There are a few actors who play a role so perfectly that fans always associate them with the said role. For James Marsden, it was playing Cyclops in multiple X-Men movies.
Apart from X-Men films, Marsden has featured in a variety of projects, but it wasn’t until his supporting role in Amazon Prime Video’s Jury Duty, that he earned his first-ever Emmy Nomination. It may sound shocking, but that’s the truth.
James Marsden Opened Up on His Emmy-Nominated Performance in Jury Duty
Jury Duty shockingly became the comedy series of the year. James Marsden’s short yet captivating role of playing an alternate version of himself played a crucial role in the success of the comedy series.
In an interview with SAF-AFTRA Foundation, Marsden opened up about how his mysterious reputation helped him in portraying an alternate version of himself.
“Nobody cares who Marsden is, the laughs that come from that.”
Marsden didn’t even have time to properly rehearse for the show. He had just three days for the rehearsal as compared to the rest of the cast, who were given three weeks.
“I was terrified, just kind of had to roll with it.”
Marsden was supposed to play an entitled version of himself. Evidently, it was a tough task to stay in character throughout the show. The X-Men star barely contained his laughter after a defense lawyer showed a video featuring terrible animation.
“I lost it that day. That is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. But it was OK because we would have laughed at that in court, anyway.”
(Starts at 6:04)
All things considered, Marsden’s performance was incredibly convincing, and it was no surprise that he earned his first-ever Emmy Nomination for Jury Duty.
What is Jury Duty About?
The show follows the premises of an American jury trial. But the twist is that only Ronald Gladden is a juror, while the rest of the jury features actors. All actors, including James Marsden, played the role of themselves in the series.
One might expect the show to be set in a serious tone, but that’s far from the truth. It falls in the comedy genre and did a great job of getting hysterical laughs from the audience.
Gladden ultimately ended up befriending many actors on the set. So much so that James Marsden shared the news of his Emmy Nomination with Ronald Gladden.
The show earned a total of four Emmy Nominations in July 2023. Evidently, fans are waiting for the second season of the series.
Sure, it hasn’t been confirmed right now, but keeping the success of the opening season in mind, a second season must be in the books.
