James Marsden has had steady success since he left Oklahoma State University in the early 1990s to pursue an acting career. His work in projects ranging from musicals to action films to comedies has given him career longevity and kept him from being typecast in spite of his blue eyes and leading man looks. He recently talked with the Stillwater News Press about how he got his start in the business and his newest project.
Q: The story we hear is that you and your family were on vacation and you met Kirk Cameron and his sister Candace and that they encouraged you to come out and visit in L.A. and that was part of what got you out there. Is that correct?
Marsden: That’s exactly right. It was a sort of convergence of me discovering theater and what it feels like to be on stage at 15-16 years old, middle school, high school, and feeling pretty good at it, at least enjoying it and at the same time I was on vacation in Hawaii and I stayed at the same hotel as the Cameron family…We exchanged numbers, kept in touch and they invited me out to come stay with them and watch a taping of “Full House” and “Growing Pains” and I thought, “Wow, what a cool lifestyle this would be.” I already had the bug for performing and then on top of it that was my dream to be in TV and film. So I kept in touch with them and they encouraged me to come out and give it a shot…Otherwise I would have stayed in Stillwater and probably gotten my degree.
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