OPPOSITE OSU Col lege of Arts and Sciences alumnus and actor James Marsden arr ives at the Los Angeles premiere of HOP held at Universal Studios Hol lywood on March 27, 2011, in Universal Ci ty, Cal i f . Photograph by Barry King/Fi lmMagic LEFT James Marsden as David Sumner and Kate Bosworth as Amy Sumner in Straw Dogs. Photograph by Steve Diet l © 2011 CTMG Inc. 3 Actor James Marsden spent three life-changing (if a bit hazy) semesters at OSU. James “Jimmie” Marsden spent three semesters at OSU and barely started on a broadcast journalism degree in the College of Arts and Sciences. But that was all he needed to chase his dream of being an actor. “OSU was very much in my blood,” he says. “I would’ve stayed had I not had this feeling of the sooner I get to try acting, and the younger I am, the better. I have great memories about Stillwater and Oklahoma State. In a lot of ways it still feels like it’s home for me.” Much of Marsden’s memories of college are, shall we say, hazy, he admits with endearing honesty. He says he coasted through his freshman year in 1991 and was more interested in socializing than anything else. The Making of an Actor “But I needed that,” Marsden says, “because I was not that kind of person in high school. I needed that to accomplish what I was about to try.” Marsden was born in Stillwater but grew up in Oklahoma City, where he went to Putnam City North High School. His father, James Marsden, is a well-known food-safety expert at Kansas State University. When his son was young, the elder Marsden traveled across the country and worked in Washington, D.C., for a meat-packing industry trade association. The actor’s mother, Kathleen Marsden, worked in an Oklahoma City school’s nutrition program where she still works today. His parents met when they were students at OSU but split up when he was 9. A talented drama student in high school, Marsden remade himself in Stillwater. He was a popular freshman pledge at Delta Tau Delta. The tight-knit group of guys made him come out of his shell. “I remember things like sneaking out and meeting up with a sorority somewhere and putting a couple of kegs in the backyard,” Marsden says. He remembers doing the Freshman Follies and Spring Sing where he showcased a rich singing voice. Then came his sophomore year. His friends had chosen majors. They were taking serious looks at their futures. He was doing the same. He wanted to be an actor and knew he would have to leave college to get it done. Otherwise, in a few years he’d be committed to a career path and a lifestyle he knew wasn’t for him. CONTINUES STORY BY Matt Elliott
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