Start spreading the news…
James Marsden has had a long and versatile career, starring in superhero movies (“X-Men”), sci-fi epics (“Westworld”), comedies (“Jury Duty” “30 Rock”), dramas and rom coms (“27 Dresses,” “Enchanted.”). But when he was talking to The Post about his Hulu show “Paradise,” he admitted there’s one dream role he hasn’t done yet.
“I’ve always loved emulating some of the old crooners, like Bobby Darin and Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. I always thought there were so many interesting stories of Frank Sinatra’s life that could be played. And for whatever reason, you’ve never really seen a movie about him,” Marsden, 51, told The Post.
“To do a biopic like what Jamie Foxx did with Ray Charles would be a lot of fun. I would love to,” he continued. “And you’re actually using your singing voice, as well.”
Regarding Sinatra, the “Paradise” star said, “I just think there’s so many stories that could be told about that man – some of the really tortured and darker stories, and some uplifting ones as well. What he did, what he accomplished. I’ve never really done a biopic about somebody.”
Lest anyone forget that Marsden has the singing chops to play Sinatra, he showed off his vocal skills in the 2007 movie “Hairspray” and the 2008 movie “Enchanted.”
“I had the most amazing experience on that movie, and it was just a party. It was like we were doing a Broadway show on stage for a couple of months. It was great…a joyous experience,” Marsden said about “Hairspray.”
In that movie, which also starred Zac Efron, John Travolta, Christopher Walken, and Nikki Blonsky, Marsden played the singing and dancing host of a popular TV show.
Marsden said that he enjoyed that movie so much, that afterwards, “I really had a hunger and a desire to go find some other kind of musical. I realized, ‘I need to do this more,’” he said, referring to roles that show off his musical chops.
“The Broadway thing has always been something I wanted to do,” he added.
“It was just tricky because my kids were younger and living in LA and I couldn’t uproot them and go be in New York for a year. But they’re older now, and I can do something that’s a shorter time commitment. I totally would be open to that. I love musicals.”
Marsden also told The Post that between scenes on their show “Paradise,” he and his co-star Sterling K. Brown sang together.
“We bonded over some ’90s R&B. There was a lot of singing on set. We were doing duets together,” he said.
