Actor James Marden says the resources afforded him as a drama student while attending high school far exceeded the experiences of his peers in Hollywood.

Marsden spoke of the importance of strong arts programs in public schools as he was inducted into the Putnam City Schools Foundation’s 2010 Wall of Fame Tuesday. The 36-year-old attended Putnam City North High School in west Oklahoma City.

Marsden, whose films include “X-Men,” ”The Notebook,” and the recent comedy “Death at a Funeral,” says most of his peers didn’t have a stage to perform on, “much less a 1,600-seat performing arts center.”

Jimmy and Lisa attended the Tod’s Boutique Grand Opening at Tod’s Boutique in Beverly Hills yesterday. I’ve uploaded 24 HQ photos from this event to the gallery.

(Edited: I added 30 more HQ photos from this event.)

GALLERY LINK:
Public Appearances > 2010 Appearances > [2010.04.15]Tod’s Boutique Grand Opening (HQ)

Getting laughs can be a challenge when you’re starring alongside professional funnymen Tracy Morgan, Martin Lawrence and Chris Rock.
So what’s an actor to do? If you’re James Marsden, who stars in Death at a Funeral, opening today, you creatively lose your mind.

“I’ve never taken acid or any hard drug,” Marsden, 36, says. “My wife (former Days of Our Lives actress Lisa Linde) tried to get me to take a mushroom, but I was too scared. Instead I watched a documentary on the man who invented LSD. But the most important research I gathered was from the crewmembers. I asked them about their acid trips in the 1960s and 1970s.”

For Marsden, the role was liberating.

Actor James Marsden’s wife was so keen for him to land his drugged-out role in new film Death At A Funeral, she suggested he take hallucinogens to experience a real life drug trip before his audition.

The actor’s character, Oscar, accidentally mistakes acid for Valium and trips throughout the comedy.

And his wife, former actress Lisa Linde, was convinced getting high on mushrooms would help him ace his audition.

Jimmy and Lisa attended Sony Pictures Releasing’s “Death At A Funeral” premiere held at Arclight Cinema in Los Angeles yesterday. Just uploaded 81 HQ photos from this event to the gallery.

GALLERY LINK:
Public Appearances > 2010 Appearances > [2010.04.12]”Death At A Funeral” Los Angeles Premiere (HQ)

Jimmy was photographed when arriving at Chateau Marmont for lunch on April 9, 2010 in West Hollywood. Be sure to check out the gallery for new photos!

GALLERY LINK:
Paparazzi Photos > 2010 Candids > [2010.04.09]West Hollywood

The Big Bang Theory’s Kaley Cuoco has signed on for her first studio feature role with the live-action/CG-animated hybrid comedy I Hop, from Illumination Entertainment and Universal.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Tim Hill is directing the tale of an out-of-work slacker (James Marsden) who accidentally injures the son of the Easter Bunny (voiced by Russell Brand) and must take him in as he recovers.

Cuoco will play Marsden’s sister, who allows Marsden to live with her when he gets kicked out by his parents, and finds herself dealing with the injured heir to the Easter Bunny throne.