Matthew Marsden

Matthew Marsden
Born (1973-03-03) 3 March 1973
West Bromwich, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom
Residence Los Angeles, California, United States
Nationality English
Occupation Actor, producer, singer, model
Years active 1993–present
Spouse(s) Nadine Micallef (m. 2005)
Children 6
Website matthewmarsden.com

Matthew Marsden (born 3 March 1973) is an English actor, producer, singer, and model. He has appeared in films such as Helen of Troy, Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid, Tamara, Resident Evil: Extinction, Rambo, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and Atlas Shrugged.

Early life

Marsden was born at Sandwell General Hospital in West Bromwich, West Midlands, and raised on the Yew Tree Estate in Walsall, West Midlands.[1] He is of Irish descent. His father abandoned the family when Marsden was ten years old[2] and he and his sister, Leanne, were brought up by their mother, Ann.[3][4] He attended Manor High School in Wednesbury, West Midlands, before leaving to go to Dartmouth High School in Great Barr, West Midlands.[3] After leaving school, he joined the National Youth Theatre.

Marsden found work as a model in London with "Models 1", Paris with "Men of Karin", and Milan with "Beatrice". He featured in commercials for products such as Jacobs Coffee, Punica, Vimto, and Impulse.[5] He has since commented, "I was at college in London and when you're a struggling student it doesn't take a genius to work out that it's easier to model for a few hours each week and earn thousands of pounds than work in a bar for a pittance. But I hated doing it really."[5] After nearly two years of modelling he decided to get an agent, and found work as an actor.[5]

Career

Marsden's acting break came in 1995 when he joined the cast of the ITV soap opera, Emmerdale, playing the upper crust Daniel Weir, lover of Linda Glover. He remained in the role for three months before the character was written out.[5] He went on to play the role of surfer Philip Kennedy in Island – a Jersey-based ITV mini series.[5] Marsden also dressed in drag when he appeared in the Jeannot Szwarc French film Les Soeurs Soleil (The Sun Sisters).[6]

On 3 March 1997, he joined the cast of Coronation Street as mechanic Chris Collins and he remained with the series until 29 March 1998. Marsden quickly became one of the soap's top pin-ups and during this time he was besieged by fan mail and was also voted Best Newcomer at the British National Television Awards. Following his departure from Coronation Street, Marsden decided on a change of direction and a fleeting career as a pop star followed.[7] He signed a £500,000 record deal with Columbia Records and released his debut single in July 1998 called "The Heart's Lone Desire", which reached number 13 in the UK singles chart.[8] He followed with a second single, a cover of Hall & Oates' "She's Gone", with his label-mates Destiny's Child providing backing-vocals, which reached number 24 in the UK singles chart.[8] A third single and an album were recorded, but Marsden's career as a singer stalled when he parted company with his record label due to creative differences.

Marsden returned to acting, portraying Paris in the USA networks mini-series Helen of Troy; Army Ranger Dale Sizemore in Ridley Scott's blockbuster film Black Hawk Down. He starred in John Irvin's feature Shiner, Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (the sequel to Anaconda) and Tamara, a supernatural thriller by Final Destination screenwriter Jeffrey Reddick. He made appearances in the films DOA: Dead or Alive and Resident Evil Extinction. He co-starred in Rambo (2008) in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. He won the "Best Actor" award at the Doorpost Film festival for his performance in the short film Eyes to See.

Marsden trained with United States Army Rangers prior to filming his role in Black Hawk Down. In 2008, he teamed up again with the technical adviser on that film, former United States Navy SEAL and Silver Star recipient Harry Humphries on the set of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Personal life

Marsden lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife, Nadine Micallef, a Maltese former ballerina and pilates instructor whom he married in 2005.[9][10] He is father to six children: a son from a pre-marital relationship, and five children with Micallef.[3][4][10]

Marsden is a practising Roman Catholic. He appeared in Rosary Stars Praying the Gospel (2009), alongside Ali Landry, Jeff Suppan, and others.[11][12] He and his family are frequently involved in activities with Family Theater Productions, a division of Holy Cross Family Ministries, founded by Father Patrick Peyton.[13]

Marsden is an active supporter of the military and has parachuted with the United States Army Parachute Team. He received the title of Kentucky Colonel, the highest award that is bestowed on individuals by the state of Kentucky, in recognition of his support of the U.S. military.[14]

Marsden is a black belt in Taekwondo, a divemaster with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), and an avid fan of West Bromwich Albion FC.[15][16]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1993 The Young Americans Mayfair Party Uncredited
1996 Les Soeurs Soleil Lawrence
2000 Shiner Eddie "Golden Boy" Simpson
2001 Black Hawk Down Specialist Dale Adonis Sizemore
2004 Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid Dr. Jack Byron
2005 Tamara Bill Natolly
2006 DOA: Dead or Alive Maximilian Marsh
2007 Resident Evil Extinction Captain Alexander Slater
2008 Rambo Schoolboy
2009 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Captain Graham
2010 Eyes to See Ray Short film
2011 Atlas Shrugged: Part I James Taggart
2013 Bounty Killer Drifter
2013 Rise Again Hilde

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Emmerdale Daniel Weir Series regular
1996 Island Philip Kennedy Series regular
1997–1998 Coronation Street Chris Collins Series regular
2000 North Square Stuart Pound 2 episodes
2002 Demontown Marc Tyler Unaired pilot
2002 The Legacy Sam Maddux Unaired pilot
2003 Helen of Troy Paris Miniseries
2004 CSI: Miami Morgan Coleman 1 episode: "Addiction"
2006 Emily's Reasons Why Not Vincent 1 episode: "Why Not to Date a Twin"
2007 NCIS Lt. Roy Sanders 1 episode: "Dead Man Walking"
2007 Ghost Whisperer Sgt. Matt Murphy 1 episode: "Haunted Hero"
2010 Madso's War Mike "Madso" Madden Unaired pilot
2011 Nikita Voss 1 episode: "The Next Seduction"
2012 Two and a Half Men Nigel 2 episodes

Discography

Albums

Year Information UK Album Chart Position
1998 Say Who
  • On MiniDisc – COLUMBIA 492529 8

Singles

Year Single UK Singles Chart Position Album
1998 "The Hearts Lone Desire"
No.13
Say Who
"She's Gone"
(featuring Destiny's Child)
No.24
1999 "Walk My Way"

References

  1. "First Blood to Matthew in Rambo blockbuster". http://www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2 November 2008. External link in |publisher= (help)
  2. "Childhood anguish of Corrie star". The People. 1999. Retrieved 2 October 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 Gurdip Thandi. "Marsden's ready to roll with Rambo". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
  4. 1 2 "Hollywood here I come". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Hyland, Ian (30 March 1997). "New kid on The Street". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
  6. Pisa, Nick (6 April 1997). "WHO'S A PRETTY BOY?". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
  7. Hyland, Ian (28 March 1999). "The diary: Showbiz gossip". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
  8. 1 2 Roberts, David (editor) (2005). British Hit Singles & Albums (18 ed.). Guinness World Records Limited. p. 324. ISBN 1-904994-00-8. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  9. Actor Matthew Marsden and wife Nadine Marsden at the Las Vegas premiere of "Rambo."
  10. 1 2 Rollings, Grant (22 March 2008). "From Corrie to Hollywood". The Sun (London). Retrieved 31 May 2008.
  11. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1405393/
  12. Rosary Stars Praying the Gospel", familytheater.org; accessed 23 February 2015.
  13. "I found an oasis of faith in Hollywood", catholicdigest.com; accessed 23 February 2015.
  14. "Former Coronation Street star Matthew Marsden has no regrets on quitting rainy Weatherfield for the sunshine of Hollywood", dailyrecord.co.uk, 12 January 2014; accessed 23 February 2015.
  15. "Matthew's spreading word on West Brom", birminghammail.net, 19 June 2009; retrieved 28 July 2009.
  16. Bishop, Rob (10 June 1999). "Top three back Hale to carry Albion flag". Birmingham Post.

External links

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