James Paul (Jimmy) Marsden attended James L. Dennis Elementary, Hefner Junior High, and graduated from Putnam City North in 1991. 

While vacationing in Hawaii his sophomore year of high school, Marsden met actor Kirk Cameron and his actress sister Candace Cameron Bure. He expressed an interest in acting, and they invited him to visit them in Los Angeles.

Marsden came back to Putnam City North excited to know that his goal was to one day go to Hollywood and become an actor. His drama teacher, Rose Mary (Martinez) Baker, cast him as the lead actor in plays such as Bye Bye Birdie, Good News and Juvie. Marsden explained that while acting in these high school plays he discovered his true passion. Audiences responded to him in the roles he played, even when he played someone completely different than himself. He knew that acting was what he was meant to do. Although he attended college at Oklahoma State University to study broadcast journalism, he left after a year and a half and headed to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career.

Marsden got his first job on a series of episodes of The Nanny. He also guest starred on other television shows such as Saved by the Bell and Party of Five and starred in the television series Second Noah and Ally McBeal.

His movie career includes Gossip, Disturbing Behavior, Enchanted, Superman Returns, X-Men, Hairspray, The Notebook, 27 Dresses, The Box, and Death at a Funeral.