James Marsden has his sights set on a legendary role — one that would allow him to channel his love for classic crooners. Following in the footsteps of actors like Timothée Chalamet in A Complete Unknown, Marsden has revealed his desire to portray the one and only Frank Sinatra. "I've always loved emulating some of the old crooners, like Bobby Darin and Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin," Marsden shared in an interview with The Post. "For whatever reason, you've never really seen a movie about him" Marsden added.
A Long-Awaited Sinatra Biopic?
Despite Sinatra's enduring legacy, Hollywood has yet to bring a major film about his life to the big screen. While there was a 1992 TV miniseries Sinatra, starring Philip Casnoff and Olympia Dukakis, a large-scale feature has never materialized.
Marsden isn’t the first actor or filmmaker to express interest in a Sinatra project. In 2014, sources told Variety that Martin Scorsese was eyeing a biopic with Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead. However, the film never came to fruition.
"I just think there are 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," Marsden said. "I've never really done a biopic about somebody."
A Passion for Music and Performance
Marsden, who currently stars alongside Sterling K. Brown in Paradise, has a clear vision for the type of Sinatra film he’d love to make. "To do a biopic like what Jamie Foxx did with Ray Charles would be a lot of fun," Marsden said, referencing the Oscar-winning 2004 film Ray. "I would love to. And you're actually using your singing voice, as well."
For Marsden, that last part is essential. The actor has already proven his vocal chops in the 2007 musical Hairspray, where he played TV host Corny Collins alongside an all-star cast including John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Zac Efron. "I had the most amazing experience on that movie, and it was just a party," he recalled. "It was like we were doing a Broadway show on stage for a couple of months."
Marsden’s Sinatra Connections
Marsden also showcased his singing talents in Enchanted (2007), where he performed a rendition of 'That's Amore' by Dean Martin, one of Sinatra’s closest contemporaries in the Rat Pack.
Beyond musicals, Marsden has built a diverse career, starring in Westworld as Teddy and portraying Scott Summers/Cyclops in the X-Men franchise. But if given the chance, it’s clear he’d jump at the opportunity to step into Sinatra’s legendary shoes.
With Hollywood’s ongoing love for music biopics, could Marsden’s dream of playing Ol’ Blue Eyes finally come true?
