James Marsden

James Paul Marsden (born September 18, 1973) is an American actor. His accolades include nominations for two Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe. He began his acting career guest starring in the television shows Saved by the Bell: The New Class (1993), Touched by an Angel (1995), and Party of Five (1995). Marsden gained fame for his portrayal of Cyclops in four films of the X-Men film series (2000–2014), and for his roles in the films The Notebook (2004), Superman Returns (2006), Hairspray (2007), Enchanted (2007), 27 Dresses (2008), Hop (2011), and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013). He portrayed John F. Kennedy in the drama film The Butler (2013), Tom Wachowski in the action-adventure comedy film series Sonic the Hedgehog (2020–present) and reprised his role as Cyclops in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film Avengers: Doomsday (2026). Marsden starred in the science fiction series Westworld from 2016 to 2022 and in the black comedy series Dead to Me from 2019 to 2022, for which he received a nomination for a Critics' Choice Television Award. He played guest roles in the sitcoms Modern Family (2011) and 30 Rock (2012–2013). He starred as a fictionalized version of himself in the mockumentary series Jury Duty (2023), for which he received nominations for a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. Marsden has since starred in the thriller series Paradise (2025), for which he received his second Primetime Emmy Award nomination, and the second season of the black comedy-drama Your Friends & Neighbors (2026).