Matthew David Marsden is an English actor, producer, singer and model. He has appeared in films such as Helen of Troy, ', Tamara, ', Rambo, and Atlas Shrugged.
Early life
Marsden was born on 3 March 1973 at Hallam Hospital in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England. He grew up on the Yew Tree Estate in Walsall. His father abandoned the family when Marsden was a child, and his mother Ann then brought up him and his sister alone. He attended Manor High School in Wednesbury, before leaving to go toDartmouth High School in Great Barr, Birmingham. Marsden found work as a model in London, Paris and Milan. He was featured in commercials for products such as Jacobs Coffee, Punica, Vimto and Impulse. 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." After nearly two years of modelling, he decided to get an agent and find work as an actor.
Career
Marsden's acting break came in 1995 when he joined the cast of the ITVsoap operaEmmerdale, playing the upper crust Daniel Weir, lover of Linda Glover. He remained in the role for three months before the character was written out. He went on to play the role of surferPhilip Kennedy in Island – a Jersey-based ITV miniseries. Marsden also dressed in drag when he appeared in the Jeannot Szwarc French film Les Soeurs Soleil. 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. Following his departure from Coronation Street, Marsden decided on a change of direction and a fleeting career as a pop star followed. 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. 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. Marsden returned to acting, portraying Paris in the USA networks mini-series Helen of Troy; Army Ranger Dale Sizemore in Ridley Scott's blockbuster filmBlack Hawk Down. He starred in John Irvin's feature Shiner, ' and Tamara, a supernatural thriller by Final Destination screenwriter Jeffrey Reddick. He made appearances in the films ' and '. He co-starred in Rambo in '.
