.
How many children does James Marsden have?
James Marsden has three children - Jack aged 23, 19-year-old Mary and William Luca aged 12. The actor has also taken his children to many film premieres, including Sonic 2 in 2022.
Jack has previously worked as a model, and now describes himself as a producer, musician and engineer on Instagram.
James has revealed that his daughter is interested in acting, saying: "A little bit. My daughter has [interest], but my boys, not yet. Not so far.
"My daughter is...a very, very talented young lady, and so we'll see. We'll see. I wouldn't discourage them for sure."
Speaking of fatherhood, James said: "Of all my achievements in life, being a father is the one thing I’m most proud of. It is the most fulfilling. I’m always self-deprecating, but I don’t have a problem saying that I am a great dad."