AMERICAN actor, singer and songwriter James Marsters first found international fame playing punk-goth Brit vampire Spike in the critically acclaimed American TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the equally popular spin-off Angel.Film roles include live action film Dragon Ball, romantic love story P.S. I Love You with Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler and Kathy Bates , USA Original true-crime film Cool Money, independent thriller Shadow Puppets, Winding Roads, The House On Haunted Hill and Chance with Buffy co-star Amber Benson.The Californian actor, who grew up in Modesto, has also played Brainiac in TV’s Smallville and guest starred in Without A Trace, Millennium, Andromeda, The Mountain, Saving Grace and mostly recently Caprica. James is currently filming in CBS’s Hawaii Five-O.James’s voiceover talents can be found portraying Lex Luthor on the DVD release of Superman: Doomsday and he continues to read for the very popular Dresden Files books on tape series.He has received numerous nominations and awards, including the Spacey Award, the Saturn Award, the Cinescape Face of the Future Award, the Golden Satellite Award, and the Teen Choice Award.James attended New York’s prestigious Juilliard, the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and the American Conservatory Theatre and spent 10 years doing stage work before moving to LA to work in film and television.He worked in Chicago’s famous Goodman Theater and also set-up and ran companies in Chicago and Seattle. One of his early television appearances was as a hotel bellhop in the television series Northern Exposure.James is also a singer songwriter and has enjoyed sell-out concerts in America, Canada, Australia and Europe. He brought out his first solo album, Civilized Man, in 2005 and has followed it up with Like A Waterfall.
Gained the scar on his left eyebrow when he was mugged whilst living in Queens
(July 2000) Won the Sexiest Male Vampire Award at the Nocturnal 2K Convention in London, England.
Graduated from Davis High School in Modesto, California.
Studied at Juilliard, the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and the American Conservatory Theatre.
While doing regional theatre in Chicago, he co-founded the New Mercury Theatre company (named after Orson Welles s "Mercury Theatre"). In 1990, New Mercurys founders packed the operation up and relocated to Seattle in the hopes of finding more opportunity; they played there for a number of years, using any available space, including the basements of restaurants and churches, but eventually found themselves a more permanent space near Pioneer Square.
Was recognizable in public chiefly for his platinum-blond-bleached hair. He had to bleach his hair regularly to play Spike on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" . In a famous "Entertainment Weekly" interview, he admitted to adding four to seven packets of Sweet n Low to the bleaching solution, to take the sting out. When the show ended, Marsters had his bleached hair shaved on TV (to sell for charity) and reverted back to his normal brown hair.
Has a HUGE cult following in the Sci-Fi/fantasy community. There are (literally) hundreds of websites dedicated to him and his immensely popular vampire character Spike on the internet.
He lived at one point (possibly still living there) in a house right on the beach. He once said during an interview that the worst part of living there was that because of his role on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" , he couldnt go out on the beach for any length of time because hed pick up a tan.
Fronted a band called Ghost of the Robot. The bands first album, "Mad Brilliant," was released in February 2003. After just over two years together, he dissolved the group to pursue a solo performing and recording career. His first solo CD, "Civilized Man," was released during his sell-out 2005 European tour.
His appearance at the 2002 Shore Leave sci-fi convention was so popular that a great number of fans had to watch his Q&A sessions from specially set up monitors outside the conference hall. Despite the almost Beatlemania-like overcrowding at the event, he stayed on for over 2 hours after he was scheduled to leave to ensure every single fan whod waited in line got an autograph.
Spent the first ten years of his professional acting career in the theater (at various times in New York, Chicago and Seattle).
One of his first major theater roles was a Chicago production of "The Tempest," in which he was strapped near-naked to a large wooden wheel for his entrance. He claims that he has never been self-conscious about appearing nude since.
Has long harbored a desire to direct a film adaptation of "Macbeth." He frequently cites the Shakespeare tragedy as his favorite play.
Has produced more than 70 plays.
His favorite Buffy episode is "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" {Once More, with Feeling (#6.7)} .
Originally his Spike character from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was supposed to be killed during his first season on Buffy, but due to his very high popularity fan base for the show, they kept him on the show instead.
Has one son, Sullivan (born in 1996), with ex-wife Liane Davidson.
Has two siblings. One older sister (Susan, born 1960) and one younger brother (Paul, born 1964).
The Royal Shakespeare Company of Stratford, England, held a 2004 poll asking movie viewers to vote for the actor and actress they would most like to see in the roles of Romeo and Juliet. The winners were Marsters and Keira Knightley. More than 2,000 people voted for more than 150 different actors for both roles. Marsters, a Shakespearean actor, triumphed over Orlando Bloom , Ewan McGregor , Jude Law , and Johnny Depp. Speaking from his Californian home, Marsters said, "Im flattered and excited that people would think of me for the role of Romeo. I think the themes of violence and social disintegration are as important today as they were in Shakespeares day." (April 23, 2004)
Just as his characters human counterpart from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" , he is also a writer in real-life. He and comic book writer/novelist Christopher Golden teamed up in 1999 for Dark Horse Comics "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Spike & Dru" comic book tie-in miniseries. It is now reprinted as a graphic novel.
Named #1 of the Top Ten Sexiest Men of the Buffy / Angel universe in a fan poll by the Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanzine.
Originally, his BtVS character of Spike was supposed to be Creole, and James practiced a Bayou accent. But almost at the last minute, producer Joss Whedon decided Spike should be British.
Was one of the three actors called in to audition for the role of Spike opposite Juliet Landau.
Was asked to audition with both a Cockney accent and a Southern accent, as the writers/producers hadnt decided which they wanted Spike to be
Loves filming the violent scenes and stunt work on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and takes great pride in doing his own stunts.
His favorite playwright is Anton Chekhov.
One of his favorite books is "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.".
He says Spike is the best role hes ever had because hes been able to play so many different sides of him.
He says his personal strength is patience while his personal weakness is his temper
According to both Marina Sirtis and Joss Whedon , he tested for the role of Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis . In order for him to have time off to film the movie, his character was sent to Africa at the end of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" s sixth season.
Enjoys playing the guitar, watching football, and spending time with friends at the beach.
Is left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.
Auditioned for the part of Praetor Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis .
Is the legal guardian of his niece.
Is the first live-action actor to play the comic book villain Brainiac from the Superman comics.
Has played two of Supermans arch enemies. On the TV series "Smallville" , he played "Milton Fine", AKA "Brainiac". In the animated video Superman/Doomsday , he played the voice role of "Lex Luthor".
Engaged to Patricia Rahman [May 21, 2010].
Graduated High School with a 3.8 GPA.
Marsters was booked to be a Guest of Honor at Fright Night Film Festival, at the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky, on 29 June-1 July, 2012.
(July 2004) At a recent convention, announced he has been given the opportunity to do his dream - a movie version of Macbeth. Currently hes working on adapting the Bards famous tragedy for the big screen. Sadly, there has been talk that the movies funding had fallen through.
(June 2007) Filming for "Torchwood" season 2 in Cardiff and doing a concert at The Point 21/7. Also, appears in an episode of TNTs new series "Saving Grace" .
(July 2005) Will be guest-starring on the upcoming series 5 of The WBs "Smallville" .
(March 2005) His movie Cool Money (formerly The Pierre Heist) will air in March 2005.
(November 2004) Finished filming "The Pierre Heist" ( Cool Money ) in Toronto. He played the lead, "Bobby Comfort". It is a TV movie that is rumoured to air in January or February of 2005.
Has starred in three of the WB television series that continued in comic book form: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" , "Smallville" and "Angel" .
Auditioned for a role in "True Blood" but was deemed "not tall enough" for the part by the producers. Claims it was the first time he was willing to portray another vampire.
As of 2016 he has been the narrator on 15 audio books of Jim Butchers The Dresden Files as well as the shorts in the the anthology Side Jobs. He is so much the character of Harry Dresden that when a scheduling conflict did not allow for his reading of book number 13 Ghost Story, and it was read instead by John Glover, fan outcry and a desire for continuity caused the book to be re-recorded with Marsters and re-released four years later. While Glover did a fine job of the reading, Marsters is truly an actor with his voice in these books, with each character recognizable from the other and from one book to another, allowing the listener to become familiar and invested in them all.
Appeared as Mordred in a bonus scene on the DVD Extras of Once Upon a Time Season 5.
I am a lucky regional theater actor who happened to get a good role.
[Alan] Ball, I kind of make my bread and butter by fighting tall guys.
