James Marsden, the actor who played mutant hero Cyclops in the original ‘X-Men’ trilogy, has backed his ‘The Best of Me’ co-star Luke Bracey to replace him in ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’.

‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ writer Simon Kinberg exclusively revealed to Yahoo Movies last week that Cyclops, Storm, and Jean Grey would probably have to be recast for the next X-Men film, due to its 1980s setting, and Marsden thinks Bracey – who plays a younger version of himself in ‘The Best of Me’ – could be just the man to fill his distinctive visor.

“Yeah, that’d be great [if Luke Bracey took over as Cyclops],” he explains in our exclusive video below, “Then he could just eventually take over being me. Then I would never get another role as long as I live!”

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Drama, comedy, music… latte art? Is there anything pretty-boy-turned-actor A-lister James Marsden isn’t good at?

Anyone familiar with actor James Marsden’s body of work has probably come away with the notion that he’s got a pretty broad skill set. He can effectively pull off drama (The Notebook), comedy (30 Rock), romantic comedy (27 Dresses), superheroics (X-Men), singing (Enchanted), and dancing (Hairspray). But that’s only the half of it.

Away from the screen, the actor admits he has a passion for perfecting… well, whatever happens to catch his fancy at the moment. “I’m a hobbyist,” he says. “I get into things, and then that’s all I do.” The pursuits at which he’s become a functional expert are many, diverse, and ever-growing, from the understandable to the arcane: triathlons, cycling, fly-fishing, auto racing, Star Wars, guitars, photography, wristwatches… even coffee. “I got this really fancy espresso maker and I had to learn how to pour latte art,” he explains. “I had this professional barista come to my house and show me exactly how to do it. I got obsessed with grinding my own beans.”

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CraveOnline: We always hear about the biographies that actors do for their characters. Your character, Gordon, says he’s a writer of “post-modern romance novels.” Did you come up with some titles and scenarios? Or is that occupation a pickup line?

James Marsden: [Director] Steve Brill and I explored it and I came up with some titles that we didn’t end up using. I’m shooting in New Orleans right now [after Paul Walkers untimely death, Marsden replaced Walker in the Michael Hoffman romance, The Best of Me], ugh, I can’t remember what they were, but they must not have been any good! But Gordon isn’t a character that would lie to anyone. But he does have to believe in it and say that line with conviction so that it isn’t cheesy.

And what is your favorite post-modern romantic literature?

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James Marsden is busy man. After starring in “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,” the actor has almost a half dozen films set to come out in 2014.

But that doesn’t mean the father of three doesn’t make time for his kids.

“It’s one of the things I’m most proud of,” the “X-Men” star, 40, told ABC News of being a father. “Work is difficult because you’ve got to spend time away from home, but it’s always nice to come back and not have to do anything, just spend time with them.”

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Mission for Marsden: His career has skyrocketed and with eight movies coming out in the next 18 months, James Marsden can afford a lighthearted look at near misses

It’s fun to play ‘Casting Couch’ with Hollywood actors. And no, not in THAT way, you mucky bunch! That’s a whole other daydream. I refer instead to the roles they either shot down or lost to another; the ones that got away.

Most are aware of certain audition rumours floating about on the interweb. They’re prepared for such enquiries, brushing them off with a ‘Don’t believe everything you read’.

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For years, Mr James Marsden wasn’t considered a funny guy. The actor, who played President John F Kennedy in The Butler and stars in comedy sequel Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, doesn’t exactly have the look, after all. Preparing for a shoot on a crisp Friday morning in downtown LA, he looks more like one of those all-American cheekbones types, the kind who make excellent screensavers for 14-year-old girls.

But then six years ago it all changed.

“I don’t know what happened,” he says, as a make-up guy lovingly blow-dries his hair. “I guess I got funny all of a sudden!”

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PLAYBOY: You’ve had a busy year, with parts on 30 Rock and in 2 Guns, Lee Daniels’ The Butler and now Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. Are you allowed to pick favorites?

MARSDEN: X-Men fans may be let down, but Anchorman 2 is the first movie in my career I’ve wanted to see after I finished it. I tested for the role of Brian Fantana in the original and was bummed I didn’t get cast. In this one I play Will Ferrell’s nemesis, a rival anchor named Jack Lime. It’s 1980, at the start of the 24-hour-news era, and Ron Burgundy is moving from San Diego to New York. I’m an obsessed Anchorman fan.

PLAYBOY: Were you the quote-spouting movie nerd on set?

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After a run of playing jilted boyfriends in tights – and X-Men – James Marsden is on a roll, with turns in 2 Men, Endangered and as John F Kennedy in the Oscar-tipped The Butler

Regular visitors to Planet Cinema might be forgiven for squinting a little during the frolicsome summer confection 2 Guns. Who is that untrustworthy Naval Intelligence Officer running around after Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington? Can it really be James Marsden, the chiselled sometime X-Man, beneath that sneer and buzz-cut?

“It wasn’t just the haircut,” laughs Marsden. “It was an opportunity to do something different. And any role in a movie with Mark and Denzel is a welcome gig.”

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Under his unspeakably handsome exterior, there lies a drama nerd with a clever plan.

Let’s get this out of the way: Does James Marsden know how good-looking he is? The answer is yes. “I know I have a face like a model,” Marsden says, half-embarrassed. “But I’m actually just a goofy drama nerd underneath.”

Take one look at Marsden and it’s easy to see why he’s so often cast as the top-dog romantic rival in films such as X-Men, The Notebook, and Enchanted. Unlike Ryan Gosling, with his hang-dog eyes, or Hugh Jackman, with his brooding manner, Marsden has a face that betrays no inner turmoil, no secrets. It’s like he jumped out of a propaganda poster for American prosperity; he looks pretty and smug. His all-American features could almost be described as corn-fed, were it not for the patrician cheekbones, high and hollow.

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James Marsden has been very busy lately. Aside from playing the starring role in this very magazine’s fall fashion preview, the actor has a total of four films coming out in the next four months. Oh, and he’s also teamed up with the good folks at Casio G-Shock, who celebrated their 30th anniversary last night with a party (featuring a performance by Eminem) and the unveiling of their new premium line of MT-G — Metal Twisted G-Shock — watches. While we waited for Marshall Mathers to take the stage, we sat down with Marsden to talk NY vs. L.A. style, why he’s been taking risks on the red carpet of late, and what it’s like playing the ultimate style icon — JFK — in the forthcoming film, The Butler.

Esquire.com: First off, congrats. You’ve had a very busy summer with promoting multiple movies and showing up in our August issue. How’d you find the time to partner with G-Shock?

James Marsden: Thanks. Yeah, it’s been a great few months. Casio approached me about this celebration after somehow finding out that I was a watch man. I’ve always loved watches, my whole life. When I was growing up I always thought of having a great watch as that next step — of making it, of a rite of passage. My first watch was a Casio, one of the basic models. I think it was around junior high. I’m aging myself here, but I remember how awesome that light-up feature on your wrist was… it was like having an iPhone back then. Very fancy.

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