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Matthew Marsden

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Matthew Marsden

Matthew Marsden (born March 3, 1973) is an English actor and singer. In the UK he is widely remembered for playing the character Chris Collins in the popular soap opera, Coronation Street. However, he is best known in the USA as a film actor. He has played the roles of Paris in Helen of Troy, Dr. Jack Byron in Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid, Bill Natolly in Tamara and School Boy in Rambo. He also appeared in Resident Evil: Extinction.

Biography

Early life

Marsden was born in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. His father walked out on him and his family when he was ten years old, and subsequently remarried.[1] Marsden and his older sister, Leanne, were brought up in Walsall by their mother, Ann.[2][3]

Marsden was a pupil of Dartmouth High School (Sandwell) , in Great Barr.[2] After leaving school he tried out as a footballer for West Bromwich Albion, but was rejected. During this time he decided to take up acting and joined the National Youth Theatre. Marsden then enrolled at university where he studied music and drama.

Whilst at university, Marsden made ends meet by working on his uncle's market stall selling shoes at Birmingham Market. He then found work as a model with "a top London agency" and became famous for featuring in an advertisement for Impulse body spray.[4] He was very much in demand and was even asked to escort Madonna to the 1995 BRIT Awards, although he declined the invitation.[5][6] Marsden 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."[4] After nearly two years of modelling he decided to get an agent, and found work as an actor.[4]

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.[4] He went on to play the role of surfer Philip Kennedy in Island—a Jersey-based ITV soap..[4] Marsden also dressed in drag when he appeared in the film Les Soeurs Soleil (The Sun Sisters).[7]

File:Matthew Marsden Ana.jpg
Marsden in the 2004 film Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid.

On 3 March 1997 he joined the cast of the successful soap opera 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 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.[8] He signed a £500,000 record deal with Columbia Records and released his debut single in July 1998 called The Hearts Lone Desire, which reached number 13 in the UK singles chart.[9] He followed with a second single, She's Gone (a cover of Daryl Hall's soul classic) with his label-mates Destiny's Child providing backing-vocals, which reached number 24 in the UK singles chart.[9] A third single and an album were also recorded, however Marsden's career as a singer stalled when he parted company with his record label.

He 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 and he also starred opposite Michael Caine in John Irvin's feature Shiner for Miramax Films. He went on to star in Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (the sequel to Anaconda), and he also starred in Tamara, a supernatural thriller by Final Destination screenwriter Jeffrey Reddick. His made appearances in the films DOA: Dead or Alive and Resident Evil Extinction. He co-starred with Sylvester Stallone in Rambo, which was released in 2008.

Personal life

Marsden now lives in Los Angeles, is currently married to Nadine,[10] and is a father to two children, including son Connor born in 1998 to Rachel John.[2][3] After he and Rachel separated in the late 1990s Marsden dated Heavenli Abdi from the British girl group, Honeyz — he was the reason she quit the band in 1999, in order to spend more time with him.[11] He also dated make-up model, Carly Carter.[1][12] In the past he has been romantically linked with the singer Dannii Minogue and model Nadine Gordon.[5]

Since training with U.S special Forces for the movie Black Hawk Down he has continued training with members of the Kampfschwimmerkompanie. He is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido, a PADI divemaster, and an avid fan of West Bromwich Albion.[13] The name of his Coronation Street character (Chris Collins) is also the birth name of fellow Albion fan Frank Skinner.

Music

Singles

  • "The Hearts Lone Desire" (1998) - #13 UK
  • "She's Gone" - Matthew Marsden featuring Destiny's Child (1998) - #23 UK
  • "Walk My Way" (1999) - Unreleased

Albums

  • "Say Who" (1999)

01) The Hearts Lone Desire 02) Say Who 03) Walk My Way 04) She's Gone 05) Fragile Heart 06) Talk To Me 07) Didn't We Say 08) I Still Live For You 09) Love's In Need Of Love Today 10) Be My Baby Tonight 11) The Writings On The Wall 12) Lost For Words

Video clips

  • "The Hearts Lone Desire" (1998)
  • "She's Gone" (1998)
  • "Walk My Way" (1999)

Filmography

Films

TV

  • Ghost Whisperer (TV) (2007) - Sgt. Matt Murphy (1 episode: OCT-12-2007)
  • NCIS (TV) (2007) - Lt. Roy Sanders (1 episode)
  • Emily's Reason's Why Not (TV) (2006) - Vincent (1 episode)
  • CSI: Miami (TV) (2004) - Morgan Coleman (1 episode)
  • Helen of Troy (TV miniseries) (2003) - Paris
  • The Legacy (TV) (2002) - Sam Maddux (pilot)
  • Matthew Marsden - The Hollywood Kid (2001) - TV documentary following West Bromwich-born actor Matthew Marsden's career, from CORONATION STREET to Hollywood.
  • North Square (2000) - (TV) - Stuart Pound (2 episodes)
  • Coronation Street (TV) (1997-1998) - Chris Collins
  • Island (TV) (1996) - Philip Kennedy
  • Flantastic (TV) (1995) - Presenter
  • Emmerdale (TV) (1995) - Daniel Weir

References

  1. ^ a b "Childhood anguish of Corrie star". The People. 1999. Retrieved 2007-10-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ a b c "Marsden's ready to roll with Rambo". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  3. ^ a b "Hollywood here I come". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  4. ^ a b c d e "New kid on The Street". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  5. ^ a b "Matthew Marsden profile". corrie.net. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
  6. ^ "Street sensation! The star who wants to STAY". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  7. ^ "WHO'S A PRETTY BOY?". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  8. ^ "The diary: Showbiz gossip". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  9. ^ a b Roberts, David (editor) (2005). British Hit Singles & Albums (18 ed.). Guinness World Records Limited. pp. p. 324. ISBN 1-904994-00-8. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help); |pages= has extra text (help)
  10. ^ Actor Matthew Marsden and wife Nadine Marsden at the Las Vegas premiere of "Rambo."
  11. ^ "Honeyz - Come To The End Of The Line?". ukmix.org. 1999. Retrieved 2007-08-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "It's been hell for Heavenli". The Mirror. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
  13. ^ Bishop, Rob (1999-06-10), "Top three back Hale to carry Albion flag", Birmingham Post {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
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